British–Palestinian chef and author Sami Tamimi shares his life in food
Sami Tamimi shares his life in food, from his earliest memories to his favourite flavours and culinary inspirations.
Award-winning food writer and restauranteur Sami Tamimi is a British–Palestinian chef whose cooking is deeply rooted in the flavours of his homeland. He is the co-author to many of Ottolenghi’s cookbooks including Falastin and Jerusalem. In his first solo cookbook, Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from My Palestine, he embarks on a vibrant journey through Palestinian culinary traditions, celebrating simple, colourful dishes centred around vegetables and grains. Boustany is Sami’s homage to the food and culture of Palestine.
Sami will be doing a cooking demo over the weekend at Ballymaloe Festival of Food, taking place 15-17 May. Here he shares with us his life in food.
What are your earliest memories of food?
Some of my earliest memories of food are trips to different parts of Palestine that my parents used to take us on. My mother would prepare food early in the morning, we would stop on the way to get seasonal vegetables and fruit and later we would all gather to have a picnic.
How would you describe your relationship with food?
Growing up in the Middle East it was the connection to the land, farming, seasonality and foraging that played a big role in my cooking career. This stayed with me throughout.
What was the first meal you learned to cook?
Mujadara, a spiced lentil and rice with lots of caramelised onion. I vividly remember the first time I cooked it for my friend Nasser way before I decided that cooking was going to be what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
How did working with food become your career?
I wanted to be an artist but back then the family wouldn’t approve of it. Later I discovered that cooking was a form of art and it allowed me to be creative and express myself in a way that I would not otherwise if I ended working in the family transport business like the rest of my brothers. Also, coming from a food obsessed family, I think this helped in many ways.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
Eggs fried in olive oil with a generous sprinkle of za’atar, served with a chopped salad and warm bread is always an easy one to put together.
If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?
Aubergine fatteh as a main course with a few small dishes to go with. I just love all the layers of flavours in fatteh and it’s always a winner when I want to impress my guests.
Who is your culinary inspiration?
My mum. She was an amazing cook.
What would your last meal on earth be?
A seafood platter and a bottle of champagne.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Couscous with tomato and onion with a good dollop of yoghurt always hits the spot.
What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?
Steak and salad.
What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?
Fermented fish or any strong fishy food.
Hangover cure?
Sausage and egg sandwich.
Sweet or savoury?
Definitely savoury.
Fine dining or pub grub?
Pub grub.
What’s your favourite thing about cooking?
The creativity of doing the menu, cooking the dishes and sharing the food with others.
What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?
Food is more than food, its connection and care. Sharing a meal brings people closer, preparing food can be calming and intentional, and eating can nourish both body and emotions. It’s a simple but powerful way people connect with each other.
Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.
I have had lunch with friends recently at the river cafe and as always loved everything about, from the food, to the service and the atmosphere.
Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?
The perfect dining experience is delicious, well presented food, attentive but seamless service, comfortable and inviting ambiance, and the small personal touches that leave you satisfied, happy, and remembered.
Find the full lineup for this year’s Ballymaloe Festival of Food here.
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