This week on the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Sami Tamimi, award-winning chef, author, and co-founder of Ottolenghi, to explore how heritage, hard work, and heart have shaped his life from Jerusalem to London’s kitchens.
Sami Tamimi is a British-Palestinian chef and author whose cooking is deeply rooted in the flavors of his homeland. 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, colorful dishes centered around vegetables and grains. This exploration builds on his earlier work as co-founder of the Ottolenghi restaurants and co-author of bestselling cookbooks: "Falastin" and "Jerusalem: A Cookbook". "Boustany" is Sami’s homage to the food and culture of Palestine.
In this deeply personal conversation, he reflects on his early life under occupation, his rebellious path from a truck company to the kitchen, and the struggle of navigating Israeli kitchens as a Palestinian chef. Sami opens up about cultural appropriation in “Israeli cuisine,” the politics of food, and the creation of his newest book, "Boustany", a love letter to Palestinian memory, land, and flavor.
With humor and grace, Sami reminds us that every dish carries a story of land, family, and survival.
🔑 In this conversation, we explore:
➡ Growing up in Jerusalem under occupation
➡ Becoming a chef against all odds
➡ Culinary appropriation and “Israeli cuisine”
➡ Food as political resistance and storytelling
➡ Writing Boustany: memory, land, and resilience
➡ Reclaiming Palestinian cuisine for future generations
Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com
Sponsored by: The School of Radical Imagination, a new learning space turning knowledge into action through live, community-based courses on justice, liberation, and creativity. Enroll at RadicalImagination.school.
📌 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction & Opening Reflections
01:15 – Early Life in JerusaleQm
05:29 – Rebellion, Art, and the Birth of a Chef
07:36 – Navigating Israeli Kitchens as a Palestinian
11:41 – What is ‘Israeli Food’?
13:36 – The Politics of Cooking & Food as Protest
18:13 – Founding Ottolenghi & Collaboration in ExileQ
21:11 – Boustany: Memory, Land & Palestinian Resilience
28:23 – October 7th, Speaking Out & Finding Voice
32:55 – Health, Balance & Using His Platform for Good
38:42 – Closing Reflections: Work hard, Follow the Heart
🎥 Full episode: www.sumudpod.com
📚 Check out Sami's website: www.sami-tamimi.com
📲 Follow: @sami_tamimi | @dredhasan
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
