Forget bacon sandwiches, bangers and mash and fish and chips – Britain’s new favorite food is Lebanese!
“The Cedar”, a small London-based Lebanese diner battled it out against 9,000 other eateries to be crowned “Britain’s favorite take-away”, the London Evening Standard reported.
Chef and owner of the Maida Vale diner Sami Khoueiry said that it’s his mother’s traditional recipes are behind the success of the eatery – and she approves of his dishes.
After growing up in Beirut, Khoueiry was formally trained in the Mayfair Marriot Hotel’s kitchen, the London Evening Standard reported that he worked for five years as a sous chef and a Lebanese specialist.
To make sure all of his food is as fresh as can be, the young chef makes multiple trips a week to meat and fish markets and gets fresh vegetables delivered daily.
He said: “I love to spend my time going about getting ingredients and fresh products, and then coming back to make my secret marinades. Once you’ve eaten here, you know why we came first. It’s the freshness. Everything is made with care. I’m a perfectionist. Every single plate I do, I say I’m doing it for my family.”
Khoueiry says that he’s noticed changing attitudes in Britain towards Lebanese cuisine: ““Before, people had the idea that Lebanese food was expensive and only for special occasions but a lot of people are enjoying experimenting and discovering everything we offer,” he said.
