About

Born and raised as a North African Nomad by very successful and independent parents with whom my two brothers and I grew up travelling the world, moving from one place to another but keeping strong family ties and values. My parents were raised by self made entrepreneurs who by trade were also bakers & Chef Patissier (both my Grandfathers!) and incredible homecooks (my Grandmothers). This often meant that mealtimes were more than just about food. We always had guests or family over. It was about gathering and sharing stories and laughter around an array of small dishes and a main course. Often very modest in terms of ingredients by Western standards but more was always less! Vegetables, pulses and less fancy cuts of beef and lamb are often used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. So flavouring, slow cooking and variety are key. Fresh bread (and lots of it) is always a constant staple.
Having grown up around strong flavours and aromas, I have never been one to shy away from being bold with the use of spices and falvourings. My heritage has given me a privileged insight into understanding the key ingredients and spices that make up not only Middle Eastern and North African cuisine but also French cuisine as our parents’ generation were heavily influenced by the French culture and we were all brought up as tri-lingual speaking Arabic, French and English and understanding the North African Berber dialect; which is inherent to what makes up my style of cooking today.
These recipes are all inspired by Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours but heavily influenced by Western cooking style. I wanted to share my own style of easy, uncomplicated home cooking that is not about getting the measurements right but about testing the flavours and mixing easily substituted ingredients.