Bon Appetit

Bon Appetit               by Sami S. Khalil

The passionate foodie…

Suffice to say, as everyone knows, food plays a vital role in every culture. Without hyperbole one can muster, it is among language, music, and art central to the welfare and identity of such peoples since mankind traversed this planet. What makes food intriguing is that some had remained traditional; others evolved from their ancient roots, adopting the neighbors’ or occupiers’ cuisine. Women in particular had kept the treasured family recipes alive while men took care of the business side, dispensing comfort foods in different ways.

As everyone understands too, there is no shortage of famous chefs who rose to prominence in every country on the globe, whether be it on T.V., blogs, magazines even in their own establishments.

Such was the story of Ameer, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed lad, who hailed from East Beirut, which was separated from West Beirut during the civil war of 1975-1990, by the” Green Line”. As he grew up hating the war where brothers became enemies overnight, he witnessed many tragedies and mayhem that makes one aghast. Among all the destruction, he enjoyed soccer with his friends, field trips to the majestic snow-capped mountains for skiing and, above all, his mom’s cooking.

Maryam (Mary) was a chef in her own right, owning a gourmet restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. She did prepare the most delectable dishes as the locals would testify. Ameer’s dad, Yacoub (Jacob), was a dentist with a sweet tooth; a famous surgeon to be specific. Although he had a clinic in West Beirut at the posh “Alhamra street” before the war started, he had to close it; fleeing with his staff the sectarian killings, to go work in a charitable hospital called the “Crowning Glory”. He was a disciplinarian and the driving force getting his son interested in the profession. The dad liked Ameer to follow in his footsteps to become a dentist and that of his grandfather, too.

But Ameer had a passion for food and cooking like his mother did. Yacoub insisted by showing him the pros and cons of both and asking him to just try and see if he would like it. Ameer could not forget what his dad said: “Stick with science son, not recipes. Your future will be as bright as the Lebanese sun.” So off to America he was sent to stay with close relatives and attend the local college in Detroit, Michigan. While in America, Ameer met famous

 

artisans who fled the war in droves, offering the locals the rich Levantine cuisine. He also excelled in his curriculum for he was an over achiever. Now, every time he tasted the food of those chefs, they reminded him of his mom’s, his love for her and her entrepreneurial spirit.

One day, he received some bad news. His mom perished in a wave of rockets’ shelling between the two sides. Her restaurant suffered a direct hit, becoming obliterated. The news devastated him for it was unbearable. To add insult to injury, he knew he could not go back now for he will be killed too until the war ends and some peace prevails. When it did in 1990, he went back after graduation to see his surviving dad and rebuild his mom’s place as to honor her memory. The embers in his heart burnt the memory of his mom, thronged with echoed voices. His lips quivered with the sounds of her praise as the days went by. Nothing could bypass the wounds except her tender touches. He thought to himself, “what a life we live? Does not life throw curveballs at us all? For surety, no parting gift is given by her upon our deaths and our timorous whispers.”

Ameer put all that past behind, ventured to rebuild his mom’s gourmet restaurant, hiring the most famous chef in Lebanon to run it, going on a peace, unity and a healing mission to bring the disjoined country back together by highlighting shared things. It was all done to honor the mother and the country. He purchased a drone, hired a photographer to accompany him, then embarked on visiting every village, town and city. He showcased their beauty, the generosity and goodness of the people, rich heritage and the marvelous cuisine they all shared. He even published a cook book, giving the proceeds of its success to orphanages.

Ameer became a great influencer. With time’s passing, his dad passed on from old age. He left him a handsome sum of money and a clinic to run back in West Beirut. He did, juggling his time between the restaurant venture and the clinic. With the money inherited, he decided to open a culinary school, free of tuition, to any orphan willing to study and excel in the culinary arts. Upon graduation, he would have an end year ceremony, handing students their medal, named after his mom.

As one ceremony proceeded on, Maryam was called to receive her cherished medal. As he looked at her, a semblance struck him. It sent shivers down his spine. He could not sleep that night.      

 

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[Sami Khalil]

“what a life we live? Does not life throw curveballs at us all? For surety, no parting gift is given by her upon our deaths and our timorous whispers.”