Mixing food and culture to bring authentic taste of Syria to diners

On the face of it the ancient port city of Uragit in Northern Syria has very little in common with Huddersfield.

However, nestled in the heart of the former mill town is a restaurant where you would be forgiven for thinking you’d accidentally walked into a Middle Eastern museum.

Outside the weather is also doing its best to mirror that of a Syrian summer. Inside, Ghassan Bateha buzzes around his restaurant making preparations for Ramadan.

In August 2016, Mr Bateha opened the doors to Ugarit Restaurant. It serves up Syrian cuisine to homesick Arab students, British families looking to sample different cultures and visitors from far flung places.

“A friend of mine has been living here for a while,” says Mr Bateha, who previously worked in London. “He started to speak about the town. He said it’s very nice but there are not a lot of options for restaurants.”

That spurred Mr Bateha into launching Ugarit Restaurant. But the restaurateur, who was born and raised in Syria, has set out to do more than feed hungry diners. He wants to share with people his country’s history and culture.

Mr Bateha said: “Syria has a lot of ancient places that no one knows about. My degree was in history as well. I studied history in Syria. One of the places I enjoyed studying was Ugarit. It has a very rich background but no-one knows about it.”

Dotted around his restaurant are murals reflecting the ancient port city. Dallahs, cezves and other old traditional trinkets occupy shelves next to the paintings.

Diners are constantly seen taking snaps on their phones or asking what the significance of the decor is.

“We try to explain everything,” says Mr Bateha. “It’s not about food, I think you can say it’s about culture.”

Having people approach him with questions about his culture is something that Mr Bateha is proud of.

“This of course makes us proud because I know the situation is very bad in Syria but we try to put a spotlight on the difference Syrians can make,” he said. “Even in hard times we can make a difference.”

Mr Bateha himself came to the UK as a student in 2008. But he found himself working in the world of hospitality before he could complete his Masters in History.

The last time he visited Syria was in 2010. His family are still living in the war-ravaged country.

Speaking about his family, Mr Bateha said: “All of them are in Syria at the moment. We are from the south from where the revolution started. To be honest no place is safe in Syria. Everybody is in danger but they [my family] are ok.”

Mr Bateha wishes to bring his parents over to the safety of the UK. “But my dad and my mum refuse to go to any place because they say this is their land, they cannot leave it,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

For seven years the restaurateur has been suffering, not knowing what the next day will bring for his family.

He said: “This is what makes you unhappy. You feel thankful that you are here but you still have a lot of people there to think about.”

But running a restaurant helps take his mind off matters. Mr Bateha still speaks to his parents and they are proud that their son is working hard.

Graft is a trait that Syrians are familiar with and all they need is opportunities, says Mr Bateha.

He said: “The thing with Syrians is they are very hardworking people. What they are looking for is an opportunity. When people welcome them here and give them an opportunity they will work. They are not lazy people.”

Seeing other Syrians, who have left behind an uncertain future, doing well across the world is a source of pride for Mr Bateha. “Reading about them on the news makes me so proud because they just need an opportunity to live in peace and they show the world,” he says.

Despite the rhetoric in some quarters against welcoming Syrian refugees to the UK, Mr Bateha says that overall people have been welcoming.

He says: “The English are very nice people and kind. They try to adopt anyone who needs help. When the Syrians came here I know lots of voices who were happy to make them feel at home because they know what they are suffering from.”

Earlier on in the day a family dining at Ugarit asked of his own family’s welfare

“From a human perspective there is no difference between an English and Syrian family,” he says. “A mum was asking about my family. That shows there is a lot of concern about it.”

Mr Bateha, who previously worked at the Lancaster London Hotel, is looking to expand his restaurant. He hopes to take Ugarit to cities where an Arab cuisine option is lacking.

The site in Huddersfield employs 10 people. The two chefs, who cook and prepare the meals, are themselves from Syria, helping Ugarit stick closely to authentic recipes.

“We try to do it the Syrian way 100 per cent,” Mr Bateha says.

In displaying his country’s history and culture, Mr Bateha has found himself another passion – interior design. He plans to go back to university and pursue this passion.

“My plan was to do a Masters in History. But now my passion is interior design because I did that in this restaurant.”

As we bid farewell, I ask does he feel proud of being an example of what Syrians are capable of achieving? “I don’t know if I can say that,” he says with modesty. “I prefer the people to say it.”

The summer heat follows a customer who enters the restaurant to enquire in Arabic about Ramadan. Mr Bateha and his staff busy themselves to prepare for Ugarit’s first holy month.

Looking at what Ghassan Bateha has achieved with this restaurant there’s no doubt that he serves as a shining example of what Syrians can offer when given a chance.

Ugarit Restaurant is based on Cross Church Street and is open 11am-11pm (5.30pm-2.30am during Ramadan).

Helping hand for the refugees

The Syrian restaurant owner says he is surprised by the number of British diners that have knowledge of Arab cuisine, as a result of trips to places like the Gulf.

Ghassan Bateha added: “They have good information. We give them what they’re looking for, more information.

“The thing about Arabic culture is everywhere.”

Mr Bateha is also helping a lady from a charity welcome refugees from Syria by providing them with a taste of home cooked food.

He said: “We’re going to supply her with some food, some dessert to welcome refugees.

“This is what we try to do, to help as much as we can in any way to help anyone.”