Community Screening in the Stackhouse Theater at W&L University, Lexington, March 25, 2026
and in the Strand in Grinnell, Iowa, April 16, 2026
KAMAL’S tells the story of a Muslim chef in rural Iowa and his Catholic wife who transform their restaurant into a vibrant crossroads of cultures. Blending Middle Eastern flavors with Midwestern harvests, they create more than a menu; they create a gathering place. When Chef Kamal takes his vision beyond the kitchen and into local politics, the couple’s search for belonging becomes a bold recipe for community in the heart of America.
Directed by Nich Perez, whose work centers on ethical collaboration and mentorship, the film was produced in partnership with the Nonprofit Film Collective, The Iowa Kitchen, W&L, and documentary students. Through food, faith, and civic participation, KAMAL’S explores questions of identity, hospitality, and democracy in contemporary America. The film offers an intimate portrait of entrepreneurship, partnership, and the courage it takes to claim space in a small-town landscape where cultures meet and evolve.
Relish Grinnell in Winter
Opening Title
An Intimate moment with Chef Kamal
At the Farmer's Market
Laura enjoying the Ta'ameya
The Hot Steak Salad with Pesto Mayo
A conversation with Farmer Daryl Doty
Laura and Kamal
The only Imam and Chef in Grinnell, Iowa
Relish in the Summer
Kamal discussing his favorite chapter from Kahlil Gibran
Leg of Lamb
With retired professors, Roger and Vedder
The process of making the Egyptian Ta'ameya
The Family
Kamal’s was born from a belief that collaboration across cultures, faiths, and lived experiences is not just valuable, but necessary, especially in a divided America where immigrants are too often reduced to stereotypes and fear. This film centers on one man, one family, and one restaurant, but its heartbeat is collective. Kamal and Laura’s story shows how community isn’t inherited, it’s patiently built, shared meal by shared meal.
Through food, Kamal creates a common language. His cooking blends Mediterranean traditions with Iowa’s farms and fields, transforming unfamiliar flavors into invitations. Inside his restaurant, difference becomes dialogue; strangers become neighbors. As Kamal steps into public life by running for office, the film asks a larger question: who gets to belong, and who gets to lead, in today’s America? As an immigrant filmmaker and educator, my work is rooted in collaboration and empathy. This project reflects how I believe stories should be made, with communities, not just about them. Kamal’s is a hopeful portrait of what’s possible when we choose curiosity over fear and allow food, faith, and family to nourish not only ourselves but also the communities we call home.
Nich Perez, Writer and Director
At its core, this is a story about family, resilience, and finding home in unexpected places. As Kamal and Laura raised their children and opened their restaurant, they created a space where food becomes a language of connection and acceptance. But when he makes the bold decision to run for office, their personal journey takes on new meaning, becoming a powerful statement about belonging, identity, and what it means to be American.
Kamal’s is a celebration of community forged through flavor, faith, and love, offering a hopeful portrait of unity in a time of uncertainty.
The Iowa Kitchen presents
in collaboration with Washington and Lee University Journalism and Mass Communications Department
a Nonprofit Film Collective Production “Kamal’s”
The Food, Story, and Family of Chef Kamal Hammouda and Laura Fendt.
Assistant Editor Sylvia Agatako Postproduction Assistant Joe "Yunjae" Lee
Original Music from Pink Neighbor and Aly Eissa
Cinematography Kiefer Szumlas and Nich Perez
Postproduction Supervisor | Color by Jeff Kyle Edited by Nich Perez
Motion Graphics Crystal Jow Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Design Kifas Kyrios
Associate Producers Ethan Nelson Craig Quintero
Katie In Erik Jarvis Jeff Kyle
Executive Producer. Anna H. Olsen
Producers Laura Fendt Nich Perez
Written and Directed by Nich L. Perez
IN FILM FESTIVALS MARCH 2026
nonprofitfilm.org/kamals