The Kitchen that Keeps us Together
Koshari didn’t begin in a kitchen.
It began with a journey.
Ayman was born in Kuwait, grew up between Kuwait and Egypt, and comes from Palestinian roots, with an Egyptian mother. Later, he studied in the UK before moving to Jordan, where he managed his father’s apple orchard as the eldest of four siblings. Working the land shaped him. He trained alongside an agricultural professor from Bulgaria and later immersed himself in Western horticultural methodology, collaborating with leading figures in the field, including the late Jean-Marie Lespinasse. It gave him a foundational way of seeing food: through quality, patience, and care.
When life shifted and farming became harder to sustain, he moved to the United States to start over. He worked across the food industry with one quiet thought in mind: one day, he would build something of his own.
The answer came at home.
Ayman cooked daily for his wife, Amani—Lebanese, with an Egyptian mother—while she cared for their daughter. Those meals carried comfort, depth, and a sense of belonging. Then, within a single week, everything aligned: Ayman had been quietly considering introducing authentic Koshari to Seattle, Amani surprised him with a commercial steam table he had casually mentioned, and his mother called from Egypt with the exact same suggestion.
It was the sign they needed.
They started small at local farmers markets with just that steam table, a canopy tent, and a tiny POS system. Soon after, they took an evening residency at Salt & Sugar Cafe in Ballard—a quiet daytime space that had always closed by 3 PM.
The early days tested everything. They spent months in the unknown, serving in an empty room, introducing a new concept to people walking in expecting coffee, and enduring long evenings where only a single bowl was sold. But they stayed consistent. Slowly, word spread. One bowl turned into a loyal neighborhood following, which grew into people traveling from across the state just for dinner. Ballard welcomed them, and Koshari transformed from a quiet pop-up into a destination.
From that signature dish, they expanded into a fully vegetarian menu rooted in Lebanese and Egyptian traditions. Simple food, real ingredients, and deep heritage, backed by Amani’s commitment to ingredient transparency and mindful formulation.
Above all, Koshari is what allowed this family to stay together. As parents of a child with multiple disabilities, Ayman and Amani built a livelihood that allowed them to work side by side while keeping their daughter close. They handle every single detail together—from the prep line to the website.
After nearly two years in Ballard, new restructures signaled that it was time to close that chapter and focus their energy on the future. Koshari is currently paused while they search for a permanent brick-and-mortar home and plan the next big phase of their journey.
Join Our Next Chapter
We are actively building the future of Koshari and looking for our permanent space.
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Support Our Journey: If you would like to help us build our permanent home, you can contribute directly to our GoFundMe campaign.
