One of the best (and tastiest) ways to learn about new cultures
© Meredith Mullins

Discovering the Flavors of the World

Traveling to Syria, Italy, West Africa, India, Taiwan, Denmark, China, Greece, Mexico, and the U.S. has never been easier. Especially if you’re hungry.

The Paris phenomenon, Ground Control, offers cultural diversity in a one-stop space, with an overarching mission of encouraging a free and curious spirit (libres et curieux) and an innate concern for the planet.

Free and curious
© Meredith Mullins

Since February 2018, Ground Control has settled in to the Halle Charolais, near Gare de Lyon. Prior to this new location, this traveling experiment had gone by a number of names (including The Grand Train), and had been housed in temporary venues all around the city (from the 12^th arrondissement to the 13^th to the 18^th and now back to the 12^th).

Subtle exterior, but lively inside
© Meredith Mullins

The remodeled industrial site and outdoor terrace on rue du Charolais are part of the French rail company’s drive to transform abandoned buildings into multidisciplinary cultural spaces—with a focus on sustainability and a sense of community.

Delicious cultural discoveries
© Meredith Mullins

Since food is one of the best ways to experience a feeling of camaraderie or to learn about a new culture, Ground Control casts cuisine in a leading role.

The 12 restaurants and 6 cafés/bars offer a variety of international flavors, with “Oh, I see” moments that are not only tasty but also educational.

Tasty “Oh, I see” moments
© Meredith Mullins

Refugee Chefs at La Résidence

One of the most interesting food booths is La Résidence, a now-permanent home for the ideas originally conceived in the 2016 Refugee Food Festival project in Paris.

That highly successful festival, supported by chefs Stéphane Jégo (from L’Ami Jean) and Mohammad Elkhaldy, brought refugee chefs into Paris restaurants to practice their skills and test new recipes that would bring the flavors of their countries into French kitchens.

The popular refugee kitchen—La Résidence

Now, that tradition continues. Every two to six months, a new French refugee chef is given creative freedom at Ground Control’s La Résidence to share the culinary heritage of his or her origin country and to experiment in fusing that culture in innovative ways with French cuisine.

Syrian Frikeh, with roasted green wheat and vegetables
© Meredith Mullins

The current resident chef is Haitham Karachay, originally from Damascus, Syria. He brings the flavors of Damascus, as well as the spicier approach of his mother’s home of Aleppo, in creating his own French/Syrian menu—family recipes now made with the techniques he has learned in the gastronomy capital of the world.

Refugee Chef Haitham Karachay at La Résidence
© Meredith Mullins

He serves better-known dishes such as hummus and tabouli, but also delicious staples such a muhammara (roasted red pepper dip), Frikeh (roasted green wheat with vegetables and labné yogurt cheese), Shawarma (rotisserie meat cut into thin slices), and Kefta (meatballs with roasted potatoes and fresh herbs).  All the dishes are made with seasonal vegetables and locally sourced products.

Menu of the day at La Résidence
© Meredith Mullins

Although he did not serve in Syria’s military, he smiles when he compares restaurant work to the rigor of the army. Long hours. Hard work. But, he is driven by a passion for sharing his culture. He loves his profession.

Kefta a la Karachay
© Meredith Mullins

He is also the essence of the Ground Control mission of curiosity. He likes nothing more than to go home at night, look over what’s in the fridge, and make something totally unique and original out of the “found” materials. Discovery at its finest. Creations that one day might appear on his menu.

A new refugee chef will be arriving in January, but Haitham hopes to work part time at La Résidence (we hope so!) and perhaps open a Syrian traiteur (catering) service to continue sharing his homeland recipes.

An Aleppo version of Muhammara (roasted red pepper dip).
(Find the recipe in the free download below.)
© Meredith Mullins

A Lesson in Pasta: Solina

At Solina, you receive an accelerated education in pasta, as well as an understanding of the importance of honoring traditional ingredients and methods.

Riccardo and Fabio—longtime friends from the Abruzzo region of Italy—have brought to Paris their love of their heritage and the land.

Riccardo and Fabio, Solina chefs from the Abruzzo region of Italy
© Meredith Mullins

Their pastas are all made from the ancient wheat flour (solina) from the Abruzzo region—called the “mother of all wheats.”

