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Restaurant focus is your guide to new and upcoming restaurants to know about. This time we’re in Lebanon at Brût, one of La Liste Mediterranean's ‘Hidden Gems’ in 2023.
What makes Brût so unique?
The restaurant is an outdoor, farm-to-table concept, “serving Levantine cuisine focusing on sustainability and Lebanese heritage” that opened in Hrâjel in 2020. The building housing the kitchen was built by chef-owner Youssef Akiki’s grandfather some 75 years ago when it was used to store gardening tools. The surroundings are idyllic, in amongst a vineyard, with a river flowing just down the hill.
Tell us about the food
Expect “Levantine cuisine focusing on sustainability and Lebanese heritage,” says Akiki. Signature dishes include asafir (fig birds with verjus), kebbeh nayyeh (raw meat with a sorbet of homemade arak, a Levantine spirit) and markouk shawarma tacos. “I try using ingredients from my personal garden and farmers nearby. I also focus on freshness, locally sourced ingredients and a connection to the land,” he says.
And how about the chef?
Born in Hrâjel, Akiki started working in kitchens at the age of 15. He has cooked at L’atelier de Joel Robuchon in Paris, De Leest in the Netherlands and Hotel de Ville in Crissier, Switzerland, amongst others. He cites Michel Troisgros as his most significant influence, however. “One, I admire him as a person, second, he is the third generation of a three-Michelin-star restaurant and they are still going strong, passing those traditions to his son César, as well as adding their own touches and updates,” says Akiki.
Anything else to know?
Yes, the restaurant offers a series of culinary experiences such as hiking and foraging in the local area and trips to the coast, with the intention of making Brût a culinary destination. “The purpose of these journeys is not only to just eat, but to fully immerse in the culinary traditions of Lebanon, the scenery, its history, ingredients and techniques behind our local dishes with a twist and the cultural significance of food within our community,” says Akiki.
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