KHAMSA chats with Haya Bishouty on a tribute to Palestine, Tetas (grandmothers) and Traditions.
Haya Bishouty (@hayasktchn on Instagram), is the founder of Haya’s Kitchen, a culinary initiative dedicated to preserving and celebrating Palestinian heritage through food. Haya describes herself as “Palestinian by blood, Jordanian by nationality with a bit of Greek, Emirati and Egyptian by residency”. At the heart of Haya’s Kitchen is the “Sufra“—a communal table where guests gather to share homemade meals and engage in cultural storytelling. Through these gatherings, Haya aims to recreate the familial atmosphere she cherished growing up, fostering a sense of community and connection.
KHAMSA sat down with Haya ‘at the table’ and spoke about her colourful and tasteful journey.
All images courtesy of Haya Bishouty.
١. Your kitchen is deeply rooted in Palestinian traditions. What inspired you to
start Haya’s Kitchen, and how has your personal heritage shaped its journey?
Growing up, food was always at the heart of my memories, and I was blessed to know what good comfort food meant from my Tetas and my mama. When I quit my corporate PR job in 2018, I sat down with myself and thought about what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to do something that had a greater, more meaningful purpose.
As a Palestinian who’s never been to Palestine, I’ve always had a bit of an identity crisis.
I grew up as a third culture kid and I found myself adapting to the cultures of the countries I grew up in. But, the core of my being and the blood that runs through my veins is Palestinian. I wanted to honour that and to continue telling the stories that I grew up hearing from my grandparents. To keep sharing the traditions of both known and unknown flavours of the land. As the older generations of Palestinians leave this earth, it’s our duty as the next generation to continue shedding light on our culture, traditions and heritage. Because if we don’t, who will?
And that’s how Haya’s Kitchen came to exist in 2020. Haya’s Kitchen was born as a tribute to Palestine, Tetas (grandmothers) and Traditions.
٢. The sufra dinners you host seem to carry a strong emotional connection to
family gatherings. What does the sufra mean to you personally, and how do you recreate that intimate feeling with strangers around the table?
Sufra, meaning dining table, is a tribute to my own family’s gatherings. They’re my favourite memories. Coming together around the sufra with my parents, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Hearing the sounds of everyone’s conversations while enjoying the beautiful spread of comfort food my Tetas would have cooked for the day.
I wanted to recreate that feeling around my own sufra. To encourage this mentality of communally eating together. We live in a very fast paced city and people rarely have time to share a meal together. And I truly believe that food brings people together in the most harmonious way. I’ve witnessed the birth of new friendships and even relationships at my own sufra and it’s a beautiful sight to see.
My method of hosting is very similar to the way my Tetas used to host. I want everyone to feel at home and it’s incredible to see how comfortable everyone gets by the end of the experience. Those who walk in a bit shy and timid at the beginning of the sufra, leave with massive smiles on their faces and newly formed bonds.
There’s no other setting where you would meet random people. If you go to a restaurant, you’d be sitting with people you know. If you go to a house gathering, you’d probably linger with the people you know. But, when you’re sat at a table in front of someone you don’t know, you’re bound to start a conversation at some point. Each sufra has a different feel but with the same purpose – to come together over a communal meal.
٣. Your workshops focus on preserving ancestral skills and recipes. What’s one tradition or dish that you feel particularly passionate about keeping alive, and why?
I love this question! With the workshops, they’re something I developed over time with the intention of preserving the power of community. My Tetas used to gather together with their neighbours to batch make different dishes as a community. When you work together, you can achieve so much more. And that’s always the underlying purpose behind my workshops. I also want to empower everyone to learn these ancestral skills that sadly the newer generations haven’t had the opportunity to learn.
My favourite workshop, which is also the first workshop I launched, is the warak rolling. I grew up watching my Tetas roll warak and I would occasionally join in on the fun with them. During those sessions, we’d catch up on life – talking about our latest news and the hot gossip. As I grew older, I continued that tradition with my mama. Whenever she’d be rolling warak, I’d ask her to wait for me so we could do it together.
Many people find the idea of rolling warak intimidating, but it’s really not. It’s such a therapeutic skill to have. Working with your hands and zoning out to the the repetitive movement of rolling one warak at a time, completely disconnected from the distractions of technology. That’s why I call it warak therapy, because its just that. It’s incredible seeing everyone rolling warak together as a community to fill the pots for the next gathering.
The first time I rolled warak on my own, it took me 6 hours to produce a big pot of warak. During that time, I watched 3 movies. It was a lonely experience and our food is the complete opposite of that.
Palestinian food is a celebration of community and culture and it inspired me to run my first workshop. I wanted to empower through education and it’s a part of Haya’s Kitchen that I genuinely love.
