Those who count themselves skilled virtuosos of the cityhomeCOLLECTIVE website have seen these fellas on the pages of said site a few times. We’ve gushed over Derek Kitchen and Moudi Sbeity for a multitude of reasons. The two are exemplary members of the movers, shakers, and ground breakers club, to say the least, and we feel profoundly lucky to count them SLC locals. For two fellas so well versed in ground-breaking endeavors, then, the deed of actually breaking ground was a logical progression. Laziz Kitchen–yet another undertaking that will take time, patience, blood, sweat, and tears–is a breakfast, lunch, and early dinner restaurant, and a tasty addition to the Central 9th area in more ways than one. Says Moudi, “Over the years we’ve found ourselves in a unique position of bridging our passion for food with community engagement,” and Laziz (it means tasty, enjoyable…light-hearted) is the culmination of those years of work. Each dish we tried had us communicating in a sort of humming-and-cooing dialect, and we found neighboring tables doing the same. Plates intended to serve individuals at our table were hastily volunteered to go family-style with a garbled, “you gotta try this.”
Have a seat with someone at a gorgeous, marble two-top…order at the counter for some grab-and-go…bring your book and cozy up in the Laziz nook with a cup of Arabic coffee.
As one might expect, however, flavors like these take time and talent. The two made multiple research-inspired treks to Moudi’s home in Beirut, Lebanon for intensive explorations of the area’s most culturally-intimate elements. They tapped ever-so-patiently into the physical, emotional, and spiritual minutia that go into concocting recipes, generating worth in each conversation, moment, and ingredient. Then, somehow, they conceptually encapsulated it all in one stunning brick-and-mortar. In keeping with the authenticity of Lebanese culture, Derek and Moudi want you to enjoy the fruits of their efforts however you like. Have a seat with someone at a gorgeous, marble two-top…order at the counter for some grab-and-go…bring your book and cozy up in the Laziz nook with a cup of Arabic coffee.
"These are the memories of nurture and deliciousness, in a space where food and human connect, where life’s appetites are explored."
“Fresh baked pita, beans simmering, coring vegetables and sipping coffee with mom, while fresh herbs donned the kitchen table. These are the memories of nurture and deliciousness, in a space where food and human connect, where life’s appetites are explored. This communal strength of kitchens is the building block of every family, every community. It’s around the table that we share our most intimate stories, where the sense of belonging is felt, where the deep connections of trust are built.” – Moudi Sbeity & Derek Kitchen, Owners, Laziz Kitchen
