Sami Tamimi is a Palestinian Chef, Restaurateur, and Author known for championing Palestinian cuisine. Raised in Jerusalem, he blends childhood memories with modern technique to preserve and celebrate recipes that tell stories of place and people.
Sami's Formal Culinary Training
Sami Tamimi's culinary path began in Jerusalem where he started working as a Commis-Chef at the Mount Zion Hotel at 17. Early kitchen life taught him discipline, knife skills, and a deep respect for seasonal produce and family recipes.
By his early twenties Tamimi ran a small catering business in Tel Aviv, expanding his experience across regional cuisines. His time as Head Chef at Lilith in the 1990s further honed his approach to modern Mediterranean cooking while staying rooted in Levantine tradition.
When Tamimi moved to London in 1997 he joined Baker & Spice as Head of the Savory Kitchen. There he developed a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean deli program that introduced London diners to bold flavors and simple, ingredient driven dishes.
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Sami Tamimi Restaurants & Businesses
Tamimi is best known for his partnership in building the Ottolenghi brand and for helping shape several influential London kitchens.
- Ottolenghi Delis (2002) – The first deli in Notting Hill, co founded with Yotam Ottolenghi and Noam Bar, combined vibrant salads, baked goods, and Middle Eastern flavors into a new kind of casual food destination.
- NOPI (2009) – One of the Ottolenghi restaurants in central London, NOPI showcased inventive small plates and a vegetable forward ethos that drew on Mediterranean and Levantine influences.
- ROVI (2019) – A later restaurant concept that continued the team’s focus on shared plates, bold flavors, and the use of charcoal and seasonal produce.
- Independent Projects – Beyond Ottolenghi, Tamimi has collaborated on pop ups, supper clubs, and events that center Palestinian recipes and storytelling.
Through these ventures Tamimi has helped popularize a style of cooking that is vibrant, vegetable forward, and unapologetically rooted in the eastern Mediterranean.
Sami Tamimi's Other Ventures
Tamimi extended his influence beyond restaurants through books, writing, and cultural advocacy.
- Cookbooks: Co author with Yotam Ottolenghi of Ottolenghi: The Cookbook (2008) and Jerusalem: A Cookbook (2012). He later co authored Falastin: A Cookbook (2020) with Tara Wigley and published his first solo book Boustany: A Celebration of Palestinian Food in 2025.
- Writing and Commentary: Tamimi writes and speaks about food as culture, memory, and resistance, emphasizing authenticity and the politics of culinary heritage.
- Culinary Education: He mentors young Chefs and participates in food festivals and workshops that teach Levantine techniques and ingredients.
Sami Tamimi Media Appearances
While Tamimi is not primarily a television star, he has appeared widely in print, on radio, in documentary features, and at international festivals. His work has been showcased in interviews, panel discussions, and live cooking demonstrations that highlight Palestinian food and its histories.
These appearances have helped bring nuanced conversations about provenance, authorship, and culinary identity to broader audiences while promoting the recipes and traditions he champions.
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Sami Tamimi Awards and Accolades
Tamimi's books and collaborative projects have earned international recognition.
- James Beard Foundation: Jerusalem: A Cookbook received a James Beard International Book Award in 2013.
- Fortnum & Mason: Falastin: A Cookbook won Fortnum & Mason Cookery Book of the Year in 2021.
- Additional Honors: Falastin earned a James Beard Award nomination in 2022 and recognition from the IACP. Critics and peers consistently praise Tamimi for his scholarship and storytelling, and for bringing Palestinian food to global attention.
Sami Tamimi Personal Life
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Tamimi learned to cook at his mother's side, absorbing family recipes and techniques that later became the backbone of his cooking. His upbringing instilled an appreciation for seasonal ingredients, home gardening, and communal meals.
He now divides his time between London and Umbria, Italy, where the climate and the land resonate with the gardens of his childhood. Time spent in Umbria informs his practice of sourcing local produce and reconnecting with Palestinian flavors.
Sami Tamimi Family and Friends
Tamimi's professional life is defined by long term collaborations. His partnership with Yotam Ottolenghi and work with colleagues like Noam Bar helped build a cuisine that is both international and rooted in Levantine tradition.
He also collaborates with writers, photographers, and Chefs who share an interest in food history and cultural preservation. These relationships have been central to his books and projects that document and celebrate Palestinian culinary heritage.
Sami Tamimi Chef Profile: Conclusion
Sami Tamimi is a Chef, Author, and cultural advocate who has dedicated his career to preserving and promoting Palestinian cuisine. Through restaurants, books, and public speaking he has helped reframe how the world understands the foods of Jerusalem and Palestine.
By combining memory, scholarship, and hospitality Tamimi makes cooking a form of cultural storytelling. His work ensures that recipes, techniques, and the histories they carry continue to be shared and celebrated across generations.
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