Hello and welcome to Salima’s Kitchen!
My name is Salima. I'm the writer, photographer, recipe developer, and owner at Salima's Kitchen.
This blog started out back in 2016 as a method to document family recipes from my parents and extended family in Morocco & Puerto Rico.
It eventually transformed into a growing community, that allowed me to step away from my life as a teacher and into the kitchen, full-time.
What Inspires My Recipes
Here at Salima’s Kitchen, the focus is all about fresh & flavorful recipes, usually inspired by my Moroccan and Puerto Rican roots and the food I grew up eating with family.
Because Moroccan recipes & Puerto Rican recipes are new to many home cooks, I like to share tips and tricks to make the cuisine approachable to everyone.
Many of the most popular recipes on the blog are spice forward and come together with minimal ingredients or within a reasonable window of time (I'm talking 15 to 30 minutes!)
Where to Start
I recommend starting by checking out the recipe index.
Here are a few of my favorite family recipes:
I always try to encourage readers to use the tools & ingredients you have on hand. Modify directions as you see fit and explore the ingredients in season locally where you live.
If you don't have time to make every ingredient from scratch (like these preserved lemons or sofrito), don't be afraid to save yourself some time. When possible, grab a jar at the store.
Background
My dad was born and raised in Marrakech, Morocco and my mom born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
They moved to the states and eventually ended up in Washington state, where I was born.
I was lucky to spend many summers in Morocco with my grandma and aunts. Although I don't have as much family in Puerto Rico, I am very grateful I was able to visit many times throughout my life.
My goal is to get traditional recipes as close to what I remember my family's versions tasting like, while also pulling that same inspiration into new recipes with an emphasis on keeping things approachable & bold in flavor.
Being able to share and preserve family recipes like my dad's Bisarra, my mom's flan or these empanadillas is a creative outlet that feeds me just as much a it does my readers.
My Food Blogging Story
Salima’s Kitchen originally started as a place to share my family recipes when I wasn’t busy teaching second grade. The original life plan was to go to college, graduate, and teach elementary school.
Looking back, it’s funny how much has changed!
Growing up in a multicultural family, food was always a central part of our home. When I started 7th grade, my mom sat me down and told me I was now responsible for cooking dinner once a week.
What was intended to be a chore quickly became one of my favorite activities.
Once I graduated college and moved away from home, I really missed the Moroccan and Puerto Rican recipes that were once a staple in my diet.
This blog (and my Instagram account) became a wonderful way to not only share and record these recipes, but also to meet like minded people who share a passion for cooking.
Eventually I built up the courage and experience to move away from teaching and into the food world.
Culinary Experience
I spent a few years working as an opening chef for a small ghee production in Portland, Oregon and then started Salima's Kitchen as a private chef service. While in Portland, I made appearances sharing recipes from my food blog on ABC's KATU Afternoon Live.
Working in different kitchens around Portland taught me about presentation, cooking in a professional setting, and designing custom recipes.
During this chapter I spent years testing, writing and shooting recipes, and sharing them through this blog. I got into photography to market my business as a private chef and fell in love with the process.
The last 5 years have been so rewarding and I am thankful to every single person that has made a recipe and/or left a review.
Brand Partnerships & Credentials
- 3+ years of work as a Private Chef providing custom dining experiences to clients in the Portland metro area
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Education, Pacific Lutheran University
- 5+ years of commercial photography experience
Contact
Interested in working with Salima's Kitchen?
Get in touch at hello [@] salimaskitchen.com to book a discovery call.
Thank you for being here,
Salima