South China Morning Post<\/p>\n
“The food itself is important, but it\u2019s secondary to the actual idea of eating together,\u201d \u2013 chef Asher Goldstein<\/p>\n
Few would dispute Hong Kong\u2019s status as a culinary melting pot \u2013 a stroll through Soho is like travelling around the world with your taste buds. Nevertheless, the Middle Eastern dining scene has not taken off as much as the other metropolises worldwide such as New York and London. In fact, the region\u2019s cuisine is often misidentified as Mediterranean food, or is generalised with the more notable dishes such as kebabs, hummus and grilled meats.<\/p>\n
With Middle Eastern cuisines\u2019 popularity skyrocketing and diners with adventurous palates continue seeking new flavours, it is time for Hong Kong to rethink the cuisine.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s something unique about Middle Eastern food \u2013 it comes with a story. Chef Jad Youssef\u2019s culinary concept for example, is deeply intertwined with family traditions and childhood memories \u201cI\u2019ve always adored my mum\u2019s kitchen in our Beirut home. My mother is a passionate cook and thanks to her culinary open-mindedness and her unscripted inventions in the kitchen, I fell in love with creative cooking,\u201d says the executive chef of Maison Libanaise.<\/p>\n
The Lebanese chef grew up helping his mother preparing home-cooked feasts and assisting his father at work in his popular pastry shop. \u201cDad\u2019s pastry shop was always warm with freshly baked pastries, trays of baklava and knefe. He would be up working from 5am to get the knefe ready for the morning rush. Neighbours would drop by on their way to work for breakfast, coffee and a chat,\u201d recalls Youssef.<\/p>\n
The hearty execution of food and the connection with customers remain as the core of the Lebanese chef\u2019s philosophy. \u201cThe fragrant aromas of rose and orange blossom water that clouded the bakery reached all the way to the end of the street, which I think is probably incomprehensible in the industrialised West now. Customers loved the old-style pastry shop interior and the daily hustle and bustle of dad\u2019s local neighbourhood gem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Family dinners are a pillar of life in the Middle East. \u201cEvery Friday night, our family would meet and have dinner together. The food itself is important, but it\u2019s secondary to the actual idea of eating together,\u201d recalls chef Asher Goldstein, co-founding partner and head chef of Francis. \u201cEven when we have grown up, the tradition continues. Every Friday, one of my sisters brings the bread, the other brings a pie and my mum makes the stew. Everyone brings a dish and we all share the food together.\u201d In many ways, the sense of sharing a casual yet warm Middle Eastern meal is the key ingredient.<\/p>\n
Food in the Middle East goes beyond just sustenance. The idea of eating together is central to Middle Eastern culture, and many households spend hours, even days, to prepare a remarkable spread of dishes for family meals. \u201cI have seven aunties, and every holiday my mum would send me to different auntie\u2019s place for two weeks. Growing up I always used to compare their cooking skills,\u201d laughs Goldstein. \u201cThey all have Iraqi backgrounds so their cooking is full of stew and a lot of carbs. They all follow the same family recipes, which are passed on through generations.\u201d<\/p>\n
While both chefs hailed from the Middle East, they have left footprints in other corners of the world. Having won the hearts and stomachs of Londoners with his rustic Israeli cuisine and warm services at Yalla Yalla, a popular Lebanese street food restaurant-chain, Youssef joined the fast-growing Black Sheep Restaurants in January after calling London home for over a decade.<\/p>\n