From Kitchen to Bookshelf: Mama Rita Publishes its First Cooking Book with Penguin Random House

A celebration of three generations of home cooking, step into Mama’s kitchen with Mama Rita: Family Recipes from the Mediterranean – a vibrant, heartfelt celebration of home cooking by mother-daughter duo Jessica and Rita Kahawaty.

Born from the runaway success of their Dubai-based food delivery company, Mama Rita, this beautifully photographed cookbook offers over 75 delicious and nourishing dishes inspired by Lebanese and Mediterranean flavours.

Jessica Kahawaty, Lebanese-Australian humanitarian, model and influencer with over 1.5 million Instagram followers, joins her mother, Rita, in bringing their culinary heritage to the page. With deep roots in Lebanon and Australia, the Kahawatys’ recipes are filled with warmth, family stories, and dishes that have stood the test of time.

Whether you’re craving Not Soggy Fattoush, Soulful Chicken Shawarma, or Grandma’s Vegetarian Lasagna, the recipes in Mama Rita invites readers to gather around the table and enjoy the big-hearted flavours of family cooking. Shot on location in Lebanon, the book captures both the food and the feeling of home.

About the Authors: Jessica Kahawaty is a Lebanese-Australian model, humanitarian and co-founder of Mama Rita. She grew up between Australia and Lebanon, and now lives in Dubai, where she runs the business with her mother Rita, a passionate home cook who inherited her love of food from her own mother, Nahil.

In a world where food trends come and go, the power of home cooking remains timeless and hat spirit is captured in Mama Rita: Family Recipes from the Mediterranean, the debut cookbook by mother-daughter duo Rita and Jessica Kahawaty, published by Penguin Random House.

Rooted in three generations of culinary tradition, the book is a warm, flavor-packed invitation into the Kahawaty family kitchen. What began as a successful Dubai-based food delivery service, Mama Rita, has now evolved into a beautifully photographed hardback collection of over 75 comforting, nourishing recipes that pay homage to Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine.

Jessica Kahawaty, a Lebanese-Australian humanitarian, model, and digital entrepreneur with over 1.5 million Instagram followers, joins her mother Rita, a self-taught home cook with a lifelong love of food, in sharing personal family favorites that have been passed down and perfected over time. From zingy “Not Soggy Fattoush” to comforting Chicken Shawarma and a nostalgic Vegetarian Lasagna inspired by Jessica’s grandmother Nahil, the dishes are as full of soul as they are of spice.

Shot entirely in Lebanon, the cookbook paints a portrait of home, belonging and the universal joy of gathering around the table. The pages are rich with stories, emotion, and the small details that make food memory so powerful.

Abou this book, actress Courteney Cox said it’s “a must-have for anyone who is passionate about cooking and loves food as much as I do.”

Available in hardback from 4th September, Mama Rita: Family Recipes from the Mediterranean is poised to become a beloved kitchen staple for anyone seeking soulful meals with a taste of tradition. You can order your copy from: https://lnk.to/MamaRitaBook.