Alumni Stories: Huda of Huda's Kitchen Rules
Huda’s Kitchen Rules founder and chef, Huda Bardawil
It’s a common report that dining at Huda’s Kitchen Rules feels like being welcomed to her living room. While the space is chic, stylish and minimal, Huda’s energy and cuisine transforms it into a place intimate and warm. She serves Palestinian cuisine met with her own creative flair. On the night we visited, Huda’s family had arrived home from travelling, and we were lucky to be invited to sit at their table, sharing together from the same plate of Maqlooba ( مَقْلُوبَة). We talked to Huda about passion, her restaurant and her time at Free to Feed.
How did your journey into food begin?
I am originally from Palestine and a proud Australian citizen. Ten years ago we arrived in Australia with dreams about having an amazing life and an amazing future for our kids. At that point I decided to start something new. I had full freedom to choose to be an authentic chef – to keep my heritage alive and share my culture with everyone here. I felt myself here. It feels like I found my missing piece.
What makes Melbourne special is the people. There are such multicultural communities, it’s an amazing celebration. When you enter the Queen Victoria Night Markets on a wednesday you see multiculturalism everywhere. Sri Lankan, Indian, Mexican, Spanish, everywhere! It’s like a small world in one place! Why not! We want more people to understand this concept, to love it and not judge. There’s no need to judge–life is available for everyone. Why would we want one type of people, one type of food, this is boring guys!
Did you have an interest in working in food before you came to Australia?
Maybe the interest in food was inside me, but I’d never discovered it until I came here. I discovered the passion through the community, through Free to Feed. I joined them and started discovering myself with the leadership program. There were many questions I’d never asked myself that arose through practicing and courses and learning from them. It started from that point. I developed myself, taking courses, reading more, collaborating with others, being myself and just focusing on my line. I never looked around at what others were doing: the challenge was only with me. I’m challenging myself now for a better Huda tomorrow.
Being a part of Free to Feed was a nice step to open myself to new opportunities, and a new life through my career. When you enjoy your work you never feel like you are working. It’s amazing. Hospitality was the best thing that I found myself in.
Dinner service at Huda’s Kitchen Rules – Msakhan rolls, Knafeh and Shawarma
How did you feel being in the leadership program?
I felt connected, I felt open hearted, I’m sharing my culture in a free space. I felt very supported by the Free to Feed team, hosts and helpers. Inside Free to Feed it felt that everyone was so open to help and to provide information, to support in any way. And even having fun sometimes – “Ya’llah let’s have parties!” We enjoyed our food together. It built nice memories and connected us together.
Even the people who attended the classes were very surprised about the culture we carry – not only me but the other instructors who are really good with sharing their food with love. You see the love in each one of us, that’s what makes it more special – Free to Feed give us a lot, and we give them a lot, so you feel like it’s a win-win thing.
It’s honestly really special to hear.
I would never say anything but thanks to Free to Feed. It’s where I started my journey, my passion, discovering myself and finding my missing piece. It’s an amazing community and amazing people. I wish Free to Feed to be connected as a government program. It has to be. Anyone who comes to Australia, they should say “welcome” and have Free to feed with the names of the other organisations. They’d say “Free to feed – here is where you can find a starting point. They will help you and support you to find your passion or to find your way or to facilitate your learning journey” – something like that, if you wish to do that through them. This is how I see Free to Feed. At the same time, if you don’t have family, we will be your family.
Also, I had so many people who attended my classes come here to our restaurant, and they’re very beautiful! They say “Oh Huda it’s amazing, we attended your classes at Free to Feed!” Oh my god, this is a big thing for me! I’m happy because I’m grateful to Free to Feed, it built the connection between me and the people so they follow me and they see the growth, they grow with me you know? It’s nice!
You’ve got your own Huda’s cheer squad!
My aim never was about being famous – it’s about connecting with people. It feels familial. It’s amazing when you walk on the streets and you know people and they know you. It feels so beautiful. You feel like you’re home.
Huda teaching her cooking experience at Free to Feed
Can you talk more about what you’re doing here at Huda’s Kitchen?
I started my small business in 2018 from home doing cultural, authentic Palestinian food. I was sharing it with neighbours and friends, and it became bigger and bigger. Now we have this space in Caroline Springs. It’s not only about sharing culture. It’s about creating a space for everyone to feel home. When they enter my place people say “we feel like we’re at your home – you are greeting us, feeding us with the food and your heart.” Passion isn’t just loving the thing for a moment. It’s love that you maintain and keep giving. Passion means continuous giving, even when you have a lot of pain inside you or are facing bad times. Even when you are collapsing, if you still have the ability to give that love, this is passion.
When times are hard, if the question you’re asking is “How do I make it work?” not “Do I stop?” I think this really shows you’re passionate.
Exactly, yes. It’s about maintaining. Like any business we have down times. Even in those times, I never left the thing inside me. I never put it aside and do this without heart. I’d prefer to stop rather than working without heart.
“I’d prefer to stop rather than working without heart.”
Dining at Huda’s Kitchen Rules
Is there any Qatari influence in the food?
Yes definitely. I was born there and lived most of my life there. One of the things I’m applying here is Karak tea. They sell it there at small kiosks in the street and shopping malls. It’s black tea infused with milk and cardamom, boiled until the end of its life! It's a reduction process. I consider it a night coffee. It’s soothing after a heavy meal. I want people to feel refreshed and happy and sleep well.
What are some of the other special items on your menu?
I make the Msakhan Spring Rolls here. Everyone loves them. They're golden, crispy rolls filled with sumac-spiced chicken and onions. I have to make them for you.
Msahkan Spring Rolls and Falafel Chips (Huda’s own creative invention!)
I also have the Maqlooba that I recreated so you can have that experience by yourself. You turn it, you flip it… it’s so cute you do it yourself! When I was visiting my family overseas in Qatar and went to a very old souk that had a small shop with cookware. I found this small pot and said to the seller “man, what’s this?” He said they’re for small favours to give to others. At that moment I thought that it looked like a small scale of the big Malooba pot, and now everyone can experience the Maqlooba.
It’s a good introduction for people who haven’t done it before, to try flipping a smaller one!
Last weekend I sold over 60 dishes of Maqlooba! Every table sees the other tables and says “I want that!” and I say “Yeah why not, Yallah, let’s go!” It’s a big, beautiful concept, that people want to feel, they want to sense everything. I’m here to make your five senses work!
Maqlooba has to be experienced, it’s not just a food you fill your tummy with. It’s a full experience that you can turn the reality. You take it up and put it up. And this is me! This is my life! Whenever I want to turn it and flip it I can do it. Flip your reality guys and do Maqlooba! I want to share this with everyone, Yallah! 100% experience.
Sharing Maqlooba with Huda and her family
Follow Huda’s Kitchen Rules on Instagram, see their website, or visit in person:
Huda’s Kitchen Rules
kin Eatery 1/7 Caroline Springs Blvd, Caroline Springs VIC 3023.
Photos by Savannah van der Niet.