This event was held on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2025
An afternoon filled with the folks and food that represent WNC’s rich heritage. Sample a passport’s worth of international flavors, made lovingly by our talented friends and neighbors. Proceeds will benefit Pisgah Legal Services’ Justice For All Program, which provides free legal aid to improve the lives of immigrants in 18 WNC counties.
Cooperative Coffee Roasters hosted an amazing event, Our Global Table, inviting 25 local vendors from the area who have international roots, to showcase the rich diversity of our food culture, and by extension our wider community. Not only was the event fun and delicious but it sold out all 200 tickets, with all proceeds (~$7000) benefitting local legal aid organization, Pisgah Legal Services.
Our Global Table events have been held on two occasions prior to 2025, organized by local fixtures, Suzy Phillips of Gypsy Queen Cuisine fame, and George Awad, local entrepreneur and Comedian. These events raise money for Pisgah Legal Service’s “justice for all” initiative which helps eligible immigrants in WNC to work towards a legal and secure status in North Carolina, while addressing other basic needs. Pisgah Legal Services also supplies legal documents to address cases of family separation, which is unfortunately and frighteningly common in this day and age. Eli Masem, director of Quality and education/ coffee Roaster at Cooperative and Katie McDaniel, one of the founders of Cooperative teamed up with the original organizers to sponsor and organize this third installment at our Cafe and Roastery in West Asheville on Haywood Road.
With the current and troubling climate of anti-immigration sentiment in our country, Cooperative Coffee Roasters felt that it was more important than ever to stand behind our values of a more just and diverse society, especially in Western North Carolina. We work in an international business, Coffee, which has allowed us a legion of opportunities to find connection with the people and places that grow our coffee, none of which are in the United States.
Guests at Our Global Table wandered from table to table sampling the dishes of Mexico, India, Nicaragua, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Germany, Guatemala, Brazil, Macedonia, China, and many more nationalities. This event featured an amazing track selection of local DJ, Mallinalli, while guests got to know the work of Pisgah Legal Services via their many ambassadors attending the event to share what they offer the community.
We were overwhelmed by the positive response and proud to have hosted so many amazing people from so many different places in our headquarters. We look forward to doing it again next year with more food and more vendors!