The best cookbooks offer more than recipes—they tell the stories of the people behind them, their heritage, and their struggles. That’s exactly what makes The Oldest Kitchen in the World by Matay de Mayee such a treasure.
I first heard about this book from my daughter Jolie, who met de Mayee in Amsterdam when she and a friend rented an Airbnb in his home. Jolie is someone who lives for her next meal (like mother, like daughter!), so it’s no surprise that the topic of food came up when she first met de Mayee.
Having recently published his cookbook, he shared with Jolie the inspiration behind it: his mother, who he lovingly calls “the world’s best Assyrian chef.” When Jolie mentioned that her mother runs The Wine Chef (perhaps adding that I’m one of her greatest inspirations!), de Mayee’s publisher sent me a copy of this gorgeous tribute to Assyrian cooking.
Filling a Void in Culinary History
At its heart, this cookbook is a love letter to de Mayee’s mother. While her hands brought the recipes to life, he wrote them down—a duty she could not fulfill herself, having grown up in a time and place where girls weren’t taught to read or write.
“She is essentially the author of this cookbook,” says de Mayee.
The recipes, filled with cultural pride, come from both of their hearts, though.
De Mayee’s parents fled their homeland
This Article was originally published on The Wine Chef
