For Jad Youssef, cooking began at home in Beirut, where his mother’s kitchen and father’s pastry shop shaped his love of flavour and family. The youngest of six, he grew up believing food should always be shared. After training professionally and building his career from Oslo to London, he founded Yalla Yalla in 2009, gaining cult status and media acclaim, including Time Out’s “100 Best Dishes in London” for his chicken liver mezze. He now runs award-winning Lebnani in Reigate with his wife Aga, praised by Jay Rayner for its “gloriously zingy Lebanese flavours,” AA Rosette recognised and Be Inclusive Hospitality winner. His cookbook, Lebnani, shares 84 heartfelt family recipes.

"Smoky, spicy roasted red pepper, walnut & olive oil dip. Muhammara was always the bold red bowl on our mezza table, the one that caught your eye first. Made with roasted peppers, walnuts, Aleppo pepper, and pomegranate molasses, it carries a balance of smoky, sweet, and gentle heat. This is a dip with a story, rich in flavour and tradition, meant to be shared, spread on warm bread, finished with good olive oil, and never left unfinished."