Utah’s Inaugural Halal Food Festival Unites Communities Through Flavor

SALT LAKE CITY – The universal language of food has a unique power to bridge cultural divides and foster community. This is the driving force behind Utah’s religious community’s inaugural food festival, a celebration of culinary diversity and shared experiences.

In the Beehive State, where farmer’s markets and restaurants offer a smorgasbord of flavors, one particular cuisine has remained relatively elusive. This weekend, however, the local community is gearing up to introduce these unique tastes at a vibrant festival.

Neghat Fazel, a native of Afghanistan who relocated to Utah in 2002, is among those preparing to share her culinary heritage. “We seldom get the opportunity to introduce people to our food,” Fazel said. While she has often cooked for large gatherings within Utah’s close-knit Muslim community, this festival marks the first time her dishes will be savored by individuals outside her faith. “I hope everyone is going to enjoy it,” she added.

The festival will exclusively feature Halal food products, which are prepared according to Islamic dietary laws and accompanied by prayer. Yaser “Sunny” Naser, who pioneered Utah’s first Halal food restaurant in 1998, explained the significance of Halal meat. “The main reason is that we are asking permission from God, that we can go ahead and kill this animal and use it for our nutrition,” Naser said.

The specific preparation requirements have made Halal food somewhat difficult to access for the approximately 60,000 Muslims residing in the state. However, Naser and his family have been instrumental in advocating for Halal meat in local grocery stores, a campaign that has seen considerable success. “In the past five or six years, Halal meat has become much more widely available here in Salt Lake City,” Naser noted.

This festival, however, marks the first time the Muslim community is showcasing Halal food to the broader population. Beyond the allure of delicious food, Imam Yussuf Abdi emphasized the deeper significance of the event. “We want people to know that as Muslims we share a lot of commonalities with them,” Abdi said. “We eat food, we enjoy and we play.”

The organizers hope that offering a taste of their culture will foster unity among Utah’s diverse communities. “They see how we look and think we are boring,” said Fazel. “No, we are not, we are fun people.”

The Halal Food Festival is set to take place from 11 AM to 6 PM on Saturday, July 29th at Rosewood Park, 1434 N 1200 W. It promises to be a day of culinary exploration, cultural exchange, and community building.