This is food that brings everyone to the table, and won’t let them leave. Michael puts ingredients first and foremost, opening the door to our greater understanding and appreciation of the Middle East’s hidden treasures —- tahini, baharat, halva, chickpeas, labneh, eggplant, honey, pomegranate, amba, dates, broad beans, pistachios, wild greens, ancient grains. The recipes go from basics like hummus, aioli and falafel, to Persian eggplant risotto, Cauliflower, cranberry and pearl barley salad, Harissa-braised lamb with okra. To finish, are the pastries, breads and syrup-laden cakes that turn a meal into a feast – Chocolate and pistachio baklava, Date and dukkah brownies, Persian pavlova. Living in multicultural Sydney, he says, has helped him lighten and brighten traditional recipes, without ever losing sight of their origins and traditions.’ If my mother knew I was serving falafel for breakfast – and people were loving it – she would be amazed,’ he says. A much-lauded home cook, Kristy adds those all-important pastries, breads and syrup-laden cakes that turn a meal into a feast, any time of the day or night. About the Author Michael Rantissi grew up in Tel Aviv and trained in Israel, Paris and New York. He moved to Sydney in 2005 where he worked at the iconic Bathers’ Pavilion for a number of years before opening Kepos Street Kitchen in 2012. Kristy Frawley has worked in hospitality for many years, most recently at The Bathers’ Pavilion.