The Weekly Whisk - 11/14/19
Musings from a foodie…
Gerda’s Kitchen started in 2004 by Chef Wael Hammed Shahwan, Luxor, Egypt is the place to visit. His motto: “Look to the future not under your feet.” If you ever have the opportunity to visit Luxor, Egypt :-) – make it a priority on your bucket list. The various Egyptian temples and Pharonic displays are absolutely amazing. While National Geographic does a great job of explaining the history and showing great photos, there is nothing quite like standing in front of one of those exhibits! Then, at the end of the day, to recuperate from the heat, sweat and walking – you’re going to need to some good food. Luxor has any number of establishments but I highly recommend Gerda’s Kitchen [* * * * ]. Why? It’s primarily because of the Chef and Owner, Wael Hammed Shahwan. He started the restaurant after returning to Egypt following a culinary excursion to Switzerland. After several years of “learnings”, he decided to return to his homeland and pursue his passion.
Gerda’s Kitchen is truly a fusion type restaurant. The mix and blend of culinary styles was great but an equally important ingredient to the food offerings was Wael himself. He was a wonderful storyteller and culinary enthusiast. He delighted in serving us over the course of our evening meal with lots of different bits. It’s hard to highlight but, let me start with the refresher at the beginning. I became somewhat of an aficionado of minted ice tea during my Egyptian trip. He did a fabulous job with blended mint and just the right mix of lemon with dark brown sugar to offer up an incredibly fresh starter. We then moved on to Baba Kanosh made from eggplant mixed with diced peppers, cumin and cinnamon. He also had a side of tzatziki but I didn’t get the recipe. On the other hand, I was able to wrangle the recipe for the beef tagine which was cooked in a mix of Greek yoghurt and garlic. The address is: Ali Ibn Abi Taleb, Gazirat Al Awameyah, Luxor, Luxor Govenorate. Rather than calling yourself, it’s best to have the hotel call for you. If you Google: “Gerda’s Kitchen, Luxor” – you’ll find them right away. Tell Wael that “Kevin” sent you! He’s ready and waiting!!!
