There are few more enjoyable pastimes than sharing a home-cooked meal with loved ones and friends. Mother of two and talented cook Nancy Saliba shares this sentiment with traditional Lebanese dishes prepared in her home.

Nancy grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, where large family gatherings, cooking and attending church services were the center of cultural life. So, it is no surprise that Nancy’s natural inclination is to be in the kitchen. “What I cook are recipes passed down from my grandma and my mom,” Nancy explained.

French-educated in a private Greek Orthodox school in Lebanon, Nancy developed an affinity for studying languages. In college, while earning a master’s degree in translation, Nancy interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Post-graduation, she worked for An-Nahar newspaper, an esteemed periodical in the Middle East.

After college, Nancy met her future husband Joseph. He had been living in the United States since the age of 16, but was visiting his home country of Lebanon. Joseph, a computer engineer, and Nancy quickly fell in love. In 2008, when Nancy was 24, Joseph brought her to Colorado, and they married that same year.

Moving to a new country was a difficult adjustment for Nancy, yet she understood that putting down roots would allow her to feel at home in Colorado. In 2009, Nancy and Joseph bought their first home in Parker. Then they welcomed two children, Enya in 2013 and Remy in 2019.

In 2021, Nancy and her family moved to the Forest Park neighborhood. With an intention to bring people together, Nancy invited friends to her home to enjoy traditional Lebanese food. Nancy’s food was a hit with her friends and they encouraged her to consider cooking as a career.

Nancy was inspired and began taste-testing family recipes with friends, taking suggestions and critiques. Over the course of a year, she developed a menu that included traditional Lebanese dishes and Mediterranean favorites.

“It puts a smile on my heart when people say they love my food,” added Nancy.

Nancy’s favorites include all the expected items: chicken and beef shawarma, falafel and Fattoush salad. But she also boasts intriguing dishes: Fūl mdamas, a stew of chick peas, fava beans, tomatoes, lemon juice and seasonings as well as Loubieh Bi Zeit, green Romano beans with caramelized onions, garlic and sweet, sun-ripened tomatoes served with cocktail cucumbers and onions. Both dishes are served with Lebanese pita bread.

“Quality is important to me. I ship all my cooking spices from Lebanon or authentic Lebanese stores in the United States,” explained Nancy. She plans to start a food truck business named Levantine Kitchen after the area in Lebanon that she still considers home, and eventually hopes to open a brick-and-mortar location in Castle Pines.

When Nancy is not cooking, she loves being a full-time mom. Her family’s favorite activities are picnicking, bike rides, hiking and, of course, gathering in the kitchen to enjoy home-cooked meals together.

For more information on Nancy’s Lebanese dishes, visit Facebook and search for Levantine Kitchen Castle Pines.

 

 

 

By Grace Caroline Roubidoux; photos courtesy of Nancy Saliba