Tabun Kitchen was founded by Hanan Kattan – and who better to explain the inspiration behind it but Hanan herself:
‘My father’s family is from Bethlehem and my mother’s from Jerusalem and some of my most vivid memories are around food, family meals and spending time at our ancestral house in Bethlehem during holidays. Part of that was eating delicious home-cooked food with freshly cooked tabun bread that was prepared and cooked outside in the garden in the specially built tabun oven that has been used for centuries as part of our cuisine. The story of our food and cuisine is the story of life, family, friends and a culture of hospitality.
My grandfather also had a large olive farm in Jordan with over 20,000 trees and we would often visit and spend weekends on the farm having family picnics under the olive trees. We ate and cooked with fresh oil pressed straight from the olives from my grandfather’s land. The philosophy was always about abundance of food, sharing and giving and no one was better at it than my grandfather who was renowned for his generosity and philanthropy.
With Tabun Kitchen, my desire was to offer a fresh, modern interpretation of traditional Palestinian recipes and also a showcase for some of the best parts of Palestinian culture. Sahtein!’
Our founder’s story
Award-winning entrepreneur and film producer, Hanan Kattan, grew up in a Palestinian household. Her mother’s family from Jersualem and her father’s from Bethlehem. She has now lived in London for three decades, and it’s been her long time wish to bring together her love of good food and Palestinian culture, with her business experience.
Hanan is the award-winning sole producer of four feature films. Her latest feature as a producer is Despite the Falling Snow with Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance.
Hanan is a member of BAFTA and Women in Film, and has spoken on several film and business panels.
Her previous businesses included her own hair care brand, Te Tao. Her awards include ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the Kingston Business Awards. As an acclaimed author of digital marketing book ‘Grow Your Profits’, Hanan spoken at various business events and has joined panels at conferences such as DLDWomen and TEDx TelAviv.
Some of my most vivid and happiest memories of growing up in a Palestinian household are centred around family and food. My mother’s family is from Jerusalem; my father’s from Bethlehem; and the story of Palestinian food and cuisine is the story of family, friends and life; a culture of abundance, generosity and hospitality. Our food is freshly made daily with an emphasis on light, healthy recipes that bring a modern slant to a truly delicious and ancient cuisine. Whether you join us for a freshly baked wrap, a hand made salad, a selection of mezze or a dinner of Palestinian-inspired home cooked dishes, we want you to enjoy a warm welcome and vibrant flavours in surroundings that relax and restore you. Tabun Kitchen is a tribute to my heritage and my culture of abundance that is shared through food. Welcome and Sahtein. Hanan Kattan