9th annual Muhibbah Dinner series returns to South Philadelphia, despite fire at Kampar restaurant

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A local dinner series returns Tuesday, bringing together people of different cultures in South Philadelphia.

It's the 9th annual community meal called the Muhibbah Dinner, with six different chefs contributing to this celebration of food and flavors.

"Philadelphia is one of the largest welcoming cities in America," said Ange Branca.

Brance, the head chef and owner of Kampar restaurant, says she moved to the city in 2017 because she was drawn to our city's diversity.

She threw a dinner to celebrate just that.

"We are a city of immigrants and food is one of the best ways to celebrate that," she said.

This is now her 9th annual Muhibbah Dinner.

"The word muhibbah, in the Malay language, means people of multiple cultures and race coming together in peace and tolerance," Branca said.

This year has been both glorious and gut-wrenching for Branca.

"In January, we were nominated for a James Beard Award," she says. "Everything was going well."

This is Branca's second James Beard Award nomination -- this time for Best New Bar at her new Malaysian restaurant, Kampar, in South Philly.

A few weeks after that announcement, fire tore through the building, which she had just purchased.

"I was upset," she says. "I was miserable and sad and my whole team was too. But you know what? Here we go again. We're going to do a comeback."

When the city's restaurant community found out about the fire, they stepped in to make sure Branca's Muhibbah Dinner would go on as planned.

The owner of Rex at the Royal on South Street offered to host it there.

"Rex is supposed to be open and she's closing it for the day to host Muhibbah," Branca says. "I couldn't thank her enough."

The menu is a surprise so that diners come with an open mind.

Proceeds will benefit Esperanza Immigration Legal Services, which provides low-cost and pro bono legal assistance to immigrants and their families.

For tickets and more information on the Muhibbah Dinner, visit: https://www.muhibbahdinners.org/next-dinner