Anissa Helou

About

London-based chef, teacher, food writer, and cookbook author whose work primarily encompasses Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African cuisines. She has authored numerous acclaimed cookbooks including Levant: Recipes and Memories from the Middle East, which was published in 2013, and Feast: Food of the Islamic World," which was published in 2018. She also runs Anissa's School/Kitchen, where she teaches students to cook and has served as an authority on the Islamic-world and Mediterranean region food traditions.

Before Fame

At the age of 21, she left Beirut to study interior design in London. After completing her education, she worked in the art and antiques world for Sotheby's in Paris, London, and Kuwait before transitioning to full-time food writing and cooking. She made her authoring debut with the 1994 cookbook Lebanese Cuisine.

Trivia

In 2013, she was ranked by Arabian Business on its list of the "500 most powerful Arabs in the world" as well as one of the "100 most powerful Arab women." In 2013, her cookbook Levant was chosen by The Observer Food Monthly among its list of "20 food books of the year." It was also named on numerous best-book lists that same year. She authors a blog/newsletter called Belly Dancing in the Kitchen with Anissa Helou.

Family Life

She was born to a Syrian father and a Lebanese mother.

Associated With

She and Abir El Saghir are both popular Lebanese chefs.