About Chef Tariq | #1 Resource for Middle Eastern Recipes

Hello! I’m chef tariq.

Welcome to ChefTariq.com, your #1 resource for Middle Eastern recipes!

I’m Tariq, raised in Jordan to a Michigan Mother and a Palestinian Father. Influenced by my Sitti and my love for Middle Eastern food, I share my favorite recipes for others to experience and recreate in their own kitchen.

I’m very excited you are here, and I look forward to building a genuine connection with you through my joy of food.

My Story

I have had an interesting and somewhat unconventional life.

But one that has fortunately always given me the opportunity to spend time cooking with people who really know food.

From my grandmother in Palestine, to formal training in college, I learned about food.

It encouraged me to release my creativity and allowing me to participate in a world of culinary experience; a world I truly love.

Born to an American mother and Palestinian father, I have lived and traveled all over the world.

I’ve been exposed to many different cultures, and different foods.

With a strong desire to bring people of different backgrounds together, I found that the food table was the perfect place in which to build community.

It’s the best way to break down stereotypes, which in turn creates an environment for building enduring friendships, connections, and a deeper understanding of one another.

However, having grown up as a refugee, the declaration that I wanted to be an artist living a creative life struck fear into the hearts of my family.

Having been refugees twice in their lives, and having lost all their worldly possessions, they knew that the only thing that could not be taken away from a person is an education and a profession.

Therefore, the pressure on me and my siblings was to either be a doctor, lawyer or engineer, most everything else was frowned upon.

I finally was able to negotiate a compromise and I ended up studying business.

But after many years of working in the soulless corporate world, I needed a change, I needed to pursue what I felt passionate about in life, that passion has always been food and bringing it to others.

Instead of wasting any more of my future I’ve left my corporate life behind and moved to spend time in Jordan to deepen my understanding of the food of the region.

I’m looking forward to spending time learning all there is to know about the foods of the Fertile Crescent through the people who live and cook here and sharing what I learn with you.

Come with me on this journey of discovery while we delve into this tantalizing world of food together.