As small as it may be, Malta has become home for people from all four corners of the world who bring their stories, cultures and culinary delights with them. 

But sometimes they’re met with racism, xenophobia or worse.

In the latest episode of “Taħlita Perfetta”, Lovin Malta ventures into the home of Ariel Guivi, an Argentine and Israeli chef, to get a taste of his life and to learn more about what it’s like to be a migrant living in Malta.

Presenter Dora Falzon is treated to two very similar but different Israeli dishes – hummus and masabacha – along with a couple of slices of pita bread.

Being a chef himself, Ariel has no problem wowing Dora with his Semitic dishes. The Argentine- Israeli and his family have been living on the island for three years and have fitted well into the fabric of Maltese society.

Unfortunately, Ariel has also had some unpleasant experiences in Malta because he’s a foreigner, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Taħlita Perfetta is here to break through those barriers and show Malta for what it really is – a melting pot of different cultures who together make the island a better place to live for everyone.

Together, Dora and Ariel bond over bread and learn a bit more about each other and what it means to get along with one another.

In the grand scheme of things, The Parliamentary Secretariat for Reforms, which sponsored Taħlita Perfetta, has launched a public consultation process in the run-up to its formulation of an anti-racism action plan.

You can get in touch and help build Malta’s anti-racism plan over here and here.

And for those of you who are dying to try Ariel’s dishes, you can find the recipes below:

Pita bread:

1 packet of pita bread.
Olive oil and Zatar for seasoning.

Hummus / Masabacha:

200g Mushrooms
2*350g Canned chickpeas
100g Tahini paste 1 jar
4 units Lemon juice
50g Parsley
50g Pine nuts
¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
Cumin, Salt, White Pepper, Baharat, Olive oil as needed.

Think you know how Malta can beat racism? Get in touch here