Rebuilding from tragedy with a side of traditional Middle Eastern flavors, Raif Rashed, a survivor of the October 7, 2023 terror attack at the Nova Music Festival, has recently opened the doors of Taboonia in Chelsea, aiming to foster connections and promote healing through the love of food. Rashed's story, emblematic of resilience and the power of community, was first shared in an ABC7NY article, where he detailed how the new enterprise stands as a beacon of hope after surviving the harrowing incident that resulted in numerous fatalities and his brush with death.
At his establishment, Raif is putting forth a menu that harkens back to his roots; customers can savor Druze dishes cooked in a traditional Taboon oven that's expected to ramp up the authenticity once operational, reported ABC7NY. Rashed, an engineer turned food entrepreneur, bonafide when Taboonia wasn't yet a brick-and-mortar destination but a stall at the Grand Bazaar on the Upper West Side, it's a leap forward from the small food stand he was running at the festival when chaos struck and he narrowly escaped with a bullet hole in his pants, he and his brother both survived that day.
In a New York Post interview, Rashed spoke of his experience with survivor's guilt, especially when remembering his futile efforts to save others during the attack. Through his restaurant, he strives to bridge the gap between cultures and religions, exemplified by his diverse staff, including a Lebanese partner and a Syrian employee, while serving a clientele that cuts across different faiths and backgrounds.
Rashed's personal journey from the devastation of the terrorist attack, which saw friends lost and innocent lives taken, to the opening of his restaurant is being embraced by the community, his approach to healing encapsulated in the dishes he serves—those same creations he and his brother offered at the festival before tragedy struck. Inspired by his "second birthday," Rashed has anchored his life in the familiar and comforting process of food-making and told the New York Post, "I want to make connections between people, with good, healthy food." Taboonia has garnered support, in part, through the efforts of Israeli actress and activist Noa Tishby, who shared Rashed's harrowing story on Instagram, drawing dozens to support his Chelsea venture. His menu, with dishes like bourekas, pita labenah, za’atar, chai tea, and saj bread, reflects his heritage, resilience, and desire for community unity.
As one customer, Liza Maltz of Chelsea, put it while speaking of her support for Rashed after learning of his survival from the Nova Festival attack, "The sheer horror of what he and so many innocent civilians endured is beyond comprehension," as noted by the New York Post.
