DECEMBER 2023

CHALDEAN KITCHEN
Creating the Mezza Supreme
New beginnings for the New Year
BY Z.Z. DAWOD
Ever since he can remember, Fadi
Babbie has had warm memories
of his family’s New Year’s Eve
traditions, celebrated in his birthplace
of Baghdad, Iraq. Not surprisingly,
many of his memories are related to
the food that was served.
His mother would set the table
with sweet-flavored dishes — symbolic
for wishing a “Sweet New Year.” The
spread would typically include staples
such as sweet kibbi hamuth, along
with apricots, dates with nuts, Jordan
Almonds or mesquool (sugar-coated
almond candies), and other sweets.
A few savory dishes were always
on hand as well, ensuring that no one
would go to bed hungry. Among these,
Fadi is particularly fond of a roast salad,
invented by his mother as a creative way
to make good use of all the available ingredients
in the home. Over the years,
this dish was enjoyed by all and became
a family favorite, assuming a central role
in their New Year’s Eve spread.
In Search of a Career
Like so many Chaldeans, Fadi’s family
had to immigrate to the United States,
uprooted by the instability that took root
in Iraq during the past two decades. As
is the case with many immigrant families,
Fadi’s parents encouraged their
children to look for careers that would
provide stability and financial security.
While he was growing up, Fadi
recalls a strong curiosity for figuring
out how things worked. As a result,
in the search for a steady career, he
was encouraged to pursue engineering,
which was practical and secure.
Mechanical engineering seemed like a
sensible choice since it suited his nature
for exploring how things worked.
After graduation, Fadi pursued work
in this field and worked as a mechanical
engineer for Wayne County.
After a few years of working as a
mechanical engineer, Fadi did not find
the field to be fulfilling. Deciding to
make his first career switch, Fadi joined
his brother, Ed, in the IT profession.
The brothers worked closely together
Fadi Babbie recreates his mom’s traditional New Year’s Eve dish.
for many years but, still, Fadi found
himself in a technical field — spending
much of his time interacting with computer
systems rather than people.
Following His Calling
During his tenure in the IT industry, an
opportunity to work in a steak house
presented itself. Although this may have
seemed like an ‘out of left field’ choice for
a tech professional, Fadi finally felt the
spark that had previously eluded him, as
he helped out Thursdays through Saturdays,
cooking at the restaurant and preparing
dishes for people to enjoy.
After spending years studying
diagrams and wiring networks, Fadi
finally found his calling — a chef’s
calling — that allowed him to bring
joy and satisfaction to people directly,
on a level he could never experience
in the world of IT.
As Fadi discovered his new-found
passion, he gradually transitioned to
cooking full-time, setting on a path
to becoming a chef. Soon thereafter,
Fadi launched CRSP Catering Co. and
quickly began to establish a reputation
as an in-demand private chef.
Catering for private dinners, parties,
and pop-up events, Fadi enjoys his
work immensely. As an added bonus,
the engineering skills honed during his
years in engineering and technology
continue to play an integral part in Fadi’s
success as a chef. To maintain consistency,
he relies on his technical skills
by tracking the many factors which can
affect taste, such as monitoring precise
cooking temperatures closely.
PHOTOS BY ALEX LUMELSKY
However, technical details are
only part of the process. “You eat with
your eyes,” Fadi says — so presentation
is just as critical as the taste. “If
it doesn’t look good, you won’t want to
try it, even if it’s delicious. So, I try to
give a good presentation and a good
visual. I do things in a particular order
to achieve that,” Fadi explains.
Not unlike a wedding photographer,
a chef hired to create a private
dinner in someone’s home — for a
special celebration such as anniversary
or birthday — has just one shot
to get all the components ‘just so.’
In such situations, there is very little
room for error.
A Blooming Flower for the New Year
On the day I visited Fadi’s kitchen, he
made the Roast Salad which, upon
tasting, we immediately dubbed the
Mezza Supreme. Following his mom’s
example from back home, planning
for this dish must begin a couple of
weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve.
Starting with the pickling of cucumbers
to make tourshi, then cooking the
meat a day or two in advance, the ingredients
are prepared prior to mixing it all
together on the big day. Although these
are the key ingredients that Fadi has adopted
for his version of the recipe, with
all the components made from scratch,
he made sure to point out that there is
room for flexibility in this recipe.
Fadi recalls that his mom would
make use of any and all ingredients,
whether leftovers or fresh, to make
this special New Year’s Eve spread.
With nothing wasted and all available
ingredients put to good use, Fadi’s
mom modeled gratitude for all the
blessings their family enjoyed, bringing
in a sweet New Year (with bellies
full), together with family and friends.
If you’re looking for novel way to kick
off 2024, you could do much worse.
Watch the full instruction video at
chaldeannews.com and explore
Fadi Babbie’s culinary creations at
instagram.com/crsp_co/
28 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2023