Bethlehem by Fadi Kattan is a beautiful tribute to the rich history, culture and food of one of the world’s oldest cities.
Bethlehem – the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ – is a place most of the western world is familiar with and is a major destination for pilgrims. But what do you know of the real Bethlehem: the food, people, and places that bring the city alive?
In Bethlehem Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan gives us a personal look into the markets, bakeries, butchers, artisans, and farmers of the city he grew up in. It’s a moving book that shows us how food is at the heart of community and human connection.
Divided into seasonal sections, this cookbook has over 60 recipes and each one pays homage to the cities long culinary history and Fadi’s personal memories; from his childhood, school years in Jerusalem, time spent in the kitchen with family, to his restaurant.
Some of my favourite recipes include the Kofta sandwiches, Aubergine Salad with Tahinia, Mistaka Brioche, and Cheese stuffed grape leaves.
The recipes in Bethlehem are clear and easy to follow with beautiful images to match, but what really brings the book and its recipes to life are the accompanying stories and information about Fadi’s family and the generations of people who have passed down that culinary knowledge.
Reviewed by Robert Bromhead
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fadi Kattan, franco-palestinian Chef and hotelier has become the voice of modern Palestinian cuisine.
When Fadi started his Fawda Restaurant in 2016, he created a cuisine honouring Palestine’s best produce with a modern twist, raising to the challenge of rendering this traditional kitchen into a gourmet dining experience.
From a Bethlehemite family that has on the maternal side cultivated a francophone culture and on the paternal side, a British culture with passages in India, Japan and the Sudan, Fadi’s cuisine and savoir-faire combine worldly influences, a desire for perfection and a passion for the local terroir.
After completing his hotel management studies at the Institut Vatel and working in Paris and London, Fadi came back to Palestine to join the family business.
After 15 years, influenced by the ever changing situation in Palestine, Fadi decided to go back to his passion, the kitchen.
During the pandemic, Fadi launched his podcast Sabah el Yasmine – Ramblings of a Chef on Radio Al-Hara and hosted a Youtube series with the PIPD on Palestinian cuisine, Teta’s Kitchen.
Fadi co-founded with Rasha Khouri, Akub, bringing his take on Modern Palestinian Cuisine to London, in Notting Hill early 2023.
Recently, he co-founded Kassa, Bethlehem’s first heritage luxury boutique hotel with Chilean-Palestinian entrepreneur, Elizabeth Kassis.
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