Sami Tamimi’s Garden talk at Sydney Opera House. Pic Ken Leanfore
CURIOUS is a series of talks that aims to spark interest and conversation in a series of wide-range contemporary issues.
With a quick turnaround and a change of pace, the third talk I attended was with Celebrated British-Palestinian chef, Sami Tamimi and was moderated with humour and warmth by Yumi Stynes. It was a packed space with standing room only as Tamimi described his culinary journey. Amidst ongoing conflict, he explained the weight he carried as a Palestinian, where he described documenting his traditions and culture for next generation as an act of resilience. As he spoke, his pride in publishing his first solo cookbook was clear. Named ‘Boustany’ after his grandparents’ garden, the inspiration came from his childhood in Jerusalem and he shares those memories generously.
Yumi Stynes started by asking if the meaning of hospitality has changed for Tamimi, and his response was broad ranging, describing hospitality as ingrained in Palestinian culture, but also described his changing approach to food, where he has become more focused on maintaining the traditions of Palestinian cooking rather than seeking constant evolution.
Traditions like connections to the land, foraging, pickling and having seasonal knowledge of produce are all connected to Tamimi’s early childhood memories which he recalled with fondness, sharing his adoration for the women in his family who dominated the kitchen as he was growing up. As the chronology of his culinary journey moved towards 2020, he openly discussed health issues he experienced prior to the Covid epidemic, where his need to slow down conflicted with desire to look after others, culminated in his decision to leave London.
Glossing over his friendship and business partnership with Yotam Ottolenghi, who he doesn’t see much anymore, the conversation took a more serious tone as he discussed the personal toll of the current conflict. It was a poignant moment, but Tamimi didn’t dwell, soon returning the focus to food and recollections of happier times. Identifying food as a harmonious language that brings people together, Stynes helpfully shared the page number of a favourite recipe, and audience questions at the end of the talk reinforced preference for particular recipes, the room was delightfully abuzz as cooking experiences were shared.
Leaving the room, a line snaked through the foyer with people buying copies of Tamimi’s cookbooks, with Traditional Palestinian cooking no doubt on the menu for dinner in homes across Sydney this week.
This talk was held on Sunday, 4 October 2026 at the Sydney Opera House Yallamundi Rooms
