‘THE CHEF AND THE CLEANING MAId’ CAST

Marwan

Faisal

Marwan and Faisal met each other at an illegal dancing competition on a boat in Bagdad when they were 14 and 15.  

A few years later they formed a heavy metal band called Acrassicauda and received widespread acclaim for the 2007 Vice documentary Heavy Metal Baghdad, which documented Acrassicauda at the time of the second US invasion of Iraq.

Growing up as boys in Iraq, neither of them cooked or could so much as "touch a pan without getting hit" so it was an adjustment when they became refugees in Syria, living with the guys from their band and having to cook for themselves. 

Marwan began to cook for a group of friends who would often come over to the apartment to hang out and play PlayStation. Since Iraqui custom dictated that if you had guests you would feed them, Marwan (with the help of his mother, over phone calls) started getting better and better at cooking.

From Syria to Turkey to New Jersey to Ridgewood the two friends have lived together off and on and Marwan has continued to be the cook while Faisal has done the cleaning.  

The Meal

Traditional Iraqi Dolma (with out the tomatoes because they are nobodies favorite or the grape leaves...because Marwan's thumbs are too big to roll them apperently)  

Dalma is vegetables stuffed with rice, ground beef and spices that you slow cook in a pot with caramelized lamb and a tomato broth.