Sami Tamimi is a celebrated chef and author, known for bringing the bold, vibrant flavours of his Palestinian heritage to kitchens around the world. Born and raised in Jerusalem, he developed a deep love of food from an early age and began his career as a commis chef in a local hotel. After rising through the ranks to become head chef at the acclaimed Tel Aviv restaurant Lilith in the 1990s, he relocated to London in 1997.
In London, Sami became head chef at Baker & Spice, where he introduced a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean deli offering that laid the foundation for his future success. In 2002, he co-founded Ottolenghi in Notting Hill with Noam Bar and Yotam Ottolenghi—launching what would become one of the UK’s most influential food brands.
Sami has co-authored two bestselling cookbooks with Yotam Ottolenghi: Ottolenghi: The Cookbook and Jerusalem: A Cookbook, the latter named by The New York Times as one of the 25 most important cookbooks of the past century. His third book, Falastin, written with Tara Wigley, won the Fortnum & Mason Cookery Book of the Year in 2021. In 2025, Sami released his eagerly awaited first solo cookbook, Boustany, a collection of veg-forward recipes and a love letter to Palestinian food traditions.
