After an entire year of living away in New York, all I wanted was that one plate of hamaam mahshy, molokheya, or sogo’ to take me back to Cairo, to my grandmother’s home, or to that little food cart in Heliopolis. I have been craving Egyptian food for the longest time, and as much as this food has given me all the comfort in the world, the comfort of home, it has never really taken me somewhere that’s not a grandmother’s kitchen or a spot on the street. It has never taken me to a restaurant, somewhere more elevated. After diving head first into the New York fine-dining scene over the course of the past year, I realized that every restaurant that is truly successful and visionary, every restaurant that boasts Michelin stars or a San Pellegrino award, is run by a chef who is absolutely true to themselves, to their philosophies and to their heritage. Chef Dan Barber, for example, founder and chef of the restaurant Blue Hill, wholeheartedly showcases his farm-to-table philosophy in all of his dishes, respecting every single ingredient he uses, which he grows on his very own farm. Chef Tom Colicchio, the mastermind behind…
