For Zaynab, food is about more than just fuel. For her, cooking is central to culture, an essential form of tradition, and a language of care. And now, with her new cookbook Third Culture Cooking, she's sharing her unique and infectious approach to food with all of us.
In this week's SIDIA Stories, Zaynab shares her perspective on print media, New York's best restaurants, and on telling untold stories.
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Your work is such a beautiful tribute to heritage and identity. And, at SIDIA, we’re often most interested in how the people in our lives — especially the strong women — inspire our sense of selves. We’d love to know: which women in your life shaped you? What lessons did they pass down about food, culture, or resilience that have stayed with you in and out of the kitchen?
"My mom and grandmother are my biggest inspirations, and I often think about all the women who have fed me throughout my life. They each have dedicated recipes in my cookbook, Third Culture Cooking. Their dedication to their families and the way they support those around them often go unnoticed, but their presence and consistency are truly remarkable. I hope to embody that same resilience and mental strength — and, of course, to be just as effortlessly talented in the kitchen as they are."
Your approach to food, including your new book, seems equally inspired by both your background and your present day life. How has living in Brooklyn expanded or influenced your approach to cooking?
"Living in Brooklyn keeps me constantly inspired. I’m always meeting people from different backgrounds, trying out new restaurants and cafés with unique flavors, and then bringing that creativity into my own kitchen — cooking for loved ones and making my ideas come to life."
Speaking of your book! After years of consuming your content digitally, we can’t wait to get our hands on a printed version of your work. How does it feel to prepare recipes for a physical medium vs. online? Are there thoughts of how it’ll live out in the world for longer?
"Print will always be one of my favorite ways to enjoy media. It’s intentional and slow, making it very luxurious."
"It’s surreal to know that my stories and recipes are preserved in such a beautiful cookbook, with uncoated pages (a choice I made to encourage people to write in the margins and make the recipes theirs), bold and stunning images, and so much meaning."
"Tell untold stories."
We love how your recipes incorporate a mix of experimentation with flavors and comforting, nostalgic dishes. We need to know: what are your go-to haunts in NY for when you’re craving that comfort?
"A few of my favorites, in no particular order: Huda, Adda, Restoration Hardware Guesthouse, Little Flower, Yemen Cafe, Al Sham Shawarma, Monkey Bar, Abu Qair Seafood, Chrissy's Pizza."
Zaynab's Ritual:
