Syrian cuisine: The spice of a nation

A new cookbook by Anas Atassi aims to shine a light on the often overlooked cuisine of his native country

Anas Atassi: ‘The book is about delicious food, but it’s also about showing our food culture and how we eat‘

What do you picture when you think of Syria? Images of conflict and political upheaval may first come to mind but for Anas Atassi, thinking of his homeland conjures up warm memories of family and flavour.

Atassi studied in Saudi Arabia and Beirut before settling in Amsterdam to work in tech. Distanced from his family and the food he grew up with, he began to experiment with the Syrian dishes he remembered from his childhood. ...