Your Lebanon Chef Feature: Jessica Moufarrej
Jessica Moufarrej Saadeh makes good food look as appetizing as it tastes. We love her presentation of Middle Eastern dishes & her photography of them. Not sure what to make for dinner? Hop over to her page for some inspiration, and don’t be shy to shoot her a D/M for recipes- she is always happy and willing to share and spread her love of Arabic food with others!
Connect:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jessica.moufarrej/
Guest Recipe Features:
Q & A with Jessica
Please tell us about yourself:
My mother is my ultimate source of inspiration especially in the kitchen.
I am Lebanese. I grew up in a small village and was raised to love nature and agriculture (since my dad owns an organic farm). My mother is my ultimate source of inspiration especially in the kitchen. My mother is popular for being an excellent cook. I can never master her cooking skills but I will always try. I’ve always been interested in teaching so I got a bachelor degree in Biology and a teaching diploma in Biology at the University of Balamand. Right after I graduated, I got married, and traveled with my husband to Cameroon so until now, I did not find an opportunity to teach. I set my priorities and found that we should stick as a family, even though it meant I should sacrifice getting a job here in Lebanon and be a full time mother for the sake of my children. I developed a hobby to cook and learn more about food styling meanwhile. My food blog is at the same time my personal blog, featuring my real name and my real life. It’s not a website and whenever people ask me for recipes I send them via D\M!
Where are you from:
I am Lebanese from a small village in north Lebanon: Bishmezzine (koura).
Where are you currently residing:
We decided to move back to our home country 3 weeks ago. So we’re residing in Bishmezzine.
What is your favorite Middle Eastern dish to make:
I love making shish barak or Labniyi since I love everything cooked with yogurt.
Do you prefer traditional Middle Eastern dishes or Modern/fusion Middle Eastern dishes:
In our family, we stick to the traditional and authentic dishes, we find that twisted and modern recipes a bit hard to digest 🙂
What do you love most about cooking Middle Eastern cuisine:
Cooking a Middle Eastern dish is full of joy and love. It has a major influence in your home atmosphere and reflects your love and passion toward your family.
What is your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant:
I visit Italian, Chinese, Vietamese, Mexican and French restaurants, but not a Middle Eastern one. I prefer to eat these dishes purely homemade.
What is your favorite food blog:
Haha. I have a lot of favorites. Nivin’s Kitchen and Manal Massoud are excellent examples.
What is a must have tool in your kitchen for making Middle Eastern food:
Maybe a food processor is the must have tool. I even use it to make Kebbeh.
What advice do you have for someone just starting to find their way around the kitchen:
“Practice makes perfect” and load of passion.
What nostalgic candy bar would you grab on walks to the local deken when you were a kid:
We used to call them “sarami” or shoe candy. I still crave them when I am pregnant.
I love your page. Keep up the good work and to much more success! – Jessica Moufarrej Saadeh