Being a Lebanese expat, I am constantly trying to find a scent, a taste and a wholesome feeling of home anywhere I go. I stumbled across an Instagram account called the Voice Note Chef and delved into the profile.
That’s when the wholesomeness was found.
Kareem Shuhaibar, better known as The Voice Note Chef on Instagram is making us feel closer to Home by sharing Middle Eastern recipes taken straight from the voice notes his mom sends him on WhatsApp. Kareem is half Lebanese and half Kuwaiti living as an expat and during the pandemic, he learned how to cook from his mother via these WhatsApp voice messages. On his profile you can see a unique and personal way of presenting the recipes where he juxtaposes the voice of his mother with the video of him making the dishes.
He is now sharing these comforting recipes with the rest of us. His grid boasts a huge variety of dishes, pleasing all taste palettes and plunging you back into childhood. The feeling of home lingers just by watching the videos of him preparing these dishes while hearing his mom’s voice note tips as a voice-over. Kareem embraces so much love in putting together these recipes and transmitting them to the virtual community surrounding him. Glancing at his content feels like a bonding moment, sending you back to warm childhood memories. Mixing love for culture and food, you can find delicious and approachable dishes from Lebanon, Palestine, Kuwait, ranging from starters to main dish to desserts to drinks. I personally recommend the Tabbouleh recipe especially, as its narration won over our hearts and of course, no quinoa, no couscous was involved in the making.
Kareem stays true to his content and sticks to the authenticity of the recipe his mom shares with him, and with us. While also adding a touch of his own to some of the food he presents, without removing the essence of the dish either.
Thank you, Kareem and Kareem’s mom, for making your community feel closer to home.
Check out The Voice Note Chef’s bundle of recipes and love on Instagram.
