Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian chef and food writer, has released his first solo cookbook, “Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from My Palestine.” The book is an exploration of his homeland’s seasonal produce and a dedication to preserving Palestinian culinary heritage, which Tamimi says is often targeted by the Israeli occupation.
The cookbook offers a masterclass in simple yet impactful cooking, highlighting how food can foster connection and how cooking and sharing meals can be acts of resistance. “As a chef and writer, this is a political act,” Tamimi stated. “It’s a way to show young Palestinians who weren’t born there the deep emotional connection we have to the land, to the food of our land, and how Palestine used to be.” He added, “This is me being resilient as a Palestinian, but also recognizing that I am privileged to have a voice, and talking about our food is a way of keeping it alive.”
The book features recipes ranging from tahini, halva, and coffee brownies to green kishk (fermented yogurt and bulgur) and Gazan dukkah (a spice mix). Tamimi noted that these dishes reflect the Palestinian love for foraging, cooking, preserving, and eating. He hopes the book will help broaden global understanding of Palestinian culture. “Our dishes are being claimed by some Israeli chefs, and so many native ingredients—lentils and sesame and greens—that I remember foraging for with my family are starting to disappear as access to our land shrinks,” Tamimi said. “But this is our food, this is our history, our culture. You can’t take my memories away from me. You can’t tell me that this is not my land.”
Tamimi, who was born and raised in the Old City of Jerusalem, developed his love for foraging while exploring the surrounding hills with his parents. His mother often used these foraged ingredients in simple, vegetarian dishes. In 1997, after working as head chef at a fine-dining establishment in Tel Aviv, Tamimi moved to London. There, he met Yotam Ottolenghi, and together they built a successful culinary business, including several restaurants and the bestselling cookbooks “Ottolenghi” (2008) and “Jerusalem” (2012).
Tamimi’s 2020 collaboration, “Falastin,” was described as a tribute to Palestine’s culinary traditions and the people who safeguard them. He rekindled his passion for foraging in Umbria, Italy, finding similarities with Palestine’s climate. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began recreating homeland dishes to combat homesickness, which inspired “Boustany.” The cookbook’s title translates to “my garden” in Arabic and is infused with childhood memories of his grandparents’ home in Hebron, where their garden yielded a seasonal abundance of produce.
“The majority of our cuisine is based on vegetables, grains and pulses,” Tamimi explained. “For me, the whole process of cooking vegetarian food connects me back to the environment, to the land, to simple dishes. It’s simple, not gimmicky, but really flavorsome and colorful and brings comfort because it connects me back to my family, to my heritage and all those beautiful memories. It was going to be a vegan cookbook, but I couldn’t give up on cheese and eggs—especially for making sweets.”
The ongoing Israeli occupation and expansion into Palestinian territories have significantly restricted access to land. The Israeli state has banned Palestinians from foraging certain native plants, while simultaneously flooding the market with Israeli alternatives. Olive trees, a symbol of Palestinian identity, are frequently targeted by Israeli settlers. Irrigation systems and wells have also been contaminated and destroyed, and for years, fishermen in Gaza have faced restricted access to Palestinian waters and violence.
Preservation is a central theme in “Boustany,” reflecting a deliberate effort to maintain Palestinian food, land, and culture amidst significant challenges. The book includes a chapter on mooneh, a Middle Eastern culinary tradition of preserving seasonal produce—such as nuts, herbs, fruits, pulses, and vegetables—through pickling, freezing, fermenting, and bottling for year-round enjoyment.
Tamimi also incorporates contemporary influences, updating traditional recipes based on his extensive travels and culinary evolution over four decades. “For me, it’s more important to take the essence of a traditional dish and build on it by adding layers and texture,” he said. “But you shouldn’t play with the dish too much to ruin it.”
Tamimi was finalizing “Boustany” when Israel launched its military offensive on Gaza following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. The offensive has reportedly targeted agricultural lands and resources, hindering food production in Gaza and contributing to a dire humanitarian situation, with millions of Palestinians on the brink of starvation.
Reports from Gaza have described scenes of extreme hardship, with starving children reportedly sharing scarce food with stray animals.
“Palestinian people are full of life; they always want to make you welcome and will push food onto your plate just to make sure that you are well-fed, happy, and comfortable,” Tamimi said. “It’s horrendous for people that always celebrated life and food and seasonality and feeding people to be stripped from all of that, and for it to be used as a weapon against them.”
Palestinian cuisine often features regional variations. For instance, Gaza’s cuisine shows Egyptian influence, resulting in spicier dishes and falafel often made with fava beans. Gaza’s knafeh, a popular cheese and pastry dessert, typically includes walnuts and sometimes bulgur or couscous. Seafood like crab and squid, once enjoyed in Gaza, is now difficult to find due to the ongoing siege, and Gazan strawberries are noted for their sweetness.
“There is another side to Palestinians that I want to show in the book,” Tamimi concluded. “They want to eat and enjoy life, they want to live life to the max. Through food and these dishes, I can connect with people who want to know more about Palestine and Palestinian culture. If there is something positive, with all the horrible stuff happening now, it is that it has opened people’s eyes.”
