Hisham Assaad is an award winning1 cook, photographer, food writer and author of two internationally published books.
His first book Bayrūt The Cookbook was published by Smith Street Books in October 2021 to a wide positive reception. The book explores traditional Beiruti recipes and recreates classic street recipes and personal family recipes. It was featured in a Forbes interview and it has earned a top spot in Olive Magazine “Gurdeep Loyal’s Best New Cookbook Recommendations”
The book prints were sold out by January 2024. A new edition was released in May 2025
Bayrut The Cookbook was alsp published in Dutch and German.
His second book Taboon – Sweet and Savoury Delights from the Lebanese Bakery was published by Smith Street Books in October 2024. It gained a spot on Nigella Lawson’s Cookbook Corner and was featured on Olive Magazine’s Podcast “New Summer Cookbooks” and reviewed by author and baker Dan Lepard.
Hisham Assaad, chef and author of the blog cookin5m2.com, explores how the amalgamation of rich culinary cultures in the city of Beirut has shaped its unique cuisine.
Taboon by Hisham Assaad: One of those “culturally invaluable” works that document recipes that you might otherwise see disappear, Taboon is a precious work full of stories of Hisham’s Palestinian and Lebanese heritage and absolutely delicious food. As he says in this interview with me, “The will, in both books [Bayrut is the other], to document the reality, as a time capsule, and preserve some recipes that are fading in popularity but once were a monumental part of the culinary culture in both Lebanon and whatever pieces I could hold on to from Palestine.”
NOTES FROM EMIKO’S KITCHEN – Why we need cookbooks more than ever
This beautifully crafted sentiment resonated with me profoundly, as it encapsulates a cherished expression among Arab communities, symbolising the profound connections forged through shared meals and experiences. Bread and salt, staples in many cultures, serve as metaphors for hospitality and the bonds that unite people.
The Cinnaman Bread, Salt, and Heritage: A Culinary Journey Through Lebanese Baking with Hisham
- Should the author be award-winning recognized by a certain criterea of people to verify that his work is woth checking? ↩︎