Until recently, Syrian food was hard to come by in Toronto. But that's starting to change, thanks to the recent influx of more than 40,000 Syrian refugees to Canada — including around 11,000 in Toronto, where Syrian cuisine is beginning to take root.

For almost two years, the Newcomer Kitchen, housed in the Depanneur, a culinary incubator on College St., has been the weekly gathering place for Syrian newcomer women, where they share stories and experiences, as well as joy and tears — all while using their cooking skills to make food for catering and meals for the public.

"We want to celebrate that they hold the ancient knowledge of one of the oldest cuisines in the world," co-founder Cara Benjamin-Pace said. "Our goal is not to train these women into line workers in the food industry. Our goal is to bring them together and celebrate them as women and in the community."

When Canada pledged to take 25,000 refugees fleeing war in the Middle East, one restaurateur in Toronto opened his doors…