A reverence for ravioli
© Meredith Mullins

The special flour and the olive oil that they use come from a small farm in Abruzzo. The eggs are farm fresh from the French countryside. A perfect example of the best from all worlds.

A pasta test: caserecce, gnocchetti, or spaghetti alla chitarra?
© Meredith Mullins

Their pasta laboratory offers caserecce (a short pasta with curled edges that holds a sauce well), gnocchetti (a small round pasta originally from Sardinia . . . and not to be confused with gnocchi), ravioli (which they fill with parmesan, ricotta, gorgonzola, and other innovative fillings), and the most famous Abruzzo pasta, spaghetti alla chitarra (a long, thick pasta that has square edges because of the press that is used).

Spaghetti alla chitarra, with tomato sauce and pork sausage
(Find the recipe in the free download below.)
© Meredith Mullins

Riccardo and Fabio serve the caserecce with puttanesca sauce (tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies). They serve the traditional spaghetti alla chitarra with tomato sauce and pork sausage. The gnocchetti  are served with mushrooms, leeks, and pumpkin. And let us not forget a to-die-for tiramisu.

Mangiamo!

Tiramisu heaven
© Meredith Mullins

Flavors of Africa: La Table Nali

The chefs from La Table Nali transport you to West Africa, particularly to the countries of Senegal and the Ivory Coast.

Senegalese Chef Beye Abdoulahi Songane at La Table Nali
© Meredith Mullins

The traditional Senegalese favorites of Mafé (a peanut stew) and Yassa (a spicy dish with onions, mustard, and either chicken or fish) are popular with the Ground Control crowds.

Senegalese Mafé with chicken
(Find the recipe in the free download below.)
© Meredith Mullins

And, from the Ivory Coast, you can sample Aloko (fried bananas) and Attiéké (a traditional dish of cassava semolina with vegetables and a salad of red onion pickles).

Mr. Zhao’s for Chinese favorites

Traveling Around the World

A visitor to Ground Control can continue a voyage around the world with several other international food stalls.

At the Indian food bus, Doshas, you can sample traditional samosas (fried pastries with savory fillings) or order a thali plate (a variety of foods in the Indian culture, served on a round platter, and designed to be a perfect balance of flavors).

Fresh guacamole at Chilam
(Find the recipe in the free download below.)
© Meredith Mullins

When you’re “visiting” Mexico at the Chilam restaurant, you can order super fresh guacamole with homemade corn chips or tacos with pork, shrimp, or duck (vive la France). You can also try a creative Mexican burger with meat slowly simmered to perfection—with pork (Burger Yucateca), duck (Burger Michoacana), or beef (Burger Nortena).

Burger Yucateca at Chilam
© Meredith Mullins

At the Coin-Op Table, you can try a traditional Taiwanese Bao sandwich (a steamed bun filled with meat or vegetables, or both). At Mr. Zhao, you can order from a variety of traditional Chinese offerings.

You can sample Greek food at Kalimera; Danish food (including fresh fish & chips) at RØK; or popular favorites, such a pizzas (at Faggio) and hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and cheesecake (at Mona’s).

Hungry yet?

Coin-Op Table for a Taiwanese bao sandwich
© Meredith Mullins

Experimenting in Art, Entertainment, and Education

In the spirit of an integrated experiment, Ground Control offers a variety of community activities in addition to food. There is a plant shop, a boutique, a bookstore, and a videogame arcade among other diversions, as well as ongoing conferences and courses.

Plants for all
© Meredith Mullins

This huge warehouse experiment offers something for everyone—neighborhood fun for people of all ages and cultural diversity at its best.

A touch of America at the video arcade
© Meredith Mullins

Most of all, Ground Control is about discovery and community—trying new foods, meeting new people, and sharing cultures in a way that brings us all closer together.

Ground Control: An experiment in international community
© Meredith Mullins

Ground Control is located at 81-87 rue du Charolais, Paris. It is open from Wednesday to Friday from noon to midnight, Saturday from 11 am to midnight, and Sunday from 11 am to 10:30 pm.

Thank you to Chef Haitham Karachay of La Résidence, Chefs Riccardo and Fabio of Solina, Chef Beye Abdoulahi Songane and Warren Diallo of La Table Nali, Chilam,  Coin-op Table, Mr. Zhao, Doshas, Kalimera, Mona’s, Faggio, and Jeanette Dardel for recipe review.

For your free download of Ground Control recipes, click below.  

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