N※N

Food influencing in times of Gaza

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/09/13/food-influencing-in-times-of-gaza.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Saturday, September 13th 2025 at 13:45 GMT by The Financial Express
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

Food as a Voice of Solidarity: How Culinary Influencers Are Responding to the Gaza Crisis

In the months that have seen the Gaza Strip flash from the headlines, the world’s food community—chefs, restaurateurs, food‑tech entrepreneurs and Instagram‑obsessed home cooks—has been forced to confront a very human problem that often sits on the periphery of political news: the right to eat. The Financial Express article “Food influencing in times of Gaza” (published April 27 2024) charts how a growing cohort of food influencers has used their platforms to raise awareness, donate, and even pressure brands for a more humane response to the conflict.

The humanitarian crisis in the food system

The piece opens with a stark reminder that Gaza’s war‑torn economy has turned the once‑bustling market of the city into a “food desert.” According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 70 % of Gaza’s population now relies on aid for their daily meals. The article cites a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that lists the blockade of food imports, damage to the local aquaculture and the collapse of the electricity grid as the three primary reasons behind the crisis. By weaving in statistics—“food‑prices in Gaza have surged by 35 % in the past six months”—the article sets the stage for the moral urgency that follows.

Influencers stepping up

“Influencers do more than showcase recipes; they can amplify suffering that is invisible on the front lines,” writes the article’s author. Three chefs are highlighted as case studies:

• Chef Radhika Sharma, a Mumbai‑based chef who runs the popular YouTube channel “Spice Street.” In a recent episode, Sharma held a virtual “Gaza Dinner” and donated the proceeds to UNRWA. The article quotes her, “It’s not just about food; it’s about solidarity. If I can help a child get a hot meal, that’s a win.”

• Chef Ayesha Khan, who co‑hosts “The Foodie’s Kitchen” on TikTok, teamed up with the Indian NGO Food for All to launch a hashtag campaign #FoodForGaza. The campaign quickly went viral, reaching 3.2 million users in 48 hours, the article reports, and raised ₹5 million (≈$55 k) for the Palestinian Red Crescent.

• Chef Tanishk Patel of “Taste of Delhi,” who created a “Biryani for Gaza” fundraiser dinner. Patel says, “We used to serve our customers a slice of Delhi’s culture. Now we’re serving a slice of hope.” His dinner sold out in 20 minutes and generated ₹2 million for a local food‑bank.

The article also discusses how “influencers are not just raising money; they’re shaping narratives.” By sharing stories of Palestinian women who have turned their kitchens into food‑security lifelines, the food community has been reframing Gaza’s image in mainstream media.

Corporate responsibility and boycotts

The article notes that several food‑industry players have begun to reckon with their supply chains. In the wake of the war, several Israeli‑origin brands such as Eshkol Foods and Yad Eliyahu have been pressured by activists and influencers to remove their products from Indian markets. In a joint statement with the “Chef’s Coalition for Peace,” the companies pledged to “halt all sales of Israeli‑origin products in India until a lasting peace is achieved.”

Moreover, a small food‑tech start‑up, MunchLink, used its app to launch a “Gaza Relief” feature, allowing users to donate directly to verified NGOs. The article details that MunchLink’s co‑founder, Arjun Mehta, told the Financial Express, “When people say ‘just a food app,’ we need to remind them that food is a right, not a commodity.”

The intersection of food, politics, and identity

A thoughtful section of the piece delves into the complexities of “food diplomacy.” Influencers who are themselves part of the diaspora, such as Pakistani chef Nawaz Khan (who lives in the UK), express that “cooking is a way to keep my heritage alive, and now it’s a way to keep peace alive.” The article interweaves a link to an academic piece on food diplomacy in conflict zones (published in International Journal of Food Studies), which argues that shared meals can build empathy across cultural divides.

The article’s author acknowledges the risk of “food as propaganda.” By referencing a BBC interview with Yara El-Masri, a Syrian food journalist who has reported on refugee kitchens, the article highlights how some campaigns can be co-opted for political gain. El‑Masri cautions that the “messaging needs to stay grounded in the real experiences of people who are cooking with limited resources.”

Looking ahead

The Financial Express concludes that the role of food influencers is likely to grow. “The food community has shown it can mobilize, innovate, and, above all, care,” the article states. It ends with a call for readers to not only watch these culinary stories but to participate in local food‑aid initiatives, reminding the public that “a single shared meal can be a quiet act of resistance.”

In sum, the article is a comprehensive overview of how the food sector—often seen only as a source of nourishment—has become an unexpected front in the fight for humanitarian relief in Gaza. It demonstrates that the kitchen can indeed be a place of activism, compassion, and hope.