Peace by Chocolate: The Hadhad Family’s Remarkable Journey from Syria to Canada By Jon Tattrie

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Shortlisted, 2021 Dartmouth Book Award for Non Fiction, and 2021 Taste Canada Awards Culinary Narratives Category
Nominated for 3 Gourmand Awards
An Atlantic Bestseller
A Hill Times Top 100 Selection (2020)

February 2016. Antigonish, Nova Scotia.Tareq Hadhad was worried about his father: Isam did not know what to do with his life. Before the war began in Syria, Isam had run a chocolate company for over twenty years. But that life was gone now. The factory was destroyed, and he and his family had spent three years in limbo as refugees before coming to Canada. So, in an unfamiliar kitchen in a small town, Isam began to make chocolate again.This remarkable book tells the extraordinary story of the Hadhad family Isam, his wife Shahnaz, and their sons and daughters and the founding of the chocolatier, Peace by Chocolate. From the devastation of the Syrian civil war, through their life as refugees in Lebanon, to their arrival in a small town in Atlantic Canada, Peace by Chocolate is the story of one family. It is also the story of the people of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and so many towns across Canada, who welcomed strangers and helped them face the challenges of settling in an unfamiliar land. Peace by Chocolate: The Hadhad Family’s Remarkable Journey from Syria to Canada

I had no idea what to expect when I first purchased this book. A chocolatier escaping war? In my subconscious critique I visualized Willy Wonka awkwardly juxtaposed into Slaughterhouse Five. It was not even close. And it also wasn't a western/white savior story I knew it wouldn't be. I have read enough Jon Tattrie to know he would write this story in a way that evokes admiration than pity. And I wasn't disappointed.

Nova Scotia once had a proud history of chocolate making, which also began with a family, the Moirs, over 200 years ago. It ended when Moirs Chocolate no longer a small family company, but part of a conglomerate owned by the American owned Big Choco Hershey shut down its Maritime operations in 2007 as a cost cutting measure. Remnants of the brand were moved to bigger cities, as it all too often happens with Atlantic Canadian industry. Jobs, income, and a part of Nova Scotia's cultural pride went with it. This book is the story of a New Canadian family restoring some of that pride back to us, and reminding us what it means to prioritize sharing happiness rather than sharing profits.

The Hadhad family gave Antigonish a gift and a great honor when they reestablished their chocolate business in the small town that welcomed them. They had the opportunity to move their whole operation to Montreal but they chose not to. Their new town was worlds away from their native Damascus, in distance, in scale, in the wide wilderness surrounding it. That they chose to stay there is not only a testament to the hospitality of the residents of Antigonish, but reflection of the integrity of the Hadhad family. Perhaps, as immigrants, they were able to see the value of their community through fresh eyes, not succumbing to the belief that moving west is inevitable. Perhaps they believed in this province than many of those who were born and raised in it. Whatever the reason they stayed, I am glad they are here and proud to say the Hadhad family is part of my province. The way Jon Tattrie described their willingness to give and give had me moved to tears.

I believe this is an important book, one that should absolutely be read by anyone who has ever questioned the value that newcomers bring to their own community. It's undeniable proof that diversity is what strengthens us as a community. Read it whole with a Peace By Chocolate Bar. Bolivia Jon Tattrie’s book “Peace by Chocolate” is an enthralling story about the Hadhad family who came to Canada as refugees and who rose to become successful owners of a Canadian chocolate company called Peace by Chocolate in 2016.

As someone who volunteers to help newcomers with their job search, I am eager to hear stories from newcomers about their journey and settlement in Canada. The book does not disappoint in this regard. I learned what life was like for the Hadhads in Syria around 2012 and how the war upended their lives. It makes me proud to be Canadian to learn how Antigonish, a community in Nova Scotia, Canada rallied to sponsor and support the Hadhad family.

This book inspires hope, love and compassion, which is a welcome respite during these uncertain times. I recommend this book. Bolivia I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to others! Bolivia