Salima Benkhalti

How it Started

I was lucky to grow up with a Moroccan dad and a Puerto Rican mom, and food was always at the center of everything we did.

My parents loved to share their cultures in the kitchen. Our home was always filled with unique smells and flavors, with influences from friends and family around the world.

Instead of going to Disneyland or summer camp with friends, my parents saved up for trips back to Morocco or Puerto Rico to visit family. Thanks to them I have many warm memories in the kitchen with my aunt and grandma, learning how to cook traditional Moroccan dishes.

When I was 12, my mom assigned my brother and me the task of cooking dinner once a week—a chore that quickly became my favorite. That little spark turned into a lifelong passion for cooking, experimenting, and preserving the flavors I grew up with.

From Teaching to the Kitchen

I started Salima’s Kitchen in 2016 (as an Instagram account) to document family recipes and share fun pictures of food I enjoyed. After years of growing that dream when I wasn’t busy teaching (with my B.A. in Education from PLU), I took a risk and transitioned into the food world full-time.

I’ve worked as a private chef, a lead cook for ghee production at a Portland kitchen, and now feel incredibly blessed to spend my days developing recipes, shooting food photography, and sharing it all here.

Why I Love This Work

This job has allowed me to connect with family and community on a deeper level, through a common love of food.

Documenting family recipes has encouraged me to learn more about my roots in a way I likely wouldn’t have had time for if I wasn’t in this field. I’m endlessly grateful that I get to call this my career!

Also – nothing makes me happier than hearing from someone who made one of my recipes and felt more connected to their culture, or discovered something new they loved.

Whether it’s my dad’s bisarra, my mom’s flan, or my grandma’s lamb orzo, I hope you find something here that brings joy to your kitchen.

7 Quick Things About Me:

1. I’m an introvert. My ideal night is spent on the couch/in the backyard eating takeout with my husband Steve and dog Mac.
2. My cousins are my best friends. I’m lucky to have 4 cousins that I think of like sisters. They’re spread out all over the world, so I try to travel and visit them as often as possible.
3. I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I don’t post as much as a food blogger ‘should’, but I definitely enjoy consuming content on TikTok.
4. I’m always listening to music. Whether it’s reggae, rap, pop, or some weird stoner rock, my earbuds are almost always on while I’m cooking.
5. I have pretty bad ADHD. I like to think of it as a superpower that helps me wear all the hats that this food blog requires.
6. I’m obsessed with animals. Dogs, elephants, birds, you name it. Not to be one of those annoying people who loves animals more than people… but the shoe fits 🫣
7. I live to eat. I wish I could relate to people who eat to live, but food is pretty much the highlight of my day, every day!

Stay Connected

If you want to chat, collaborate or just say hi, I’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch at hello [@] salimaskitchen.com 📩.

Thanks for being here,