Anna Ansari and Chef Jad Youssef Join Forces for a Special Dinner at Lebnani
On Thursday November 26, Lebnani, the much-loved Lebanese restaurant in the heart of Reigate, will welcome Iranian-American food writer Anna Ansari, author of the award-nominated cookbook Silk Roads: A Flavour Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing and winner of the Guild of Food Writers’ 2026 Food Writer of the Year award, for an exclusive collaboration Thanksgiving dinner with its founder, acclaimed Lebanese chef Jad Youssef.
For one night only, Anna and Jad will put their own spin on the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Drawing on the recipes, stories and culinary traditions explored in their respective cookbooks Silk Roads and Lebnani: A Journey Through Family, Food and the Flavour of Lebanon, they will serve a generous sharing menu that brings together the flavours of Lebanon, Iran, the Caucasus, Central Asia and China with the comforting classics of Thanksgiving.
From Lebanese mezze and Central Asian salads to baharat-spiced chicken moghrabieh, roasted vegetables and cranberry tkemali, the menu will celebrate the connections between culinary traditions while embracing the generosity and abundance of the Thanksgiving table.
The feast will begin with a generous spread of mezze and sharing dishes, including Jad’s hummus Beiruti with confit garlic and charred red chilli, Anna’s colourful Central Asian slaw with dill, toasted coriander seeds and honey dressing, and aubergine frites with cumin and date molasses. Marinated mixed olives and sesame ka’ak bread complete the opening selection.
For the main course, guests will choose between Jad’s baharat-spiced chicken moghrabieh, a Lebanese favorite featuring semolina pearl dumplings and shallot onions in a caraway-scented gravy; or Anna’s pomegranate and walnut nut roast, her Azeri-inspired take on the classic British dish, served with vegetarian gravy.
Both mains will be accompanied by a selection of dishes that bring a playful Silk Roads perspective to familiar Thanksgiving favorites: roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts with pistachio gremolata, charred green beans with creamy shiitake mushrooms and crispy onions, labneh mashed potatoes, and cranberry tkemali—a tart, Georgian-inspired alternative to traditional cranberry sauce.
To finish, guests will enjoy Jad’s mhalabieh, a delicate Lebanese milk pudding, scented with orange blossom, and topped with grenadine and pistachio. And, because no Thanksgiving is complete without some “leftovers,” guests will leave with one of Anna’s pumpkin-spiced pecan blondies, baked and wrapped especially for this celebratory occasion.
Anna Ansari’s critically acclaimed debut cookbook, Silk Roads: A Flavour Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing traces the movement of ingredients, people and culinary traditions along the historic trade routes connecting East and West. Drawing on her Iranian-American heritage, years spent living in China and extensive travels, Anna brings these interconnected histories to life through recipes and personal storytelling. Silk Roads was shortlisted for the Fortnum & Mason Debut Cookery Book Award, the Guild of Food Writers Debut Cookery Book Award and the Taste Canada Regional/Cultural Cookbook Award, and is a finalist in the World Gourmand Cookbook Awards. Named the Guild of Food Writers’ Food Writer of the Year in 2026, Anna has received widespread recognition for her distinctive approach to food writing.
Joining Anna in the kitchen is Beirut-born Chef Jad Youssef, whose cooking at Lebnani celebrates the vibrant flavours and generous hospitality of Lebanon. Combining family recipes, traditional techniques and seasonal ingredients, Jad has established the restaurant as a premier destination for Lebanese cuisine with a contemporary touch.
At the heart of this collaboration is a shared appreciation for the power of food to bring people together. And, while Thanksgiving is an American tradition, its emphasis on family, hospitality and gathering around the table has strong parallels with Lebanese and Iranian, Central Asian and Chinese food cultures, making it a fitting occasion for this meeting of culinary perspectives. Join Anna and Jad to celebrate abundance, togetherness and our shared humanity.
The one-night-only dinner will take place on Thursday 26 November 2026, with two sittings at 6pm and 8.30pm, priced at £65.00 per person. An optional wine pairing will be available for £35.00 per person, with drinks charged separately.
