The Kitchen without Borders by The Eat Offbeats Chefs

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

Founded in November 2015 by a brother and sister who came to New York from the Middle East, Eat Offbeat is a unique catering company staffed by refugee and immigrant chefs who have found a new home, and new hope, for their lives. Now, in 70 authentic, nourishing recipes, with roots and soul that run as deep as their flavors, The Kitchen without Borders brings the culinary traditions of fourteen chefs from around the world including Syria, Iran, Eritrea, and Venezuela, right to our tables.

Discover delicious, unexpected flavor combinations, and ingredients—like sumac, pomegranate molasses, tahini—that will enhance the repertoire of any home cook or adventurous eater. Here is Iraqi Biryani, a rice dish combining vegetables and plump dried fruits with warming spices. Or an irresistibly cooling yogurt and fresh mint drink native to Afghanistan, known as doogh. Gorgeously smooth Syrian hummus, the original inspiration for Eat Offbeat. And Chari Bari, hand-formed meatballs simmered in a Nepali-spiced tomato and cashew sauce.

More than a celebration of delicious foods from around the world, this recipe collection—with its intimate chef profiles and photographic portraits—allows people who have been displaced to share their cherished cuisines, in their own words. And it makes a thoughtful, inspiring gift for any home cook, for anyone concerned about or affected by the world's refugee crisis, or for anyone who understands the profound link between food, home, and keeping traditions vibrantly alive.

My thoughts-

The Kitchen without Borders is a beautiful cookbook for some many reasons. It goes beyond a traditional cookbook with just recipes to a peek into the people who run the kitchen at Eat Offbeats. I find other cultures fascinating and enjoy food from different places as well, so this was a great cookbook for me, one of my favorites in a long while. I loved reading the stories about the different chefs, and how it included both anecdotes about growing up back home (whether that be Nepal or Iran or numerous other places) as well as moving to a new country and starting over and about their time in The Eat Offbeats kitchen. Most of these chefs are refugees which makes the fact that this company exists even cooler. They have a shared story although all of their stories are different. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to cook or learn new things.