Grand Designs

Will I ever take another seaside holiday?

Marhaba! Hello……

For years my husband and I have enjoyed watching Grand Designs, a UK program on Channel 4 hosted by Kevin McCloud for over 25 years now. Kevin visits a couple who have decided to build their dream home, most of the time from scratch, most of the time in a tricky location, most of the time under huge time constraints with not enough funds. The formula is pleasant and while it’s often stressful to watch the home builders trials, inevitably the result is a triumph and McCloud narrates their journey in a pithy and insightful way that makes the show terrifically watchable. Ghazi often remarks after we watch an episode that we need to someday build our own grand design and while I was standing in our building site for Harvest the other day, as Ghazi explained to the grumpy water filtration guy where he needed to place his mechanics among the rubble, I realized we are building our own grand design. Right now we are bogged down in toilet flush tanks logistics and counter heights and speaker wiring and AC placement and under counter designs. Will the tiles all be too busy next to one another? How big should the windows be and is the UV coating on the skylight sufficient to keep the desert sun at bay? I do wonder though how Kevin McCloud would narrate our journey. I’d love to have his insight and wisdom as we somewhat blindly move forward.

Meanwhile as I scroll through Instagram (less often these days), it seems everyone is on some idyllic beach in Europe, frolicking through charming cobblestone alleys and eating endless plates of pasta, seafood, and lots and lots of ice cream cones. It has occurred to me, as the magnitude of what I’m doing settles in, that it will be a very long time before I’m heading off for a beach holiday of my own. I’m not complaining, just reckoning with my new reality — with lots of anxiety and excitement living deep in my gut. Most days I worry about our renovation budget as our contractor Laith sends me new invoices almost daily. We discovered that because of a legal issue between the previous tenant and the local authorities the giant AC units we thought we could use we can’t, and so we must buy new at great expense - so some of the gorgeous floor tiles I hoped to put in will now have to be something much more standard. I remember the operations manager at ATICO group (the people I collaborated on my Wild Jordan pop up last Summer) telling me that I would never be able to manage all of this stuff and I must have a partner who oversaw this nitty gritty, start up phase for me, that it would kill my creativity….and I just have to say, he didn’t know me very well. I am thriving in this phase as I get to decide exactly how I want everything to look, who I hope to hire, and what my ground rules will be. Tara and I drive around almost daily in search of lighting or small kitchen equipment or something, often stumbling across something random that guides us in some other way (the font for our branding inspired by an old art deco storefront downtown). I’m discovering a new side of Amman, encountering new people, and learning so much each day. The universe is with us I feel.

ON THE MENU

Harvest is blessed to have four different gyms in close proximity to us…..and one fancy day care center. That demographic alone has dictated how I’m approaching the menu, but please don’t ever call us a health food restaurant. I subscribe to the idea that eating fresh, local, from-scratch food (in moderation) is the best way to eat and try to ignore the noise in the wellness (diet) space that eliminates whole categories of food. My favorite food to serve is that which nourishes your body AND soul while taking care with the preparation. Our social media team asked us to come up with our brand ethos as we prepare to launch and this is what you can expect from Harvest.

🌿 Core Brand Values

1. Local Tastes Better

We prioritize local farmers, producers, and seasonal ingredients to nourish both body and community.

2. Female Chef-Led Kitchen

Every recipe is crafted with intention, precision, and creativity by women chefs who cook with purpose and care. We want to create a safe, encouraging work space for young women to thrive in both the front and back of house.

3. Simple, but make it sparkle.

Our food and design are refined yet comforting—the flavors are familiar and yet unexpected, and the ingredients are seasonal and are allowed to shine.

4. Untraditional Food that understands tradition

We draw from the rich traditions of Levantine cuisine while embracing our own global backgrounds, reimagining familiar dishes for the future.

5. Transparency & Trust

We believe in honest food made with real ingredients. No gimmicks, no shortcuts—just nourishing food, from scratch, done right.

6. Source well….and waste minimally.

From waste-conscious prep to thoughtful packaging and sourcing, we operate with the future in mind.

7. Food is better shared. So is cooking.

We’re not just a place to eat—we’re a place to be nourished and create community. Whether you’re here for a quick bite or a slow lunch, Harvest is your neighborhood kitchen table and pantry.

ON MY RADAR

My lovely friend Nadine recommended I read Looking for Palestine by Najla Said, daughter of the Palestinian activist Edward Said. Memoir is my favorite genre, and this is a lovely one, full of insight about identity and the Middle East and being Arab in the United States, that touches on issues that are at the forefront of what’s happening in this region in spite of being published 12 years ago. Months ago I told you about the upcoming publication of Julia Child’s editor, Judith Jones’, biography which I’m finally delving into myself. Who knew what a fascinating subject she would be herself aside from all of the famous authors she was associated with? Camus and Satre, she rescued the Diary of Anne Frank from the slush pile, Gore Vidal, Sylvia Plath, MFK Fischer. She had an astonishing life that I’m happy to be learning about now.

It’s old news now, but the New York Times appointed two food critics to their Dining Section, expanding coverage across the United States, not just New York City. To put it all into perspective I found Ruth Reichl’s take in her Substack Le Briffe very interesting. Taste wrote a juicy piece about The Secret Lives of Private Chefs….which having been a private chef for years, I devoured. As with most things in this world, times are changing, and while I saw being a private chef as a training ground for future, more professional work, that is now reversed, with high-profile restaurant chefs moving to private work and elevating what the rich and famous are eating at home.

According to the NY Times Wirecutter the Birkenstock slides (see the photo above) I’ve been wearing for eons (and mine look it) are rated the best by chefs everywhere. If we ever get our branding finished (it’s been a chore) I’d love to have postcards and matchbooks that customers can take home with them. The idea that we’re trying to hang on to relics of the past while the future moves ahead at warp speed resonates deeply with me.

WHAT TO COOK NOW

In an effort to lighten my load, I’m going to forego this section for now, but I hope you’ll always take a look at my recipe box over on my website for seasonal inspiration.

More culinary conversations coming your way soon…..

xx CSJ