Kepos - Hummus & co: Middle Eastern food to fall in love with

When we flopped into a seat at the Australian Heritage Hotel at The Rocks, we spotted our daughter Kristy with some friends. An introduction to Michael, one of her work colleagues, piqued our curiosity. After three years working in event management at Le Mridian Hotel in London, Kristy had returned to Australia and found her niche at the idyllic seaside landmark, The Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral Beach. As office manager and assistant to prominent chef and owner, Serge Dansereau, she wore many hats in her job. One of her roles involved liaising with the kitchen staff, which is how she met Israeli-born Michaela talented sous chef whod arrived in Australia after many years spent cooking overseas. A family holiday to Terrigal in January 2008 was the first time our family experienced Michaels delicious food.

In what felt like no time at all, and with minimal ingredients and equipment, Michael created the most amazing lunch for our family. The table was laden with mouth-watering dishes. With this delicious food laid before us, the meal was eaten and enjoyed with a sense of discovery. From that time on, we regularly encouraged Michael to open his own restaurant to introduce the dining public to the flavours and textures of his food. I am sure this thought had occurred to him before; he just needed things to fall into place, which, in time, they did. Since then, our family and our friends have been fortunate to share the table at Kristy and Michaels home many times.

Their food is always exciting, flavoursome and plentiful. Ingredients such as dukkah, harissa, labne and pomegranate seeds, once so unfamiliar to us, are regularly presented in delicious combinations. Kristys desserts, often rich and fabulous, always complement the main course so well. Over the past few years, Kristy and Michael have opened two well-critiqued restaurants, Kepos Street Kitchen and Kepos & Co., as well as their new venture Kepos Catering. Successful life/business partnerships are not accidental; both Kristy and Michael have years of experience in hospitality to draw on, and this has resulted in their shared attention to detail and determination to present healthy, exciting food, served in stylish and contemporary surroundings. A cookbook is something that usually remains as a permanent fixture on our bookshelftreasured and beloved.

Lots of cookbooks in our home are a bit grubby and tattered from overuse; pages drop out, or are so marked up that the recipe is hard to read. I still have my mothers cookbook from her time at the Domestic Arts School, circa 1926. Those pages are torn and fragile, but, most importantly, they are well-used. There is a common thread when a person wants to share their special recipes and love of food with a reader. It means they are prepared to test their recipes, and even refine and rewrite them if need be. This is a labour of love, just like cooking.

We are sure Kristy and Michael will be happy if their cookbooks are beloved, treasured and used, not just shelved. Looking back, the memorable times are the ones spent around a table, the shared table, with family and friends, and plenty of delicious food. DIANE AND PETER FRAWLEY

INTRODUCTION AS A COUPLE , food runs through everything we do together. Its not unusual for us to plan that nights dinner while we are eating breakfast; our holidays revolve around restaurant bookings and weve been known to read cookbooks in bed. Being able to share this enthusiasm for food in our second book is a wonderful privilege. MR: Both of us grew up in families where mealtime was very important.

For me, growing up in Tel Aviv, my mother would prepare the main meal and serve it late in the afternoon when we came home from school. Shed cook a variety of things, but there was always hummus, some chopped vegetables, at least one or two meat or fish dishes and plenty of salads. Vegetables werent punishment, they were a reward. Nothing was individually portionedeveryone helped themselves and it was very social and relaxed. This was normal for me. Family dinners for Kristy in Sydney were a little different.

KF: Mum always cooked our meals in the kitchen then plated up there too. Shed serve us at the table and a saladusually a simple lettuce, tomato, cucumber and mushroom numberwould be the only sharing element on the table. The first time Michael ate dinner at my parents house he found the whole idea of individually portioned meals at a family table surprising. These days, my family love eating with us because they enjoy the sharing table. MR: Although the food we ate growing up was very different, we both have memories of sitting around the table with our families and discussing our day. On the nights we are able to eat together at home, we usually make a few simple salads, a protein dish and one or two other interesting flavours.