Reem Assil is a Palestinian-Syrian chef and activist, based in Oakland, California, working at the intersection of food, community, and social justice. She is the founder of Reem’s California, an Arab bakery and restaurant that builds community across cultures and experiences through the warmth of Arab bread and hospitality. Assil was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Best Chef West award in 2018 and ‘19 and a finalist for the Outstanding Chef award in 2022. Before dedicating herself to a culinary career, Assil worked for over a decade as a community and labor organizer, building leadership to have a voice in their jobs and their neighborhoods. Assil also is the author of the 2022 cookbook Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora