Beirut to Boston: A Cookbook

Delicious Comfort Food Dishes Inspired by an Immigrant’s Story of Success

Today, Mike’s City Diner is the destination for foodies from all over the world, but it didn’t always used to be this way. Jay Hajj was born in Beirut and came to Boston to flee the violence of the Lebanese Civil War. Packed with mouth-watering recipes and inspiring stories of perseverance and success, this cookbook highlights the turning points in Jay’s career and the food that defines them.

Spanning decades of his life, Beirut to Boston includes the Southern-style breakfast that stole Bill Clinton’s heart, Guy Fieri’s favorite Thanksgiving sandwich, Ming Tsai’s special hummus recipe and the pâté of wartime reinvented.

Combining his old-world techniques for traditional Lebanese dishes with his approach to modern American dishes, Jay showcases comfort food with unique and enticing flavors. Every page starts with an incredible story of struggle and triumph, and ends with what Jay Hajj is known best for: one-of-a-kind American food inspired by his Lebanese upbringing.