Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: A Love Letter from Damascus

In 2015, chef and restaurateur Alarnab fled his home in war-torn Syria and began his perilous journey to the UK. Like many refugees, he worked a variety of jobs before he began cooking pop-up dinners for UNICEF, catering, and ultimately opening a restaurant and reuniting with his family. This narrative is often raw and vivid and may seem out of place in a cookbook, but Alarnab’s food carried him on his journey, created his new livelihood, and connected him to the love of his home, making his powerful story a natural pairing with his recipes. The dishes and the narrative give a window into the culture and people of Damascus and how Alarnab maintains a connection with his homeland. The recipes, which have traditional roots but are adapted for the modern home kitchen, rely on building a solid pantry of ingredients and spices to deliver big flavors. The book’s design and illustrations evoke warmth, paired with appealing food styling and photos of Alarnab in his kitchen.