Salma Hage Explained

Salma Hage (born 8 January 1942) is a Lebanese author and cook. She is the author of the bestselling cookbook The Lebanese Kitchen^[1] . Her second book The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook^[2] won her the James Beard Award in the Vegetable Cooking category.

Early life

Hage was born in Mazraat El Toufah in northern Lebanon in 1942.^[3] Her father was a Maronite priest, and she was the eldest of 12 children, learning cookery skills from her grandmother.^[4]

Life in the UK

In 1967 she moved with her family to Wimbledon in south London, UK. She worked as a Kitchen Hand in her mid-twenties, then worked her way up to the role of Head Chef for a large catering organisation, learning to appreciate English cuisine while bringing the flavours of home, of Lebanon, to share with others wherever she cooked.^[5] Salma and her husband continue to visit Lebanon every year and remain deeply connected to their roots.^[6]

The Lebanese Kitchen

In 2012 Salma wrote The Lebanese Kitchen for Phaidon Press. A definitive guide to traditional cuisine from Lebanon, the cookery book contains more than five hundred of her recipes from her fifty years’ experience of cooking, ranging from light, tempting mezzes to rich and hearty main courses.^[7]

The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook

The second cookbook followed in 2016 with one hundred and fifty new recipes in line with the current Western trends of consciously reducing meat, and the ancient Middle Eastern culture of largely vegetarian, mezze style dining. Salma incorporates some new ingredients too, creating a modern approach to authentic Lebanese food with many options for Vegan and Gluten free diets.^[8] Michelin chef Alain Ducasse authored the foreword for this prequel which later won great acclaim including recognition as the James Beard Award Winner in 2017, in the Vegetable Cooking category.^{[9] [10] [11]}

Awards

2016 James Beard Award ‘Vegetable Cooking’ for The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook.^[12]

Works

Hage, Salma (2018). The Middle Eastern Mezze Cookbook. London: Phaidon Press,

Hage, Salma (2016). The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook. London: Phaidon Press,

Hage, Salma (2012). The Lebanese Kitchen. London: Phaidon Press,

Notes and References

1. Book: Hage, Salma. The Lebanese Kitchen. Phaidon Press. 2012. 978-0714864808. London. 705983228.
2. Book: Hage, Salma. The Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookbook. Phaidon Press. 2016. 9780714871301. 921865429.
3. News: Renton. Alex. Salma Hage: From NHS cook to Lebanese recipe guru. 5 November 2012. The Times. November 2, 2012.
4. Web site: Salma Editions. The Lebanese Kitchen - Biography. 5 November 2012.
5. News: Salma Hage: From NHS cook to Lebanese recipe guru. Renton. Alex. 2017-06-28. en.
6. Web site: The Lebanese Kitchen - Biography. UK. Salma Editions, London. www.the-lebanese-kitchen.com. en. 2017-06-28.
7. News: Book Report: 'The Lebanese Kitchen'. Touzalin. Jane. 2012-10-15. The Washington Post. 2017-06-28. Touzalin. Jane. en-US. 0190-8286.
8. News: Here's your ticket to a vegan take on moussaka that's actually traditional. Yonan. Joe. 2016-05-09. The Washington Post. 2017-06-28. en-US. 0190-8286.
9. Web site: James Beard Foundation. James Beard Foundation. en. 2017-06-28.
10. Web site: Take a look at the dishes in our latest James Beard winner! Food Agenda Phaidon. Phaidon. 2017-06-28.
11. Web site: Salma Hage's New Cookbook Is All About Middle Eastern Desserts . 2023-02-23 . Sarasota Magazine . en-US.
12. Web site: The 2017 James Beard Award Winners. www.jamesbeard.org. en. 2017-06-28.