@alphafoodie founder wows audience with vibrant take on Levantine cuisine, teaching children the power of experimenting with colours, flavours — and life.
Sharjah, April 29, 2025
It was a riot of colours and flavours at the Cookery Corner of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) 2025 as award-winning food blogger, recipe developer, and influencer Samira Kazan took the stage to showcase a vibrant world of Levantine cuisine.
On her first-ever session at SCRF, the Oxford-educated culinary creator — whose @alphafoodie account boasts a global following for its visually stunning, health-driven dishes – captivated both children and adults alike with her live demonstration of rainbow hummus.
“Eating the ingredients that make up the rainbow give you different vitamins, energy, and make you live healthier and longer,” Kazan told the young audience, holding up bowls of purple, green, and yellow hummus. “But if you don’t like a combination, don’t be scared – experiment. Try different things.”
In the session titled ‘Levantine Cuisine: Lebanese Flavours Unveiled’, Kazan showed how simple ingredients like beetroot, carrots, basil, and avocado could turn classic dishes into colourful, nutritious masterpieces. As she prepared hummus varieties in hues of pink, green, and golden yellow, she encouraged children to be adventurous – both in the kitchen and in life.
“Every week, try a new fruit or vegetable,” she said. “You never know where it might take you. I experimented by applying to different universities randomly, including Oxford – and I got in! Life rewards those who dare to try.”
True to her playful philosophy, Kazan’s message was clear: “Food isn’t just about following recipes – it’s about creativity, discovery, and fun.” Children watched with wide eyes as she explained how mixing natural colours could create edible rainbows, inspiring them to think beyond ordinary meals and view cooking as a joyful experiment.
Taking place from April 23 to May 4 at Expo Centre Sharjah, the 16th edition of the festival promises a stellar lineup of more than 600 creative workshops and activities, all under the theme Dive into Books.
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