Having played ATP Festivals, Bestival and Glastonburry Festival in the UK, SONAR in Spain, as well as tours in the US with the likes of Dengue Fever, Ratatat, Hot Chip, Passion Pit… and collaboration with Bjork, Syrian Omar Souleyman is returning to Australia with his pop folk poetry. Omar will be hitting the stage for Meredith Festival and playing sideshows in Melbourne on Wednesday 5th December at The HiFi, Sydney on Thursday 6th December at Oxford Arts Factory & Brisbane Saturday 8th December at Queensland Art Gallery for a free show and Sunday 9th December at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
We had a chat with Omar to find out what he grew up eating, who he would like invite to a dinner party and what his favourite breakfast meal is.
What were your food influences when you were growing up and what kind of food did you eat at home or with your family?
The food we ate when I was a child is the traditional food of the Arabic Jazeera (Peninsula). Mainly grilled chicken and meat, rice, homemade goat yoghurt and above all wheatgrain (bulgur) and rice. We didn’t eat for example salads at that time. This is a rather new development for us.
What dish or cuisine do you most like to eat on tour and why?
I enjoy savouring new tastes, but most of all I like pizza. Whenever I have the opportunity I go out and get myself some. I also love yoghurt. And black tea, of course. I need to have plenty of that, wherever I go.
You’ve played some of the biggest festivals in the world, which festival had the most interesting catering backstage and what was it?
I remember a festival we participated in in Ireland. They offered us very good Arabic food. It was very delicious and I was really moved at how much they tried to make us feel at home.
When tour internationally what food do you miss most from home?
I miss the food from home when I am on travel. The food that cooks slowly and takes its time to become ready. As soon as I arrive in Syria, I go to the “Kamal”, a famous restaurant in Damascus where they prepare fine Arabic Food. There is usually one thing that I order first. Beans with meat in tomato sauce and rice. I can’t get enough of this dish.
Imagine for a second you can request anything on your rider for your upcoming Australian tour. What food do you ask for?
Pizza. And plenty of black tea. Grilled chicken. And if they have beans in tomato sauce, I would be very happy.
What are your favourite ingredients to cook with and why?
They are very much the dishes, that I ate when I was young. Meat, chicken, rice, yoghurt, wheatgrain. But I have come to love salads too. When I have guests we make three different salads sometimes, parsley salad (tabbouleh) or Salad with vegetables, olives and fried bread pieces (Fattoush) which is a very popular dish in Syria.
If you were throwing a dinner party and could invite any musicians, living or dead, who would they be and why?
There are so many musicians I admire and would love to welcome in my home. There are for instance the outstanding Syrian keyboard player Myassar Ali, or the musicians Hussein Al-Haji and Adib Mohammed. When they come, I put everything I have in my kitchen on the table.
What is your favourite breakfast meal?
Ful Medames
