Originally from Eritrea, Yusuf Yassin came to the States for graduate studies in 2022. He then practiced as an molecular biologist at Brigham and Women’s Center for Genetics and Genomics and Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Yusuf has deep knowledge of traditional indigenous food practices globally and deeply believes in the importance of food as medicine. In 2014, inspired by his own passion for healthy living, Yusuf built up a spice company with an international supply chain and opened and managed multiple food establishments, from a falafel shop in Harvard Square, to a juice bar in the Prudential Center, and the cafe and catering operation at the ISBCC mosque.

Ismail Samad is a chef, social entrepreneur, and closed loop food systems expert with a focus on economic, environmental, and spatial justice. From The Gleanery, his original farm-to-fork restaurant in VT opened in 2012 to Nubian Markets, Ismail has been using his creative culinary skills and vision to make cooking bigger than just the food. As a leading voice in the Boston food community, Ismail helped open Daily Table and has served on the board of many food justice organizations, including Boston Area Gleaners. He is also engaged with the USDA on food as medicine research, and serves on the national advisory council for the modernization of SNAP and EBT, and on the local and regional urban agriculture advisory group for USDA. In addition to Nubian Markets, Ismail’s connected ventures include Loiter in his hometown of East Cleveland, Wake Robin fermented foods, and the Corbin Hill Food Project in Harlem, NY.