Founder of Lidija’s Kitchen and Devour By Lidija, Lidija Abu Ghazaleh has transformed her love for food into a philosophy of living — where flavour, aesthetics, and generosity meet around the table.
Her culinary platform is inspired by the art of gathering, Mediterranean hospitality, and modern Dubai living. Known for her elegant yet approachable style of cooking and hosting, she blends her Serbian-Canadian heritage, Lebanese family traditions, and global influences into dishes that celebrate both beauty and flavour.
“Life is too short and food is too beautiful to approach it with restriction rather than joy.”
THIS COOKBOOK FEELS LIKE A VERY PERSONAL MILESTONE. WHY DID YOU FEEL THAT NOW WAS THE RIGHT MOMENT TO RELEASE IT?
I’ve reached a point where my cooking, my voice, and my life feel truly aligned. This book comes from lived experience — not urgency, but readiness.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SOUL OF THIS BOOK IN ONE SENTENCE?
It’s a book for those who love to eat and dare to dream — as much a visual object as a working kitchen guide. I’m keeping the title my little secret for now.
IS THIS BOOK MORE ABOUT RECIPES – OR ABOUT A WAY OF LIVING AND HOSTING?
All of the above. The recipes are a reflection of a way of living — how I cook, how I host, how I slow down around the table.
WHICH THREE RECIPES IN THE BOOK FEEL THE MOST YOU, AND WHY?
Sticky Date Short Ribs — they epitomize generosity and comfort food. Tuna Niçoise Platter — it’s simple, colourful, and meant to be shared. My Creamy Dreamy Strawberry Shortcake — it’s light, luscious, and leaves you craving more, exactly what a good dessert should do.
WHAT IS SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW YOUR AUDIENCE WILL DISCOVER IN THIS BOOK – A TECHNIQUE, AN INGREDIENT, OR A MINDSET?
A mindset: that entertaining beautifully is less about technique and more about desire. You don’t need a culinary degree to cook with intention — you simply need to trust yourself.
The moment you step into your kitchen with confidence and curiosity, something delicious always follows.
HOW MUCH OF YOUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND LIFE IN DUBAI IS REFLECTED IN THESE RECIPES?
Deeply. Between my Serbian roots, my Canadian upbringing, marrying into a Lebanese family, and building a life in Dubai, I have been surrounded by some of the most generous, flavour-driven food cultures in the world. All of that shows up in the recipes — but even more in the spirit behind them.
What my background has taught me above all is that food is how cultures express love. That thread runs through every single page of this book.
WAS THERE A RECIPE THAT ALMOST MADE IT INTO THE BOOK BUT DIDN’T – AND WHY?
Absolutely — my Saucy Cabbage Rolls.
It’s a dish that brings together my Serbian heritage and Lebanese influence and has evolved over the years, carrying the fingerprints of the incredible people who shaped my cooking.
I could have written pages about the story alone — and honestly, I nearly did.
But the process is quite labour-intensive, and the story it deserved was too rich to compress into a single page. So I decided to save it for devourbylidija.com, where it will receive the space and storytelling it truly deserves.
WHICH CHAPTER OF THE BOOK CARRIES THE MOST EMOTION OR PERSONAL STORY FOR YOU?
It’s not one chapter in particular — it’s the recipes that were inspired by my children, or those that carry little moments of nostalgia tucked inside them. Those are the ones that stop me when I flick through the pages.
But if I’m completely honest, the most emotional thing I wrote was my acknowledgments page. It brought me to tears while writing it and it still does every time I read it.
There’s something powerful about putting into words the people who have shaped you and shaped your heart.
YOU OFTEN SPEAK ABOUT BALANCE RATHER THAN RESTRICTION. HOW DOES THAT PHILOSOPHY SHOW UP ON YOUR TABLE?
Nothing is forbidden at my table — ever. Balance for me has never been about restriction — it’s about awareness.
I love to mix indulgence with simplicity — a richer, more generous dish alongside something lighter and fresher, so the table feels abundant without being overwhelming.
It’s about knowing that a table filled with food shared among people you love is never something to feel guilty about. Life is too short and food is too beautiful for that.
I’d rather teach people to savour than to subtract.
WHAT MATTERS MORE TO YOU: FLAVOUR OR FEELING — HOW A DISH MAKES PEOPLE FEEL WHEN THEY SIT DOWN TOGETHER?
Both. Flavour is how you get there, feeling is why you stay.
And for me, a dish that does both — that stops you mid-bite and then keeps you at the table long after you’re full — well, that’s the whole point of this cookbook.
HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY DEFINE «BEAUTIFUL FOOD»?
Food that feels generous, relaxed, and alive.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO THINK YOUR STYLE IS “TOO PERFECT” OR INTIMIDATING?
That it’s meant to invite, not impress.
YOU STARTED VERY ORGANICALLY AND GREW INTO A RECOGNISABLE BRAND. WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT?
When I stopped looking outward for validation and started trusting my own instincts.
The moment I stopped trying to fit a mould and began creating from a place that was entirely my own — that’s when everything shifted.
HOW HAS DUBAI INFLUENCED YOUR WAY OF COOKING AND HOSTING?
Dubai has taught me openness — to cultures, to ingredients, and to life’s beautiful contrasts.
This city is unlike anywhere else in the world. You can sit at a table with people from twenty different countries, eat food that spans five continents, and it all makes perfect sense together.
That cross-cultural generosity lives in everything I cook and every table I set.
Dubai didn’t just influence my cooking — it expanded it.
HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR BRAND AUTHENTIC WHILE IT CONTINUES TO GROW?
By only saying yes to what truly fits. Growth can pull you in a lot of directions — there’s always another opportunity, another collaboration, another version of yourself you could become.
But I’ve learned that the most powerful thing you can do is stay selective. Every partnership, every recipe, every piece of content I put out has to feel like me. The moment it doesn’t, the audience feels it before I do.
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST RIGHT NOW — BEYOND THE BOOK?
Building a world around it, not just launching it.
What excites me beyond measure is what the cookbook becomes beyond the pages — the conversations it sparks, the tables it inspires people to set.
I want it to be a living, breathing thing that grows with the people who connect with it. The book is just the beginning.
YOU ARE A MOTHER OF THREE. HOW DID MOTHERHOOD SHAPE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD AND CREATIVITY?
Motherhood taught me that food is nourishment in every sense. When you cook for your children, you suddenly understand what all those nurturing hands in kitchens before you were really doing.
It’s not just about feeding a body — it’s about creating a memory, passing on a culture, and saying I love you in the most tangible way possible.
WHAT DOES A REAL DAY IN YOUR KITCHEN LOOK LIKE DURING A BOOK LAUNCH?
Beautifully chaotic. There’s testing, tasting, cleaning, and starting over — and somewhere in between there are moments when I simply stand by the counter with a coffee and reflect on how far this journey has come. A launch doesn’t feel like a single moment — it feels like a thousand small ones. And the kitchen is where most of them happen.
WHAT IS THE SIMPLEST DISH YOU COOK WHEN YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME BUT STILL WANT COMFORT?
A simple bowl of pasta aglio e olio with freshly grated Parmesan, or softly scrambled eggs on toasted sourdough.
And if I’m feeling indulgent — and happen to have some in the kitchen — a little truffle on top.
Does that sound a bit extravagant? Maybe.
But I think that’s the beauty of it: that a Tuesday night can feel like an occasion if you want it to — and that a little luxury now and then is never something to apologise for.
QUICK BLITZ
Your ultimate comfort ingredient?
Olive oil. It anchors everything.
One spice you can’t live without?
Cumin — warm, grounding, and nostalgic.
A dish that always impresses guests?
My three-cheese potato gratin with caramelised onions. It’s one of those dishes guests ask for again and again, long after dinner is over.
Hosting for many or dinner for two?
Both. A full, abundant table is magical, but cooking for just one person you love can be just as special.
A morning ritual you never skip?
Coffee before the day begins.
A recipe from the book that will surprise people?
My Turkish red snapper kebabs. There’s a secret ingredient no one expects.
If this cookbook could leave one feeling with the reader, what would it be?
Comfort, confidence, and the courage to dream. If someone closes this book feeling they can cook beautifully, entertain generously, and find joy in their kitchen — then it has done exactly what it was meant to do.
And one last question: What does “living deliciously” truly mean to you today?
It’s about being present, choosing pleasure, and embracing generosity. It sounds simple, but in a world that moves this fast, those three things require real awareness to exist simultaneously.
Food is one of the easiest and most beautiful ways to practice all of them.
“FLAVOUR IS HOW YOU GET THERE. FEELING IS WHY YOU STAY.”
For Lidija, cooking has never been only about recipes. It is about atmosphere, memory, and connection — about the alchemy that happens when people gather around a table and allow food to become a shared language.
Her upcoming cookbook promises not just dishes to recreate, but an invitation: to cook with confidence, host with generosity, and live — deliciously.
- Instagram handle @lidijaskitchen and website DevourByLidija.com