In Good Taste: Food matters for food lovers

Palestinian food is often reduced to hummus, falafel and broad “Middle Eastern” flavours. But what actually defines Palestinian cooking and why does talking about it matter so much right now?In this episode of In Good Taste, I sit down with Sami Tamimi, chef, writer and co-founder of Ottolenghi, to explore Palestinian food culture through the lens of land, farming, foraging and flavour.From za’atar and olive oil to seasonality, preserving food and humble home cooking, we unpack what makes Palestinian food distinct and why recipes can become such an important form of cultural identity and preservation.We also talk about the problem with the term “Middle Eastern food”, how Palestinian cooking has evolved and why food can tell stories that politics often cannot.Sami's first solo cookbook Boustany is out now, full of vegetarian cooking from Palestine. I have cooked from it and it's excellent.