Chesapeake Bank’s I.D.E.A. Committee (which stands for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Accountability) recently partnered with Culture Encounters to spotlight on a locally owned and operated authentic Afghan cuisine restaurant, The Mantu, which is located in Richmond’s Carytown neighborhood.
Chesapeake Bank’s Outreach department coordinated this initiative to create a cultural experience for employees by bringing an awareness to cultural competence and the importance of connecting individuals with a variety of experiences, a release stated.
“The I.D.E.A. committee strives to find ways to bridge cultural differences in an effort to reduce biases and increase awareness of how much we have in common regardless of our origins and background,” said Thomas Claiborne, Vice President Outreach Officer of Chesapeake Bank. “Our visit to The Mantu was an adventure that reminded us that people have experiences and stories that we cannot know by just looking at them, that food brings people together, and that when you learn about someone, your preconceived notions fade away. We all walked away with a new perspective that will help us build bridges where biases may have been before.”
In August, various bank leaders gathered at The Mantu—located at 10 S. Thompson Street—to learn more about chef and owner Hamid Noori’s mission for bringing his cultural experiences to the city of Richmond. The experience included his story and how he immigrated to the U.S., his experiences in Afghanistan under Taliban control, and an explanation of dishes along with the opportunity for team members to help prepare various Afghan entrees.
Culture Encounters founder and director, Amma Gatty, reinforced the organization’s mission of “bridge building” that connects individuals with a variety of cultural experiences to create a harmonious world by giving a platform to share and learn from each other.
“To have a community bank like Chesapeake Bank reach out and want to immerse their employees in an experience like this speaks volumes to their company core values,” Gatty added. “It was a pleasure engaging with their various leaders and watch them embrace a unique experience.”
To learn more about Culture Encounters, visit www.cultureencounters.org. To learn more about The Mantu, visit www.themantuva.com.