Normally, on a Thursday morning, Nelson Dakmak would be busy overseeing a multitude of home renovations and building projects around greater Baton Rouge through his business, Dakmak Construction. But on this particular morning, Dakmak is funneling his well-established workaholic’s energy into a ritual that takes place every month or so. He’s in the kitchen preparing for Kibbeh Night, an evening of dining with family and friends who share a personal connection or deep appreciation for Lebanese cooking culture and its signature dish, kibbeh.
Dakmak, and other Baton Rougeans of Lebanese descent, grew up eating kibbeh, and he prepares it on this day as part of a regular gathering in his home. Others bring homemade grape leaves, cabbage rolls and tabbouleh—all staples of Middle Eastern cooking and common elements on the family tables of Baton Rougeans of Lebanese descent.
Our sister publication, inRegister, took a look at the dinner tables of local families of Lebanese descent for its March issue, and how those families celebrate and preserve their heritage.
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