What is Kip’s Kitchen?

I (Chef Ali) was born in a house in Damascus (Syria) that dates back to biblical times. In my home (& neighborhood) food was a matter of pride. My mother, aunts, neighbors – men and women alike-spent hours cooking from morning until night. Since age nine, when my father passed away, my mother sent me to market with strict instructions:bring only the best ingredients from Beirut (Lebanon) back to Damascus (Syria). My grandfather owned a bakery in Midan (neighborhood in Damascus). There, I learned to cook all the best Syrian specialties! Today, my wife Kelly & I want to share with you our Middle Eastern meals, prepared with love and pride, that has been passed down for generations. We call ourselves Kip’s Kitchen, after the NYC neighborhood where we first met in 1985.