Winning awards is easy for Lina Saad. She is after our hearts through our tummy. Preparing a wonderful variety of delicious goodies, Lina has created mouthwatering recipes and summed them into a book ‘Ramadan Express’ which has won the ‘Gourmand Cookbook Award’. The variety of the delicacies presented in the books and simple breakdown of the recipes, makes it a must read and try for all the food lovers.

Lina Saad was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa. During the 1980s Lina attended Evangelical School in Beirut and lived through the Civil War. Lina graduated from Westminster College with a BA (Hons) in Hotel Management and established Alicia Restaurant in Warren Street, London.

It were hard times for Lebanon. The beautiful land faced a civil war for about fifteen years. It was during these times that Lina grew up and faced her challenges. Instead of falling apart in the midst of despair, she took to her passion and formed a bond with the people through her cooking and experiences. Her story is a fascinating one. She promotes peace and unity through food and how it brings everyone together at one table.

For her efforts, Lina has gained a lot of recognition. Interviewed and reviewed several times, she promotes food as the source that brings cultures together. Her recipes are a mix of traditional and experimental flavors which surprise your palette. 

Feltham Library were very lucky to host Lina Saad, also the author of 'The Land of White'. This combination of a recipe book and memoirs makes for excellent reading and of course, excellent feasting.

The Land of White is a combination of cookery book and food memoir which takes the real cooking experiences from the writer straight to your kitchen. The often eclectic recipes, interspersed with charming evocations of the author's beloved homeland, reflect Lebanon's cosmopolitan heritage. The dishes may be simple to make but the results are rich in aroma and flavor, with unique ingredients, and prepare you for a real Lebanese adventure. The fusion of aubergine puree with pomegranate rubies, stuffed Swiss chard cigars and kibbe balls stuffed with minced lamb all create a rich and immerse experience.