Dear friends of the Museum for Islamic Art,

We would like to invite you to the Middle Eastern Culture and Food Lab of the twin sisters Forough and Sahar Sodoudi - or better known in Berlin as Dr & Dr - on 18 September 2025 from 5 pm for an exclusive cooking class at Reichenberger Straße 116, 10999 Berlin.

‘Dr & Dr’ is a unique food lab in Berlin, founded by PhD scientists Forough and Sahar Sodoudi. The twin sisters come from Iran and worked for years in science, science management, research and teaching before deciding to take a new path. Through their academic work, they realised how little insight many people have into the culture of their home country and the intricacies of Middle Eastern - particularly Persian - culture. This need to present their culture in a deeper and more authentic way prompted them to quit their jobs and develop the ‘Dr & Dr’ concept.

With their Food Lab, Forough and Sahar combine scientific knowledge and culinary creativity and create a platform that goes far beyond flavour. In addition to culinary experiences, the Food Lab offers cooking events and discussions that give guests a deep insight into Persian culture and Middle Eastern traditions.

They are particularly keen to bring people together through food and cultural activities. They are convinced that eating together and sharing culture can build bridges and promote mutual understanding. The only table in the Dr & Dr Food Lab will therefore become a place of dialogue and encounter, where the flavours, stories and rituals of Persian cuisine can be experienced and a new perspective on culture and identity can be opened up.

Under the guidance of the sisters, we will cook the following vegetarian menu together:

Starters
Grilled aubergines topped with yoghurt, herb paste, pomegranate seeds and roasted pine nuts
Baby spinach salad with roasted saffron almonds, pomegranate seeds and pomegranate molasses

Main course
Persian saffron rice with caramelised barberries and pistachios and saffron crust
Roasted cauliflower with saffron-lemon sauce and toasted sesame seeds
Mint-yoghurt-cucumber dip with rose petals

Schedule of the cooking course
Start: 5 pm
6:30 pm - Noon Panir Sabzi (fresh bread, sheep's cheese, herbs) served by Dr & Dr
7:30 pm - Dinner together
8:30 pm - Persian tea with rose petals served with dates by Dr & Dr
Drinks: Water and red wine as much as we can drink!

Registration process and costs incurred
Please register at info@fmik.de by 30 June 2025. The limited places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis - the number of participants is limited to 16 people. The cost of the cookery course, food and drinks is €120 per person. Transfer details will follow with the confirmation email. Please let us know if you have any food intolerances when you register.

Yours sincerely, Your Executive Board

Irene Fellmann    Nadia Nagie    Cornelia Weber   Stefan Weber    Volkmar Wenzel    Philipp Zobel