Sharing the Table

Sharing the Table: Culinary Journeys through the Middle East and the North of the Netherlands and the World explores the vibrant foods and flavours of the Middle East and how people have shared them in the north of the Netherlands. This book celebrates cultural heritage and the spirit of commensality that brings people to the same table.
Featuring recipes that were once Middle Eastern in their inspiration and Dutch in their current forms, the book delves into the flavours, ingredients, and stories that defi ne the evolving culinary landscape. From bustling markets to cozy kitchens, recipes tell a story of migration, adaptation, and community—and, ultimately, of kinship.
Sharing the Table traces the journeys of key ingredients and of the chefs who have brought them together. The book also explores cultural practices surrounding food, along with the role of identity and memory, while profiling local restaurants and community centres that foster commensality.

Dynamic, creative, and rich, Middle Eastern and Dutch culinary cultures come together on these pages just as they are coming together in the Netherlands today.


Visions of the Middle East and North Africa, is a collaborative initiative between the Middle Eastern Studies programme at the University of Groningen and University of Groningen Press. Volumes published in the series highlight the diversity of the Middle East and North Africa by exploring culture and society through images and text. Individual volume themes are connected to departmental research, the series is inherently interdisciplinary incorporating fields such as sociology, history, cultural studies, and political science