٤. You’ve collaborated with several brands, from Ramadan Iftars to street food pop-ups. How do you ensure the essence of Palestinian culture stays front and centre in these diverse experiences?
I’ve always been very selective with my collaborations and pop ups. Keeping the conversation about Palestine and emphasizing that it is the core identity of myself and my brand is the most important element for me. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way and I’m proud of myself for staying true to what I believe in. A special shout out goes to some of my favourite brands that I’ve worked with including The Flip Side, Kave, Alserkal Avenue, Alserkal Foundation and Reel Palestine.
٥. We’re intrigued by your ‘Arabized’ take on Cowboy Caviar. How do you
approach reimagining dishes with a Palestinian twist while keeping them
authentic yet innovative?
My whole purpose and drive as Haya’s Kitchen is to preserve the traditional understanding of Palestinian food. To ensure that those versions are not erased with time and the modern interpretation of our food. To make sure that people know that Msakhan in its traditional form is a messy dish with taboon bread, tons of onions and spiced chicken and not in a roll format, as many people have come to know it as.
I’ve had people sitting at my sufras thinking they’re going to be served Msakhan roll as a main dish vs the OG Msakhan dish because that’s what is commercially popular in modern society. But, it’s my job to sit everyone down and tell the tale of Msakhan and all of the delicious elements that go into it.
٦. As the community’s beloved ‘Teta,’ what’s your favourite memory tied to food growing up, and how does that memory influence the way you cook today?
It’s a title I truly hold dear to my heart and it is the ultimate compliment for me. Teta represents so much for me – warmth, love, comfort and care.
We have this word in Arabic that I always reference and it’s the word nafas, or soul in Arabic. When you cook, you pour love into the food and people can taste it in every bite. It’s your nafas that’s transferred into the dish and it’s something that can’t be replicated or imitated. Each person’s nafas differs and I love that.
I can’t pinpoint one single memory of food because all my memories are of food.
I never remember the places I’ve visited or the sites I’ve seen, but I always remember the food I’ve eaten.
My favourite memories are the simple ones – waking up in the morning to the smell of Teta Ophelia’s fried eggs in ghee, walking into Teta Casie’s kitchen to find her cooking my favourite Palestinianised dish – Spaghetti Jaj Teta. It’s the thoughtfulness of Teta Ophelia remembering I loved red apples and making sure she always had them stocked for every summer visit. And the walks we used to take with Teta Casie to Ghada supermarket where she’d sneakily tell all the grandkids to get an extra piece of candy just from her.
Sadly, both my Tetas passed away before Haya’s Kitchen was born and I dedicate it all to every single memory with them. I hope I make them proud!
٧. Haya’s Kitchen isn’t just about food—it’s about storytelling. What’s one story from Palestine that you always find yourself sharing at your events?
Every dish has a story and an origin and my favourite part is sharing those tales with everyone. I’ve dedicated a lot of time to researching information about dishes I don’t know, asking my parents for intel on dishes we grew up eating and following inspirational Palestinians who continue to
document the beauty of our culture.
My favourite tale to tell is the tale of Teta’s Lemonada. It’s a tale of preservation and a true testament to the sustainable nature of Palestinian culture. It also emphasizes the seasonality of our produce. Since we live in
a city that has produce available year round, it’s difficult to appreciate the precious nature of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
During the citrus season in winter, Palestinians would juice their lemons and mix it in with TONS of sugar. It would be mixed over a few days until the sugar completely dissolved and then bottled as a lemonade syrup and packed in the mouneh, or pantry cupboard. Because of the sugar in the syrup, the bottles would last year-round without the need for a fridge. When the summer sun came out to play, we’d sit in Teta Casie’s garden to enjoy a refreshing cup of lemonada with fresh mint.
Whenever I share this story at any of my experiences, I can see that memory clear as day. It’s how Teta’s Lemonada came to exist and it’s a moment in time that I will always remember.
A memory of Teta and a moment of appreciation for the natural and sustainable traditions of Palestinian culture.
٨. With Haya’s Kitchen growing through workshops, sufra dinners, and pop-ups, what’s next for you? Any exciting plans or dreams you’d love to bring to life?
I’m proud to say that I’ve found a home at one of my favourite places, Kave in Alserkal Avenue. Haya’s Kitchen Meets Kave officially launched on the 29th of November 2024, one day before my birthday.
Haya’s Kitchen Meets Kave is a beautiful marriage of both concepts. The menu is an expression of what my Tetas and our Palestinian ancestors would feed us as they foraged from the land and came to find us sitting on their kitchen counter.
From breakfast, salads, sandwiches, dishes, dips and taboon, each dish has a story to be told and a heritage and memory to honour. What started as a passion project of mine has grown into a beautiful
community-driven concept and I can’t wait to see where life will take me.
But one thing is for sure, Teta Haya is always ready to feed you.
