Award-winning Palestinian chef and restaurateur Salam Daqqaq has released her debut cookbook, “Bint Maryam,” which has struck an emotional chord across the Gulf region. Daqqaq, the owner of Dubai restaurants Bait Maryam and Sufret Maryam, both of which hold Michelin Guide Bib Gourmands, shared that readers have told her the book evokes memories of home and family.
Personal Connection to Palestinian Cuisine
In an interview with Arab News, Daqqaq said: “People from the region connect to it because the food feels familiar, even if it’s Palestinian. And for Palestinians living here, it means even more. It reminds them of home. I’ve had people tell me it made them cry, that it reminded them of their mothers. That’s something I don’t take lightly.”
Daqqaq, who hails from the small town of Tarseeha, described the book as her “identity.” She explained: “It reflects where I came from. My upbringing, my family, and the way I learned to cook. It’s honest, it’s simple and it’s deeply rooted in tradition. I didn’t want to modernize it too much or change it. I wanted it to stay true to what it is.”
Generations-Old Recipes
Many recipes in the book have been passed down through generations, highlighting the long lineage of Palestinian cuisine. “They are not new recipes, they are inherited ones,” she noted.
Two dishes particularly close to her heart are musakhan and maqloba. Daqqaq elaborated: “Musakhan reminds me of gatherings, of sitting together as a family, of olive oil season, of hands coming together over one tray. Maqloba is more than a dish, it’s a moment. The anticipation when you flip it, everyone watching, waiting. It’s something I grew up with, something that brings people together in the most simple and beautiful way.”
Preserving Culinary Heritage
Daqqaq felt a responsibility to preserve these recipes after years of building and running her successful restaurants. The book, she said, was a way “to document it before it fades or gets lost.” It took several years to compile, involving extensive “testing, writing and shaping everything into something meaningful.”
Recipient of the Middle East and North Africa’s Best Female Chef award by the World’s 50 Best organization in 2023, Daqqaq described the process as “emotional as much as it was creative.”
Beyond recipes, she hopes readers will feel a deeper connection: “If someone reads the book and feels warmth, nostalgia, or even curiosity about Palestine and its culture, then I’ve achieved something beyond cooking.”
Throughout her career, Daqqaq has earned numerous accolades, including Chef of the Year — What's On Awards 2025; SevenRooms Icon Award — MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026; and Filmfare Middle East Most Influential Women Award 2024.
