Curator Souhad Rafey's culinary heritage bridges Arab hospitality and American art institutions

Souhad Rafey, a curator at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, traces her professional approach to hospitality through her upbringing in small town Virginia. Born to Druze parents from Lebanon, she grew up in a multicultural neighborhood where her family attempted assimilation through American traditions while maintaining their Arab identity. Her father owned several restaurants and nightclubs, including The Shiek with Middle Eastern themes, where her mother created desserts and celebrities like Chubby Checker, Fats Domino, Frank Zappa, and Herman's Hermits performed. Pat Benatar was part of the house band at one establishment. After moving to New York in 1984 to complete a Museum Studies degree, Rafey brought baked goods to internships at The Hispanic Society and Cooper Hewitt Museum. For thirty years, she has continued sharing food at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, exchanging recipes with artists like Bob Yasuda, Justen Ladda, Robert Chambers, and Mette Tommerup. Her culinary traditions include a Middle Eastern dessert recipe for Kanafa/Kanafi/Knefeh using kataifi dough, ricotta cheese, and orange blossom water. The dessert reflects her Arab heritage despite not learning Arabic as a child.