Focused on social innovation, Moitié-Moitié operates under two golden rules: genuine ethnic dishes and conviviality. Founded by Tania Jiménez, the company bets on good cuisine and good company to bring down the walls between Montreal’s many cultural groups.
"I aim to lower the barriers between cultures by bringing people of different groups around a shared table to enjoy a meal together, discuss and learn about one another," Tania explains.
To do so, she organizes potluck dinners around a specific theme, such as nostalgia, grief or family. Guests, half of which have to be Québécois and the other half from another cultural group (hence the name Moitié-Moitié, which means half and half in French), then bring a dish reminiscent of their culture and related to the dinner’s theme. Once gathered, diners share dishes and discuss their meanings to their own culture.
"It’s important for the guests to have an emotional connection with the meal they bring, as it really is how they can connect with one another," Tania explains.