East is feast: the chefs fusing Levantine cuisine with a melting pot of global culinary staples
Ever since the likes of Yotam Ottolenghi put modern Jerusalem on a plate in the early 2000s, Levantine cuisine has been on the rise. We’ve spotted a number of creative kitchens taking the next natural step: cross-pollinating the flavours of the Levant with the cuisines of other cultures, from Bangkok to the Black Forest. Here are some of our finds. Photography: John Short. Food styling: Peta O’Brien. As originally featured in the October 2017 issue of Wallpaper* (W*223)

London’s Palomar has been gaining acclaim for its Israeli flavours, innovatively reworked for the small plate generation. Playful pairings include Jerusalem mess (a take on Eton mess made with labneh mousse and almond crumble) and scallop carpaccio with Thai-bouleh (pictured), a fusion of Thai and Lebanese cuisines, with toasted cashew and lime replacing the bulgur.
‘Alchimie’ plate in Gold, £110, by L’Objet. ‘Iga’ cup, £40, by Native & Co. ‘Kintore’ fabric in Cardamon, £60 per m, by Romo
Maiko Kyogoku set up Bessou in NoHo as a Japanese restaurant serving comfort food, but the melting pot of her home town is evident. We love her Japanese take on shakshuka, a blend of tofu, curry powder, pomegranate and harissa, served with toasted Japanese milk bread.
‘Chrysanthemum’ plate, £32, by Native & Co. ‘Goa’ spoon, £14, by Cutipol, from Amara. ‘C5’ griddle pan, £65, by Crane Cookware. ‘Kintore’ fabric in Buff, £60 per m, by Romo
At Mokonuts in Paris, Lebanese chef Omar Koreitem is in charge of the savoury, while his partner, Japanese-born pastry chef Moko Hirayama, provides the sweet. Our depiction shows their labneh dish served with sesame and miso cookies and mugicha tea.
‘Alchimie’ plate in Black, £24, by L’Objet. Ceramic cup and saucer, £24; walnut saucer, £55, all by Native & Co. ‘Mercurio’ fabric in Oro, £150 per m, by Rubelli
Kanaan in Berlin, set up by Israeli Oz Ben David and Palestinian Jalil Dabit, aims to bring the culinary best from their respective countries to the German city. Their desserts, in particular, bring a teutonic twist to the Middle Eastern table. Black forest malabi (pictured) is a vegan version of the Israeli milk pudding, topped with local berries.
‘Aegean’ plate, £31; ‘Alchimie’ charger in Gold, £155, both by L’Objet. ‘Olio’ jug, £35 for sugar bowl set, by Barber & Osgerby, for Royal Doulton, from Twentytwentyone. ‘Delano’ fabric in Nori, £71 per m, by Romo
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Broken up into six pavilions, this brutalist Mexican house is embedded in the landscape
Sordo Madaleno’s brutalist Mexican house, Rancho del Bosque, is divided up into a series of pavilions to preserve the character of its hillside site, combining concrete, curves and far-reaching views
-
Etihad Airways’ A321LR redefines the single-aisle experience
Abu Dhabi’s flagship carrier brings wide-body sensibility to its new generation Airbus aircraft, a rethink of what short and medium-haul travel can feel like
-
Ralph Steadman has worked with everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to Travis Scott and Quavo – now, the Gonzo illustrator is celebrated in London
A new exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the inimitable work and creativity of Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman up close. Just don’t call it a ‘style’.