Lebanon Crisis Diet (clip)

Lebanon has been suffering a terrible economic and financial crisis since 2019 that has had a critical impact on the life and the purchasing power of the Lebanese people. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis worsened even more and, on top of this, in March 2020, a massive explosion destroyed one of Beirut's main ports through which 80% of food imports entered the country.

The consumption of meat, something very common in the Lebanese diet in previous years, began to be reduced or even eliminated from daily meals as it was a food that was practically unaffordable for a large majority, while for those who could still afford it on occasion, its consumption has been reserved only for festivities and special celebrations.

I have always been super fascinated
at human's ability to adapt.

We are so good at holding
onto the things that make us,

you know, who we are.

But if there's anything that
can throw a wrench in that idea,

it's probably 2020.

But you do have to admit,

it is pretty awesome
seeing people globally,

just sort of figure out
new ways to survive.

Let's just take a second, as an example,
and we'll get Lebanon.

But I'm going to warn you,

if you're a vegetarian,
this is probably going to be rough.

CRISIS DIET

(Matthew) Since October 2019,

Lebanon has been on the verge
of economic collapse.

The revolution will happen!

(Matthew) For months,
protesters filled Beirut streets,

demanding an end to the government's
corruption they blame for inflation,

soaring unemployment,

and unaffordable food prices.

The pandemic only made
the situation worse.

Now, this crisis upon a crisis

is even changing
the way Lebanese people eat.

(Maher) We need to start
slaughtering in a bit.

(Matthew) How long have you
been doing this job?

(Maher) I've been a butcher
since I was twelve years old.

(Matthew) For the Lebanese people,
meat is very important in their diet.

- (Maher) Of course.
- (Matthew) You eat a lot of meat.

(Maher) We're very used to meat.

Let's say we have meat almost every day.

The economy collapsed.

So the people can't afford
to eat meat anymore.

I'm one of the people
in the butchery business

who hasn't had sheep in a month.

(Matthew) Really?

(Maher) It used to be
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday,

I sell three to four lambs every week.

Then we started bringing two, then one.

Then I stopped bringing it altogether.

It's too expensive
and doesn't sell enough.

(Matthew) Anxiety about money
has never been higher,

meaning for many Lebanese
meat is now only for special occasions.

Like today,

when Muslims are preparing
to celebrate Eid al-Adha,

the Feast of the Sacrifice.

(Maher) Praised be to Allah, who allowed
butchering. Allah is the greatest.

(Matthew) Traditionally,
that sacrifice is a sheep,

butchered based on Islamic law
to be Halal.

(Maher) Run away.

(Matthew) We're outside the butcher shop
and these guys try to make a run for it

but, unluckily for them, they were caught.

(Maher) Put it up, please.

(Matthew) You slaughter it like that
to make it [permissible,] right?

(Maher) It's all [permissible.]

You say, "In the name of Allah,"
to express the good intentions

of the person making the sacrifice.

(Matthew) Is it still alive?

(Maher) Five minutes. OK.

(Matthew) I'm going to become vegetarian.

(Maher) Yes, the sight of blood...

But it's normal.

(Matthew) But it's a good thing
that one eats meat

knowing where it comes from.

This is it.

This is the filet.

(Matthew) Families like the Rida,

who can still afford
a lamb for the holiday,

are paying double
what they did for sheep last year.

- Hello.
- Hi, how are you?

- Now it's all here.
- All of it is in the bags.

We will distribute all of these now.

(Tharwat) The family that butchered
the sheep takes a ration.

Some for their relatives
and the rest for the poor.

(Matthew) So you've changed
the way you cook

because of the economic situation?

(Tharwat) Sure.

We started eating more vegetables,
which is healthier.

- We saw this lamb this morning.
- Yeah.

It was moving.

Yeah, it was alive.

Yummy. It's delicious.

How's your Eid this year?

There's no Eid this year.
We haven't felt it.

- Why?
- I mean,

- because of the situation.
- There's no happiness or joy.

(Matthew) A 100% increase
in the poverty rate

means life is changed for most in Beirut.

(Antoine) Hello.

(Matthew) Even for Antoine El Hajj,

a celebrity chef who's hosted
his own daily cooking show

for the last 30 years.

(Antoine) We'll first be cooking
cowpeas curry.

We're cooking this dish
for the first time.

You're all used to chicken curry,

but you're not used to cowpeas curry.

(Matthew) How much have Lebanese kitchen
changed since the coronavirus

and the economic crisis?

(Antoine) Since the beginning
of the coronavirus, it's changed a lot.

The Lebanese people like meat,
including myself.

I really liked meat.

But it's been more than four months now,

and I've eaten kibbeh
(minced meat-stuffed dough) only once.

And it's impossible for me-- after hosting
a daily TV show for 30 years,

which everyone watches.

These people now can't afford
an ounce of meat,

then I come and work with a kilo of meat.

It just doesn't make sense.

On the contrary, I want to be helping out
with the crisis we're facing here.

That's why we're using recipes
that are good and appropriate,

and at the same time affordable.

Today, we made green pea curry,
ma'amoul with walnut,

and ma'amoul with dates.

Today's show has ended.

We'll see you in future episodes,
always on Télé Liban.

Goodbye.

(Matthew) Lebanon's dire situation
got even worse in August

when a massive explosion in Beirut
killed more than 190 people,

caused billions of dollars
in property damage,

and destroyed the country's largest port.

Lebanon had depended on that port
to bring in 80% of its food.

That reliance on imported food

has already driven some people
to find solutions

beyond just switching their diets.

(Karim) I'm growing like,
I think more than 100 types of foods--

citrus trees, avocados, mangoes...

(Matthew) Karim El Hassan
was a cafe owner in Beirut

before closing up his shop
and returning to his hometown.

(Karim) My decision to come back was...

merely just for security.

I found it really futile to try to seek...

a flow of income,

so I can use that
and come and spend it on food,

while I can actually just grow my own.

So here's my lab--

That's a sample of the things
we process on stock.

Eggplant, cucumbers,
and mekti pickles, some herbs.

I don't believe
a lot of people are content.

They're not satisfied

and they want to continue
affording meat and chicken

almost on a daily basis,

which is so unhealthy and it's abnormal.

The system is setting us up for failure,

and they're stretching it out
as much as possible.

They're milking us to the last penny.

I really fear for the future.

I don't think we have
a bright future coming.

You don't have a choice.

Either you sit and you fight,

or just migrate, leave.