Podcast Summary: All Of It – Chef Edy Massih on How to 'Keep It Zesty' in the Kitchen

Episode Date: May 22, 2024
Host: Koosha Navadar (WNYC)
Guest: Edy Massih – Chef, Owner of Edy’s Grocer, and Author of Keep It Zesty
Episode Theme: Celebrating Lebanese flavors, the influence of family and culture, and making home cooking “zesty” through tradition and inventive spins.

Episode Overview

This episode shines a spotlight on Chef Edy Massih, whose culinary journey took him from Lebanon to Boston to Brooklyn. With roots deeply entrenched in his grandmothers’ kitchens, Edy champions Lebanese cuisine as a vessel for both flavor and culture. The discussion covers his inspirations, the founding of Edy’s Grocer, the community that made it possible, and the stories behind his debut cookbook, Keep It Zesty: A Celebration of Lebanese Flavors and Culture from Edy’s Grocer. Throughout, Edy emphasizes how food is a joyful, communal, and ever-adaptable connector—and reveals how anyone can "keep it zesty" in their own kitchen.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “Keeping It Zesty” — What It Means (03:28–03:53)

• Definition of “Zesty”: For Edy, zest is both literal (lemon/citrus) and metaphorical (fun, energy, brightness).
  • “You keep it zesty by having fun in the kitchen or with your life. Always bright, you know, bright colors, bright flavors... just having fun.”
    — Edy Massih (03:36)
• Lemon’s Role in Lebanese Cooking: Citrus is essential; its absence is deeply felt.
  • “A chicken soup without lemon is not a chicken soup to me. Or like, fish without lemon is not fish... that’s what home cooking is for me.”
    — Edy Massih (03:53)

2. The Origins & Vision of Edy’s Grocer (04:55–05:43)

• Pandemic Pivot: Edy pivoted from catering to home-based meal sales when COVID hit, eventually realizing North Brooklyn lacked a Middle Eastern grocer.
• Community Built: Friends from the hospitality world—out of work due to pandemic closures—helped launch the store.
  • “It was difficult, but funny enough... it was easier than I thought it would be because all my friends had no job, so they came and helped.”
    — Edy Massih (05:45)

3. Signature Dishes & Store Offerings (06:26–06:54)

• Popular Items:

  • Brown Paper Boards (grazing tables with mezze, dips, pickled goods)
  • Shawarma bowls and sandwiches
  • 33 types of homemade dips and pickled goods
  • Mezze happy hour (“5 for 35” deal)
  • Chocolate tahini brownies

• Location Mention: Edy’s Grocer is at 136 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn (06:58).

4. The Role of Family—Especially Grandmothers (07:04–08:02)

• Culinary Legacy: Both grandmothers played vital roles in Edy’s culinary education, blending Lebanese, Syrian, and French flavors.
  • “In Lebanon, a grandmother’s full-time job is to cook for the family in a way... All their foods combined is how this book came together.”
    — Edy Massih (07:16)

5. Favorite Ingredients & Nostalgic Flavors (08:02–09:13)

• Listener Texts: Pomegranate is a celebrated ingredient for its zest and brightness.
• Edy’s Picks: Tahini stands out for him—versatile for both sweets and savories.

6. Edy’s Journey: From Cooking Club to Public Access TV (09:13–10:36)

• Cooking Club: Started in high school after moving to the U.S.
• Cooking with Edy (Public-Access TV): Began with an Oprah-inspired pitch, resulted in a local cable cooking show.
  • “If you go on schooltube.com, you’ll find the episodes on there.”
    — Edy Massih (10:32)
• Recipes then: More American classics; Lebanese pride and focus grew later.

7. Cookbook Favorites & Home-Cook Inspiration (10:57–11:24)

• Standout Dish: Rasa J (Lebanese dirty rice)—a family and customer favorite, adapted to be a one-pot home-cook meal.

8. Innovations: Brown Paper Boards & “Pitadailla” (11:24–13:11)

• Brown Paper Board Meals: Casual, communal, and practical meal platters.
  • “You set it and forget it… when your guests come in, they can just eat throughout the night. It brings people together around a table…”
    — Edy Massih (11:34)
• How-To Tips: Prep ahead, focus on dips and finger foods, fill gaps with crudité, bread, and crackers.
• Pitadailla: Edy’s invention—Armenian string cheese, za’atar paste, tomato jam, lavash, toasted quesadilla style.
  • “It is divine.”
    — Edy Massih (13:11)

9. “Fresh Spins” on Classics (13:11–13:54)

• Example: Kale instead of parsley (for longevity, ease); couscous instead of bulgur in tabbouleh (less watery, more pasta-like).
  • “Nobody has time to chop up all that parsley... kale really has a longer jevity... couscous more of like a pasta to feel in there.”
    — Edy Massih (13:27)

10. Lebanese Diaspora & Iconic Dishes (14:28–15:05)

• Kibbeh: Lebanon’s “meatloaf”—with numerous variations. Brazil’s immense Lebanese community is mentioned.
  • “There’s three different kibbe recipes in the book... it is absolutely delicious.”
    — Edy Massih (14:28)

11. The Meaning of “Home” & Food Memories (15:05–15:42)

• Lebanon & New York: Lebanon always feels like home, but Edy now feels rooted in New York as well (three cities, ten years each).

  • “Every time I touch back… it always feels like, ah, I am back home.”
    — Edy Massih (15:15)

• Most Nostalgic Dish: Kebab laban (kibbeh balls in a mint yogurt broth)—deeply tied to childhood New Years celebrations.

  • “Food is memories… whenever you have a bite of something, you just remember sitting there with your grandmother having it.”
    — Edy Massih (15:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A chicken soup without lemon is not a chicken soup to me. Or like, fish without lemon is not fish.”
  — Edy Massih (03:53)

• “You put everything out on a board... when your guests come in, they can just eat throughout the night... It brings people together around a table.”
  — Edy Massih (11:34)

• “There’s three different kibbe recipes in the book... it is absolutely delicious.”
  — Edy Massih (14:28)

• “Food is memories... whenever you have a bite of something, you just remember sitting there with your grandmother having it.”
  — Edy Massih (15:42)

Recommended Listen Timestamps

• What “Zesty” Means & Lemon’s Role: 03:28–03:53
• Starting Edy’s Grocer: 04:55–05:43
• Signature Dishes: 06:26–06:54
• Family Culinary Influence: 07:04–08:02
• Pitadailla & Fresh Spins: 12:33–13:54
• Lebanese Diaspora & Kibbeh: 14:28–15:05
• Food, Memory & Home: 15:05–15:42

Episode Tone & Style

Edy Massih brings warmth, humor, and genuineness, infusing every topic with a sense of communal joy and culinary curiosity. His encouragement for listeners is to be playful, embrace tradition and innovation, and remember that food is a bridge to both memory and community.

Summary by [Podcast Summarizer].