Meet Ilham

Ilham Berbary Saad grew up in Hadath, Beirut, Lebanon.  She became one of the most beloved restaurant owners in her adopted city of Wichita, Kansas, by providing authentic Lebanese cuisine in a warm, inviting atmosphere.

For 26 years, her restaurant, Byblos, was the topic of countless local reviews, referrals, and followers.  She was featured in Cook’s Illustrated Magazine and America’s Test Kitchen.

Her long awaited book of sought-after recipes in the summary of a lifetime of studied traditions of her native Lebanese cuisine.

Passionately loyal customers of Ilham’s restaurant, those new to Lebanese food, and everyone in between, will rejoice in her simple, straightforward instructions of her delicious dishes.

“Lebanon, on the far eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, has been a center of trade and cultural exchange from ancient times to the present.  For thousands of years, our wholesome regional foods have sustained a people as diverse as our lands.

Lebanese cuisine is prepared fresh daily and full of nutritious ingredients.  It is varied, tasty, and ideally suited to an active, healthy lifestyle.  In my book, I present to you 124 traditional recipes, passed down from generation to generation that I have recorded for your health and well-being.  They are easy to follow, easy to prepare, and not complicated to understand.

My mastery of these ancient recipes includes my secret ingredient: my love of bringing people together over a heavenly meal.”

-Ilham Berbary Saad