Cooking At Home | How To Create A Mezze

If your mouth waters at the thought of a delicious mezze spread, then we recommend you head to Shuka, an airy blue and white oasis tucked away on quaint MacDougal Street in New York’s SOHO neighborhood. Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja draws inspiration from the unique flavors of Italy, Morocco and Tunisia and infuses them into a colorful display of dishes that are as beautiful as they are tasty. She shares her must-haves for creating a show-stopping mezze platter of your very own. 

What dishes should you incorporate to create a perfectly rounded mezze? 

Texture and flavor are super important, particularly things that are spicy and herbaceous You would want something that is a spread, with hummus, pita, and vegetables. On our menu at Shuka, we have a variety of dips including beet hummus, labne (see recipe below), whipped feta and pistachio dip, in addition to house-made pitas, colorful vegetables like spicy carrots and smashed sweet potatoes, fattoush salad with fried halloumi, falafel and more.

So much about a mezze is about presentation. How do you determine what types of serving ware to use? 

People eat with their eyes. My food organically is very colorful, and I try to mix and match serving pieces to accentuate dishes. For instance, the beet hummus is fuchsia, so I choose a black plate so the dish pops. We use hammered metal bowls, clay tangines and wood boards to give an authentic feel.

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Photography by Alison Engstrom