Mesopotamian Aroma (LLC)

Mesopotamian Aroma is an LGBTQIA+-owned culinary initiative rooted in heritage, healing, and hospitality. Founded by Charlie-Moshé Elias — a cultural anthropologist, UX strategist, and chef — the project bridges ancient Mesopotamian and diasporic Jewish food traditions with contemporary questions of identity, belonging, and resilience. Launched in 2023 after Charlie-Moshé completed a Master’s in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action in Paris, Mesopotamian Aroma serves as both a small-format cooking school and a cultural platform — using food to spark dialogue, preserve oral histories, and nourish those most impacted by displacement, trauma, and systemic exclusion. Mission: Host monthly cooking classes and demos designed through an anthropological lens, integrating ethnographic research, intergenerational knowledge, and historical culinary data. Offer catering services rooted in ancient and diasporic Jewish cuisines from Iraq, Türkiye, and beyond. Lead community dinners and dialogue events that promote food diplomacy, cultural literacy, and interfaith solidarity. Create digital content — including recipes, visual guides, blogs, and videos — to preserve and share underrepresented culinary histories. Provide free meals to low-income LGBTQIA+ individuals and others impacted by tech layoffs, when resources allow. What set Mesopotamian Aroma for uniqueness? Mesopotamian Aroma isn’t just about food — it’s about embodied knowledge, cultural storytelling, and social impact. By blending the rigor of anthropology with the joy of cooking, we invite participants to explore food as a portal to ancestry, memory, and transformation. 📍Based in Seattle | Programming offered locally and virtually 🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQIA+-Owned & LGBTBE Certified