“Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg before it is broken.” - M.F.K. Fisher
Claude and Maria are two adventurous cooks, from Italy and Lebanon who explore each other’s culinary customs. They believe that food represents identity and tradition; each dish tells a story and each preparation has a history.
In 2007, Claude and Maria started the Libaliano cooking classes.
Cooking has become important to my life since I moved to London with my family in the 90’s: it shaped my identity and reinforced my roots; it brought the pleasure of conviviality to my new home. As an expat, I cooked everyday my family recipes and I explored new ones, I shared my food with neighbours and I made new friends. In 2000, I created Mani in pasta (hands on and knead) and for seven years I enjoyed teaching people practical cooking with a brush up on Italian language. In 2007 I became more adventurous in the gastronomic field by co-founding the Libaliano workshop with Claude. This was the inspiration for our books on Lentils , Chickpeas , 'Beans&Friends'
In 2001, I co-edited Appunti di cucina italiana/Notes from the Italian Kitchen, a book of over 100 Italian recipes collected from Italian expats, members of the London-based charity Il Circolo. In 2012, I published La cucina del buon gusto (Feltrinelli), co-written with the Italian writer Simonetta Angelo Hornby and 'La cucina lontano da casa' in 2015.
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Claude Chahine Shehadi
www.claudecooks.com
I was not always a cook. I moved to London from Lebanon, in the late 70’s to train as a filmmaker and worked as a film editor, in the British film industry for 10 years. I always loved cooking, but my story began when I became a mum. I realised then that I had a lot of explaining to do, and what better way than with food. I cooked, and cooked, for my children, hoping to give them a taste of my roots. I did not think all those years ago, that I would stumble onto something that I loved as much as film and which was just as creative.
Mostly self-taught, I love experimenting and trying different cuisines. While at the Cordon Bleu in Lima, I got a gist of Peru's vibrant gastronomy and was inspired to renew my ties with traditional Lebanese kitchen. Food never stays the same, it constantly moves and develops.
Together with Maria, I published three books on legumes. 'Lentils: traditional and contemporary recipes from the Mediterranean' was published in October 2012 by Tamyras in Beirut, Lebanon; it was followed a year later by ‘Chickpeas’ 'Chickpeas' and in 2015 'Beans & Friends' Beans&Friends was the last and third volume.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram and check out my full profile on www.claudecooks.com
In 2007, Claude and Maria started the Libaliano cooking classes.
Maria Rosario Lazzati Niada
In 2001, I co-edited Appunti di cucina italiana/Notes from the Italian Kitchen, a book of over 100 Italian recipes collected from Italian expats, members of the London-based charity Il Circolo. In 2012, I published La cucina del buon gusto (Feltrinelli), co-written with the Italian writer Simonetta Angelo Hornby and 'La cucina lontano da casa' in 2015.
Follow me on Instagram.
Claude Chahine Shehadi
www.claudecooks.com
Mostly self-taught, I love experimenting and trying different cuisines. While at the Cordon Bleu in Lima, I got a gist of Peru's vibrant gastronomy and was inspired to renew my ties with traditional Lebanese kitchen. Food never stays the same, it constantly moves and develops.
Together with Maria, I published three books on legumes. 'Lentils: traditional and contemporary recipes from the Mediterranean' was published in October 2012 by Tamyras in Beirut, Lebanon; it was followed a year later by ‘Chickpeas’ 'Chickpeas' and in 2015 'Beans & Friends' Beans&Friends was the last and third volume.
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram and check out my full profile on www.claudecooks.com
