Interview with Sara Banna, an inspiring activist and accomplished chef in the vegan community.

In today's interview, we are pleased to interview Sara Banna, an inspiring activist and accomplished chef in the vegan community.

Sara's primary goal is to promote happiness, veganism, and the well-being of vegan society in Jordan. She tirelessly advocates for animal care in Amman and emphasizes its correlation with human health. Notably, Sara is the visionary behind Bayt Sara, Jordan's first BeVeG Certified Vegan restaurant. This restaurant has achieved remarkable success, ranking as the 6th top-rated application on the globally renowned HAPPY COW platform. Demonstrating her unwavering dedication, Sara organized a groundbreaking vegan festival in Amman that drew approximately 120 attendees to Jabal Luweibdeh. Amman Vegan Festival was a significant milestone for Jordan as it marked the country's first-ever plastic-free event, a testament to Sara's commitment to environmental sustainability. Moreover, as a compassionate gesture, a portion of the ticket proceeds was generously allocated to supporting the spaying and neutering of nearly 150 stray cats. Sara's passion for the cause also led her to participate in the Animal Rights Movement and Vegan Symposium in Dahab. Through her remarkable achievements and tireless efforts, Sara Banna stands as a true inspiration for those striving to make a positive impact on animal welfare, health, and the promotion of a sustainable lifestyle.

Hello Sara, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hello, my name is Sara Banna, I am half Jordanian/Palestinian and half Romanian. I grew up in Italy and then moved to Jordan a few years back with my family.

I founded Bayt Sara in a garage that I have renovated and transformed into a charming vegan hangout and tourist destination. I have been an activist for 17 years and a vegan for 5 years.

Bayt Sara was the first vegan restaurant I opened in Jordan. I have also volunteered for 7 years in Petra to help donkeys, camels, and horses.

What is the reason behind Bayt Sara?

Ever since my lifestyle changed to vegan, it was always difficult for me to find a tasty and delicious meal to eat. When I went out with friends to eat vegan, it was always the same old food such as hummus and falafel along with fries or salads. Over time, this got boring, and it gave me the purpose and challenge of giving more food options to vegans.

To be fair and honest, none believed in my dream of owning a vegan restaurant. This gave me a strong purpose to open my restaurant. I can say that the first 3 years were the most challenging years of my experience. It was just me and my cats. Some friends would visit my restaurant every now and then.

What foods do you offer at Bayt Sara?

My food is all homemade (no prepared food or frozen food). Bayt Sara serves Italian, Romanian, Hungarian, and Jordanian dishes. 80% of the ingredients are handmade in a dedicated vegan kitchen that is open and transparent about ingredient cleanliness.

I worked a lot on the vegan Shawarma recipe till I found the most effective formula. It has proven to be a success for Jordanians and foreigners alike. I use soy curls as the base for the “meat” which has the appropriate texture for this meal, and I add a whole lot of other delicious ingredients and spices to give you the flavor you expect when eating shawarma.

What pushes you further in your dream? Or why is this dedication and loyalty to your restaurant?

I want to promote veganism in our beloved country. I also want to be more aware of climate change, reduce plastic usage, and care more about our health and animals. Bayt Sara is not just heroic in its cuisine but also in its rescue efforts. My place is free of sugar and plastic and pet friendly. Some might say that it is not an actual business, but in fact from the income we care for stray animals and even people in need.

I have started an initiative in the country to rescue and spay as many homeless cats in her country. It’s a long and hard journey, and as I have said, I am an ardent dream achiever. I intend to keep organizing FREE vegan events to give everyone free vegan meals every single time I could. And this is a promise I make to myself! of our stray animals and treat them with love and compassion.”

My goal is to keep our beautiful country clean, reduce plastic use and sugar and be there to help others, as simple as that!

Can you tell us more about "Amman Health Save"?

Health Save Movement is an international network of concerned citizens bearing witness to farmed animals in slaughterhouses. I have been volunteering at Animal Save Movement for the past 3 years now.

Amman Health Save is a page dedicated to increasing veganism in Jordan. It has become a rescue center funded by Bayt Sara's income. In addition to strays, the funds also go to refugees’ children.

I advocate and fight for animal adoption instead of buying. As much as possible, Animal Health Save helps with treatments.

What are your future plans?

I am currently working on opening another branch of Bayt Sara in Petra. I am trying to establish a shelter for stray dogs and cats there with one of my best friends with educational free programs for children inside. Opening the second branch will be very helpful in terms of stable income to help the stray animals with medication payments and everything else needed.

We were very pleased to have this interview with you Sara, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. We are very proud of the achievements you have made and look forward to hearing more about your goals and dreams.

All the best!