Hailing from a village just north of Beirut known as Qobayat, is Head Chef Teya Mikhael who oversees our colourful Lebanese canteen in SoHo, Maison Libanaise. For Chef Teya, “Lebanese cuisine is incredibly distinctive. It reflects both Mediterranean geography and history. While I have studied many different cuisines, I always finds myself coming back to the kind of food that is shared at an unhurried pace over a drink – or two – something that the food culture of Lebanon, of my home, is all about.”

Having grown up in Lebanon, the cuisine runs through her blood, and her passion for the different specialties and traditions are what drive her every day. Her love affair with food began at a very young age. Living on an agriculturally rich coast meant that she had access to an incredible variety of local products growing up. Watching her mother and grandmother transform simple ingredients into rich and resonant meals for loved ones lays the groundwork for her very wholesome food philosophy and mission – good food with good people. There is no greater joy for Chef Teya then being able to create a space for people to connect and escape the noise, and the best way to do it is also the only way she knows how to, over a good meal and a good drink.

These incredibly fond memories are what she wants people to experience when they join her at Maison Libanaise. With a deep-seated passion for the cuisine of her homeland, Chef Teya shares what it is that makes Lebanese cuisine so special and some of her favourite, must-have dishes and where to find them.

Describe Lebanese cuisine in three words.

Varied, balanced, unifying. Growing up meals were spent around huge tables surrounded by people, where everything is shared; where strangers become friends, and friends become family. Lebanese cuisine is entirely about the shared table, a balance of flavours and dishes and is truly a moment that brings people together.

What is Lebanon’s most popular dish and how do you usually prepare it?

Easily hummus! First we cook the chickpeas and then soak them for 24 hours before they are hand-pounded with tahini, lemon and the most simple, yet important ingredient: olive oil.

Pick one Lebanese dish that best represents you and why.

That is not an easy question! Lebanese cuisine is incredibly diverse, but if I had to narrow it down to just one I would have to say Warak Enab, or Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves. This is usually an appetiser prepared when the whole family comes together and prepares one big meal for the whole family.

The reason it best represents me is because this is how I view Lebanese cuisine. It is about people cooking a shared meal and then sitting down together over the meal that they have made.

What is (are) the most common ingredient(s) in Lebanese cuisine and how do you use it?

We keep things pretty straightforward with garlic, olive oil and sumac, but one ingredient not common elsewhere but found everywhere in Lebanese cuisine is pomegranate molasses.

Garlic is the base of most dishes whether they are cooked or served fresh and olive oil is a critical ingredient, especially in mezze where the flavour and quality are as important as the dish itself. The acidity of sumac found in Lebanese cuisine because it is used to season most dishes and pomegranate molasses is often the ingredient that balances out the acidity with a certain sweetness.

Are there specific cooking techniques or tools for preparing food that have a special meaning in your community? If so, why, and what is the history associated with them?

We have this item called a jern or jeren, which is like a pestle and mortar. It is traditionally used to pound and grind up many different ingredients and used to make dishes including dips or sauces like hummus, muhammara, baba ghanoush, and shatta. It is also the key item used to traditionally make ground meat-based dishes like Kibbeh, one of Lebanon’s national dishes which uses bulgur wheat and a ground meat formed into balls, and Kafta, which are similar to meatballs.

What Lebanese food/dish do you miss the most after arriving in Hong Kong?

There are a lot of things I miss from Lebanon, some of them you can make here and some we aren’t able to source the ingredients. But the one dish I miss the most is my mom’s kibbeh. I cannot wait for the next time I can go home and have them again, and I hope that guests feel the same way when they join us at Maison Libanaise.

How different is the dining culture now compared to when you were young?

I think now more than ever people are more conscious about what they are eating. A lot of people used to eat without thinking or asking where the food is coming from or how it got to the table, but this has changed and people are curious to know the story behind the food and the people who are making it for them.

What dishes and where would you recommend for a first-time traveller to Lebanon?

This is making me homesick! Here are a few of my favourite places in Lebanon depending on where you are visiting:

Beirut:

Em Sherif: for a full Lebanese meal.

Manoushe: a fantastic Lebanese bakery.

Abou Joseph: the best shawarma around.

Tripoli:

Kaasr Al Hallab: easily the most delicious Sfiha and Lebanese sweets.

Akra: a great Balila Breakfast.

Batroun:

George Maalouf: my favourite fish sandwiches.

Jammal: you can have a brilliant seafood lunch.

Any recommendations for guests who are looking for something new at Maison Libanaise?

I always try to inspire the work we are doing at Maison Libanaise with my love for Lebanon and my hometown. We do our best to deliver the what is true to our hearts. This is my home, so I want to do it justice. Next time you join, just ask the team and trust that our recommendations come from a place of love and respect for this dynamic, distinctive cuisine.

—

Craving more? Read about “Our Chefs’ Favourite Local Eats In Hong Kong” here.

Join The Herd for our latest news, weekly perks and exclusives. Sent directly to your inbox.