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Restaurateur Ali Yousef Dreams Of Presenting Palestinian Cuisine To Everyone In The UK

“Anybody out there wanting to open a Palestinian restaurant, please come and see me. I want to see one opening on every corner. I will give you every bit of advice you need and support you.” Coming from Ali Yousef, owner of a Palestinian restaurant in the UK.

Ali Yousef founded his restaurant, Baity Palestinian Kitchen, on the borders of Manchester in the Didsbury as an ode to the story of diaspora he has heard while growing up. His parents has immigrated to the UK in the late 1960s, but had always kept the story of the homeland alive and well in their house.

“Palestine was a bedtime story for us growing up as kids, and for my parents it was reminiscing about good memories and times,” he said in an online talk with Arab News. Specifically, his father who had made sure his children came to know and love all the intricate detailing of the Palestinian cuisine.

Years later, Yousef decided to visit Tal, his father’s village in Palestine in hopes of connecting to his roots, and that was his eureka moment. “That was the moment a spark was lit and I connected immediately. I knew I needed to find a way to preserve our heritage and channel it and educate people about it,” he said in the interview.

“With my love and passion for food, I set my sights on establishing a restaurant. I am proud of it and I believe food is just as an important a tool as anything else when it comes to sharing our culture.”

 He came back to the UK and founded Baity in 2018. The business became very successful that he extended his offerings to a catering service as well. The restaurant itself oozes the same feeling you would feel when you step afoot your home. Their star offerings include the delicious staples from the Levantine such as Musakhan Chicken and Gazan Prawns.

Yousef not only specializes in hospitality and the culinary arts, but he also makes sure to have social responsibility. After the Afghan refugees evacuated to the UK in 2021, Baity Palestinian Kitchen partnered with Manchester Council and Islamic Relief to provide 1000 meals to the refugees as they landed at Manchester Airport.

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