Imad's Syrian Kitchen: A Love Letter from Damascus

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Imad Alarnab says his new life began while he was stranded for 64 days in Calais as a Syrian refugee in 2015. He was a very successful businessman and chef in Damascus, but his opposition to Assad meant that it was no longer safe for him nor his family for him to remain.

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen is a bustling tour through 90 traditional and adapted Syrian dishes that can be made in the comfort of your own home. Making his way from Lebanon through Europe, Imad shared his skills cooking for other refugees, up to 400 at a time, and found even in the most challenging times, his passion for food and bringing people together to celebrate life was strong. I try every new recipe I come across for this dish, having first discovered it at Miznon in Paris many moons ago.From Imad: “From the traditional dishes that my mother first taught me to cook, to the imaginative food that has become my own, my recipes tell my story. My favourite recipes were ‘Katif Ghanam’ (slow cooked marinated lamb shoulder baked in a parcel with herbs, carrots, potatoes and onion), ‘Mujadara’ (bulgar wheat and brown lentil salad) and ‘Muhammara’ (a red pepper and walnut chunky paste). In July 2015, restaurateur Alarnab bade farewell to his family and fled his beloved Damascus … Damascene cuisine will seem familiar to anyone experienced in Middle Eastern cooking, but the particular flavors that infuse Alarnab’s hummus, baba ganoush, fattoush salad, falafel, kuftah, tabbouleh, kibbeh, and much more reflect his own take on Syrian traditions … Recipes are clear, and many questions may be answered by the color photographs. In a tall, large pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat, then add the cumin seeds and toast for a minute.

Imad now runs an acclaimed restaurant in London, which was named GQ's "Best Breakthrough Restaurant 2022. Imad Alarnab is a Syrian chef, entrepreneur, and refugee who ran three successful restaurants, several juice bars and cafes in Damascus.He wants his story to be known, to be an encouragement to other refugees as to what can be achieved.