Restoring Angela's
Donation protected
On Sunday, September 28, arsonists started seven fires in Alameda. One of them totally destroyed Angela's restaurant just as it was set to open. (See photo.)
Saboor Zafari and his family are refugees from Afghanistan. He learned French cooking from a French chef and became a chef himself. In Wisconsin, he learned American tastes and blended his dishes. Then he moved to Alameda, California with his wife and daughter, Angela, and opened his own restaurant, named after his daughter, with a blend of French Mediterranean, American and Afghan dishes. He quickly drew a following as one of the area's most imaginative chefs. He then moved his restaurant twice - just recently to a new location in a fast developing location on Park Street in Alameda. He worked feverishly to get the restaurant ready to open. When you do that, sometimes you forget things. This time, he didn't stop to get insurance.
The Zafari family was a classic immigrant success story. After leaving Afghanistan with nothing, Saboor built a new life for his family based on hard work and skills. All that he built has now been destroyed, based on a random act of violence.
Yes, he should have had insurance. But his dream was destroyed through no fault of his own - a random victim of serial arsonists. We have the power to restore his dream (and someday soon enjoy his cooking.) A small donation from many of us will see a new Angela's - and an old dream - rising from the ashes.
I have no connection with the Zafari family or Angela's restaurant, except as a satisfied customer and a person inspired by his struggle and success. Please help me restore this family's hopes.
Saboor Zafari and his family are refugees from Afghanistan. He learned French cooking from a French chef and became a chef himself. In Wisconsin, he learned American tastes and blended his dishes. Then he moved to Alameda, California with his wife and daughter, Angela, and opened his own restaurant, named after his daughter, with a blend of French Mediterranean, American and Afghan dishes. He quickly drew a following as one of the area's most imaginative chefs. He then moved his restaurant twice - just recently to a new location in a fast developing location on Park Street in Alameda. He worked feverishly to get the restaurant ready to open. When you do that, sometimes you forget things. This time, he didn't stop to get insurance.
The Zafari family was a classic immigrant success story. After leaving Afghanistan with nothing, Saboor built a new life for his family based on hard work and skills. All that he built has now been destroyed, based on a random act of violence.
Yes, he should have had insurance. But his dream was destroyed through no fault of his own - a random victim of serial arsonists. We have the power to restore his dream (and someday soon enjoy his cooking.) A small donation from many of us will see a new Angela's - and an old dream - rising from the ashes.
I have no connection with the Zafari family or Angela's restaurant, except as a satisfied customer and a person inspired by his struggle and success. Please help me restore this family's hopes.
Organizer
David C. McGaffey
Organizer
