Three Lebanese comfort food classics to warm you through autumn

 There’s a particular kind of comfort in Lebanese home cooking – the kind that fills the kitchen with the scent of toasted nuts, butter and spice long before anything reaches the table.

It’s the smell of freekeh roasting in samneh, of garlic and coriander softening in oil, of something bubbling slowly on the stove while family drifts in and out, hungry and expectant.

For chef Jad Youssef, that scent is memory itself. After earning a devoted following with his Soho stalwart Yalla Yalla, he brought his bold, ingredient-led mezze and Beirut’s bustling spirit to Surrey with Lebnani – a restaurant now proudly carrying its first AA Rosette and the kind of praise that food critics dream of. Jay Rayner called it “small but perfectly judged”, which is exactly what Youssef seems to do best: intimate, soulful cooking that balances precision with heart.

Next spring, that same warmth will find its way into homes with Lebnani: The Cookbook, successfully crowdfunded earlier this year. More than just a collection of recipes, it’s a love letter to Beirut’s food culture – its generosity, its patience, its stories.

Here Youssef shares a few of the dishes that mean most to him: freekeh b’lahmé, a smoky roasted grain with lamb and sultanas; mloukhieh, an earthy chicken and jute leaf stew perfumed with coriander; and rez m’falfal, the golden vermicelli rice that anchors every Lebanese table.

Comfort, in this cuisine, isn’t just about food – it’s about home.

Freekeh b’Lahmé

“Freekeh is one of the oldest dishes in our cuisine. It dates back to ancient times, when farmers would harvest green wheat, dry it over wood fires, and rub it to remove the husk, which is why it’s called freekeh, from the word farak (to rub).

“It was a dish of the land, full of nutrients, high in fibre and protein, designed to feed large families. I remember my mother buying it from the old souks in Beirut – she always chose the greenest, smokiest grains.

“In Békaa and Zahlé, they cook it in a rustic style, while in Beirut, you find the more refined version with bone-in lamb shoulder and toasted nuts. Every house has its way –but the scent of freekeh toasting in butter is one that brings everyone to the table.”