Curated Food & Drinks Experiences

LET ME TAKE YOU FAR AWAY Photography Rabee Younes What would it be like to construct your career around the leisure industry? Here are six Lebanese who have transformed the holiday experience into a day-to- day to job, offering services related to travel, food, drink, hospitality, tourism and even body art. A Mag photographed these six movers and shakers along Lebanon's shore, with the Mediterranean as a backdrop, in a tribute to the country's ancient seafaring traditions and as a nod to the Lebanese people's constant craving to look beyond the country, to riches that may await far from this tiny stretch of land along the Eastern Mediterranean MARIANNE ABOU JAOUDE TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL AND TOUR ORGANIZER Founder and managing director of Le Passeport Culinaire (The Culinary Passport), Marianne Abou Jaoude possesses a certified culinary travel professional diploma, a Master's degree in cultural and tourism engineering and a BA in hospitality management, plus 16 years of experience in the culinary and hospitality industries. With Le Passeport Culinaire (lepasseportculinaire.com) travel club, Abou Jaoude takes visitors on culinary adventures around the world, to experience special chateaux, terroirs, farms and Michelin-starred restaurants, offering them a new way to travel and a unique way to experience a destination. In May, she's organizing a trip to St. Emilion in Bordeaux for Le Passeport Culinaire. She has a special fondness for that part of France: "It's where I first experienced the harvesting activity in the midst of the first UNESCO vineyard landscape in the world and stayed in a charming chateau," she says. What do you love most about your work? The culinary travel cycle is extremely interesting to me. It is the driving force of my day-to-day professional life. The discovery phase excites me the most and motivates me to embark on new culinary adventures. Name one person who has left a lasting impact on your life and explain why. My former general manager at Le Bristol hotel in Beirut, Mrs. Nazira el Atrache, who is currently my managing partner at Le Passeport Culinaire. She believes in the human being, as well as the potential and talent every person holds in himself or herself. Where do you go in Lebanon to disconnect from everything? Rashaya al Wadi is one of my culinary rural escapes, allowing me to disconnect and enjoy an escapade in the midst of the meadow, with a shepherd and his herd, while tasting dairy products prepared with goat milk and reading an inspiring book. Which is your favorite holiday destination outside Lebanon? Tuscany, Italy. To be more precise, the town of Montalcino, where you can taste the finest Brunello di Montalcino wine made of pure 100% Sangiovese grapes. Which destination would you like to visit and never have before? I would love to travel back in time and visit Vienna, Austria for its unique culture, from classical music, opera houses, coffee shops and museums, to the famous Sachertorte and Apfelstrudel. If you could go back in time and change one thing about your life, what would it be? Make it a point to think positively, even in times of despair...

It’s just after 9 a.m. when I find myself standing under the golden sun in the heart of Beirut, where history, aroma, and flavor collide in the most unforgettable way. The “Flavors of Beirut” tour, curated by Le Passeport Culinaire, isn’t just a food tour—it’s a celebration of Lebanon’s culinary soul. Our morning begins with the warm hospitality of Al Soussi, a family-run institution that’s been dishing out traditional Beirut breakfasts since 1890. The table is a sensory journey: fava beans stewed with lemon and garlic, creamy msabbaha, and the bold indulgence of eggs with lamb fat—locally known as beid bi awarma. A bite of sautéed lamb testicles might raise eyebrows, but this delicacy speaks of a time-honored tradition that respects every part of the animal. From the hearty to the delicate, we move to Ichkhanian, an Armenian bakery operating since 1946. Here, Lahmadjun—Armenia’s answer to pizza—takes center stage. The pomegranate variation, with its sweet tang and crunchy pine seeds, is a masterclass in balance. Next, Souk El Tayeb, Beirut’s first farmers’ market, is a burst of colors and conversations. This “good market,” as its name suggests, connects urban dwellers with rural producers. It’s here we sip on fresh juice and talk terroir with growers who pour their soul into every tomato and thyme bundle. A short stroll brings us to the legendary Falafel Sahyoun. Since 1935, this modest stand has been perfecting the art of the falafel sandwich. Crunchy, herb-laden balls nestle into thick flatbread with pickles, spicy peppers, and a drizzle of lemon-sesame magic. Lunch is devoured at Boubouffe, home to what may be Beirut’s finest lamb shawarma. Juicy, smoky, and layered with sumac, tomatoes, and chickpea purée, this wrap redefines street food. In the afternoon, we pause seaside for a fish bite paired with a sip of Arak—the licorice-scented spirit of Lebanon. Then, at House of Zejd, the spotlight turns to olive oil. Sourced from the northern region of Akkar, these oils connect us to the ancient Phoenician traditions of oleiculture. For dessert, Samer Al Rashidi Sweets—a 170-year-old pastry haven—dazzles with its selection of delicate baklava, maamoul, and rose-scented nougat. It’s a sugar-dusted finale worthy of a feast. Our final stop is at Chateau Musar, a globally acclaimed winery in the West Bekaa Valley. Their organic wines and crystal-clear arak are the perfect closing notes to a day rich in flavor and story. “Flavors of Beirut” is more than a food tour—it’s a journey through memory, migration, and resilience. In every bite, a legacy; in every sip, a story. Welcome to Beirut, one flavor at a time.