Restaurateur who fled war in Syria serves up Damascus delights at his capital pop-up
children who have suffered in the six-year conflict.
Alarnab will cook dishes such as chicken makmur and beef kabsah laham plus sides like falafel, houmous and tabbouleh. Each day’s “partner” chef will create a signature dish with a strong Syrian element or twist.
Clerkenwell Boy said: “This is a really nice way to end London Food Month by celebrating the diversity of chefs around London and people coming together for a common cause.” Tonight Joel Braham of The Good Egg in Stoke Newington will cook confit duck kibbeh with smoked aubergine labneh. Tomorrow Nicholas Balfe of Salon Brixton will serve roasted carrots with candied sesame and tahini yoghurt. He will be accompanied by b l o g ge r Me l i s s a Hemsley, making choc-nut truffles, and food journalist Rosie Birkett, creating summer mujadara (cooked lentils) with brown butter radishes, runner beans and jersey potatoes.
On Wednesday Josh Katz of Haggerston’s Berber & Q offers braised beef shoulder with cardamom and barberry rice. The penultimate service sees Nud Dudhia and Chris Whitney of Clerkenwell’s Breddos Tacos serve mutton “al pastor” with tahini and medjool dates. The week ends with Eyal Jagermann, of Covent Garden’s The Barbary, serving aubergine sharabik — whole roasted aubergine with tahini, date syrup, almonds, chili, mint and fresh raspberries.
Grace Dent, food writer and cocreative director of London Food Month, said: “Cook For Syria bringing their talents and wisdom to Food Month is something I’m incredibly happy about. This is a wonderful, important charity.” Each sitting will be for 60 and the meals cost £70.
For more information, go to londonfoodmonth.co.uk