What inspired you to write this cookbook? Why now?
Just over six years ago, I decided to introduce elevated Egyptian dishes to the tasting menu at Michael Mina in San Francisco. As my team and I began researching and traveling to Egypt to develop the menu, I was hit with nostalgia for all the ingredients and flavors I grew up eating. I was also astonished by the Greek influence on Egyptian food. The more I learned, the more I wanted to tell the culinary story of Egypt. Having moved to rural Washington from Cairo at such a young age, I spent so much of my life trying to assimilate to American culture. These trips back to Egypt showed me that this country has always been part of me and influenced the way I approach food and cooking, so it felt like an incredible opportunity to share my story with the world and shine a light on this beautiful culture.
The book is very personal. What did you want to get across about Egypt and its cuisine?
It is very personal, which is not something I initially set out to do, but the more I dove into Egyptian cuisine, the more I saw myself. For example, my mother always cooked sweet potatoes. I didn’t think much of it until I saw sweet potatoes being roasted and sold on street corners in Egypt! I also couldn’t get over how similar Greek and Egyptian cuisines are. From a historical perspective it makes a ton of sense, so it’s really fascinating to dig into the dishes that are so symbolic in Egypt cooking and recognizing their Greek counterparts. I would say a lot of people in the US know a bit about Greek cuisine, so I’m excited to show them another cuisine they can recognize but experience in a different way.
What are some misconceptions about the food that you want to dispel?
Because it is not as well-known, I think people think of Egyptian cuisine as very complicated and overly powerful in terms of spice and flavor. It’s actually quite the opposite! I have always had a love for – or potentially an obsession – with using spice in the right way to bring out flavor and create harmony in a dish. Egyptian cuisine is flavorful without being overpowering.
If someone were to cook just one or two items from this book, what should they choose?
The Salt-Baked Fish and the Koshari. The fish bake is surprisingly simple, and you get a lot of bang for your buck. It’s a great meal to make for your family. The Koshari is the national dish of Egypt, so I have to recommend that as well!
Aside from the cookbook launch, what else are you working on now?
We have a lot going on right now in the restaurants! Orla Santa Monica has just opened. Orla was born from My Egypt’s research. We opened the first location of Orla in Las Vegas at the beginning of 2024, and I’m incredibly excited for the second location to be at the new Regent Santa Monica. This restaurant overlooks the ocean, so the food complements the setting absolutely perfectly. We also opened a new location of Bourbon Steak in New York City at the JW Marriott Essex House this past spring. We will be opening two more Bourbon Steak restaurants by the end of the year as well in Las Vegas at the Four Seasons and in Delray Beach at the newly renovated Seagate hotel. Next year is also set to be very busy! While we do expand some of our concepts, we ensure each one is tailored to the location it is in.
How do you decide what style of restaurant to open and where?
It’s very important to us to open a restaurant that will complement as well as enhance the local dining scene. For example, when we opened Bourbon Steak in New York, it wasn’t lost on me that New York has numerous incredible restaurants, many of which are steak focused, but Bourbon Steak offers something different. It gives you everything you want in a steakhouse, but in a new and elevated way. We knew this restaurant would resonate with New Yorkers as well as guests of the JW Marriott Essex House, and we also incorporated New York-specific items, like our take on the black & white cookie.
How do you find balance when running all of these places?
One trick for me is something I’ve worked hard to master: I utilize all the time I spend on planes as a time to get my deep thinking done. I make sure I remove all digital distractions – no WiFi, no text messages, etc. – and use the moment I have on my own to dig deep and do some creative thinking. I work through menus, think about upcoming projects, really anything that I can’t get to in the typical day-to-day. It helps me to reset as well as prepare for what is coming up next. Really, making sure to find some time to unplug is always the answer to balance. It’s hard to do, but getting off the grid leads to greater productivity. For me, that’s riding my dirt bike outside of Las Vegas. We all deserve a moment without distractions, no matter how busy we get!
All images courtesy of John Lee Pictures
