Izzeldin Abdul Aziz Bukhari is the self-taught chef and founder of SacredCuisine; a culmination of Izzeldin’s life experiences that are deeply embedded in his Sufi roots. It embodies everything he values and aspires to instill.

Originating from Bukhara in Uzbekistan, his family migrated to the Old City of Jerusalem in 1616 AD to teach Sufism. As a young adult, Izzeldin moved to the United States and discovered his passion for cooking when, missing Palestinian cuisine, he experimented with recreating his favorite Palestinian dishes.

It was then that he discovered cooking as a form of meditation, through which he could lose himself and connect to the world around him. This experience was transformative, allowing him to mindfully contemplate the world around him and inspiring his vision for SacredCuisine. He began to notice where his ingredients came from, how they were grown, and what impact the dual processes of their production and consumption had on the ecosystem. Upon returning to Palestine, he decided to take Palestinian food, which is traditionally mostly plant- based, back to its roots of simplicity, versatility, and inclusiveness.