Food For Thought

The Idea in a text message
You cannot judge a dish you haven’t tasted. You cannot judge a person you haven’t met. We turned this truth into a national movement by using food as a bridge between Bulgarians and refugees.
 
Background
 In Bulgaria, refugees are often met with fear, indifference, and misinformation. According to 2024 research, 56% of Bulgarians distrust refugees, while 59% have never met one. This happens in a country where people proudly say hospitality is a core cultural value, and where public opinion is largely shaped by TV and word of mouth. In this context, UNHCR Bulgaria needed more than awareness. It needed a deeply human, emotionally resonant intervention - one that would foster empathy instead of debate.
 
Creative Idea
 We created Food for Thought - a 360° campaign using food as a universal language of trust and connection. Refugees shared more than just their stories - they shared favorite recipes of meals that carried the taste and memories of home. The campaign moved refugee narratives from political headlines to dinner tables, creating direct encounters and lasting impact.
 
Execution
 We kicked off the campaign with a long-form digital cooking show, where British-Syrian chef Imad Alarnab helped three refugees share their stories while preparing dishes from their homelands. Disguised as recipe content, the show blended storytelling with food, achieving 35,000 hours of engagement - equivalent to 1,450+ days of watch time.
On World Refugee Day, we brought the experience offline with a pop-up restaurant led by Chef Imad, transforming those same recipes into a five-course dinner that did more than engage your taste buds – it told you stories of resilience and new beginnings. The first evening gathered politicians, diplomats, and business leaders - creating a powerful moment of connection and empathy.
Due to overwhelming demand (700+ on the waiting list), we extended the restaurant experience to 7 instantly sold-out dinners, and took the campaign nationwide through food trucks, which brought refugee meals and printed stories to over 120,000 people across Bulgaria.
Unlike traditional dining experiences, our menu didn’t just list dishes - it told stories. Every course served was a conversation starter, turning the table into a space for empathy, not indulgence.
Restaurants across the country also joined the movement, permanently adding refugee dishes to their menus and reinforcing the campaign’s cultural integration.
To reach those who might never attend a public event, we partnered with Spizing, a Bulgarian spice company, to create refugee-inspired spice kits. Sent to 80+ influencers, each kit included a recipe and refugee story - inviting people to bring the experience into their own kitchens and start conversations at home.
 
Results
 - 97% of Bulgarians reached
- 55M+ total impressions
- €1M+ earned media value
- 140+ minutes of prime-time TV coverage
- 1.7M video views with 80% completion rate