Chef Feature: RanaAch

Your Lebanon Chef Feature: RanaAch

Rana Chahine is a recipe developer who shares with her followers step by step directions for her favorite family recipes & new twists to traditional Middle Eastern dishes. We first came across Rana’s page a couple years ago when we were looking for recipes for our annual Ramadan recipe shares and we loved her work since!  (Bonus: All the kitchen photos with her adorable girls!)

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Q & A with Rana

Please tell us about yourself:

Living abroad, I always searched for what reminds me of my culture and country.

My name is Rana Chahine. I am a 24 years old mom for 2 little girls. I was born in Belgium to Lebanese parents. Living abroad, I always searched for what reminds me of my culture and country. Food was one of those things and I had the passion to cook since I was young. I was the mini chef of the house, helping my mom around in the kitchen. Cooking is one of those things that just came naturally for me! I am a mom passionate about cooking and it is part of my personality, it is also another way of giving or sharing. If I would describe myself in 3 words, I think I would say that I am determined, passionate and ‘’ gourmande .’ I’m also that kind of person that thinks about what to eat next while eating her first meal 😉

Where are you from:

Belgium

Where are you currently residing:

Beirut, Lebanon

What is your favorite Middle Eastern dish to make:

Koussa and Waraa Enab

Do you prefer traditional Middle Eastern dishes or modern/fusion Middle Eastern dishes:

Traditional Middle Eastern Food is definitely the choice, yet I would definitely try any fusion or modern ME dishes.

What do you love most about cooking Middle Eastern cuisine:

Middle Eastern cuisine is among the richest cuisines in terms of variety, quality and options. It is also good to the health.

Rana’s Beef Kabsa

What is your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant:

Em Sherif Restaurant

What is your favorite food blog:

IG: Cookinwithmima

What is a must have tool in your kitchen for making Middle Eastern food:

There are many tools, but since Middle Eastern food has lots of garlic, I would say the most essential tool is the garlic mortar and pestle (Mdaet Toum)

Rana’s Chicken Freekeh
What advice do you have for someone just starting to find their way around the kitchen:

Always be organized; prepare all the ingredients, follow the steps and don’t make a mess. And remember the secret ingredient is always love.

What nostalgic candy bar would you grab on walks to the local deken when you were a kid:

Ghandour Dabkeh Biscuits (when I used to come to Lebanon as a child, my parents used to always get me this biscuit.)

To cook is not only to feed yourself and others, it is about the happiness and satisfaction that you induce in the eyes of the ones you love. Eventually, the kitchen is the heart of the home – Rana Chahine