{"id":32,"date":"2014-05-10T01:26:35","date_gmt":"2014-05-10T05:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/?page_id=32"},"modified":"2025-01-30T15:26:41","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T20:26:41","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.themediterraneandish.com\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About The Mediterranean Dish"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So glad you’re here! I’m Suzy Karadsheh<\/a>, a true daughter of the Mediterranean and founder of The Mediterranean Dish. I was born on the coast of Egypt in the bustling cosmopolitan city of Port Said, the North entrance of the Suez Canal, and just a boat ride away from places like Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, and Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Suzy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Mediterranean Dish<\/a> is the No. 1 website for modern Mediterranean recipes<\/a> and the Mediterranean diet<\/a> lifestyle. Here, you will find easy wholesome recipes that celebrate the bold flavors of the Mediterranean from Southern Europe, to North Africa, and the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recipes on this site are a contemporary take on the beautiful dishes from all over the Mediterranean, and while not always traditional, they are a celebration of the flavors and heart of the people of that sunny region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch Our Brief Trailer:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Watch Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Where it all began: My mother’s Mediterranean kitchen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Growing up in the Mediterranean city of Port Said, my early years were filled with sweet memories of visiting the local Souq (market) with my father, gathering things from just-caught fish, to beautiful plump tomatoes, bunches of fresh parsley, and sticks of cinnamon from the vendors he would greet by name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We would return home to my mother’s Mediterranean kitchen with our spoils. That kitchen is where I learned to cook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community was of paramount importance to our family; my father was always welcoming strangers and friends alike to our dining room table and my mother would make delicious meals with bright flavors: lemony fish<\/a>, baked chicken<\/a>, stuffed grape leaves<\/a>, spanakopita<\/a>, or tabouli<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, we enjoyed humble meals like falafel<\/a>, or foul mudammas<\/a> with a dash of cumin, or messy shawarma sandwiches<\/a> with a generous drizzle of tahini sauce<\/a> — all are still some of my favorite things to eat today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The food itself was never the point; it was all about the people around the table.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

I brought this love of hospitality and Mediterranean cuisine with me when I moved to the United States at age 17. I pursued my degree in business communications at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by a career in marketing and fundraising which took me around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But everything came full circle after my daughters were born: I returned to my love of sharing good food with the people I cherish around the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late 2014 I started The Mediterranean Dish to showcase modern Mediterranean recipes and lifestyle. You will find recipes celebrating bold flavors from Southern Europe to North Africa, and the Middle East.  You will also find hundreds of Mediterranean diet recipes<\/a> and other helpful resources on eating and living the Mediterranean way.

Now more than 10 years later, I have written two New York Times Best Selling Cookbooks<\/a> and The Mediterranean Dish has expanded to include voices from writers and recipe developers throughout the Mediterranean, and a shop<\/a> where you can source regional olive oil from Italy, Spain, and Greece<\/a>, as well as hard-to-find spices<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Suzy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My guiding Mediterranean values<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From Port Said to Grand Rapids, MI and to Atlanta, GA no matter where I move, the three Mediterranean values I follow are simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n