United States

As part of Massaya Faqra’s International Chefs Program celebrating 20 years of winemaking in Lebanon, Chef Melissa O’Donnell flew in from New York City for two days to mark the occasion and cook a special menu, inspired by Lil’ Gem – her ‘Lebanese-ish’ restaurant in the Big Apple. Here, O’Donnell tells HN how she set out to capture the flavors, sentiments and nostalgia of the Lebanese cuisine she remembers from her childhood