Meet Claudine Borjeily of Claudine’s Kitchen in Northwest of Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudine Borjeily.

Claudine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Lebanon during the war. Despite the bad time, being a part of a very tight and loving family, days and years passed gracefully. Amongst those happy moments was enjoying the food made by my mother and all our relatives. I met my husband while visiting Lebanon then moved with him to his already second home, the United States in 1998. Cooking in my opinion is a labor of love.

So I started cooking what was embedded in my mind and heart from my mom’s Lebanese cooking for my family and friends. One of my friends, Erin, fell in love with the Tabbouleh and suggested that I sell it at the local farmers markets. And that’s how Claudine’s Kitchen was created in 2009! My husband Richard and our daughters Sara and Clara joined me to spread the love and awareness of the Lebanese food and its benefits at most of the valley farmers markets and up North in the summer. We currently sell some of our packaged items at AJ’s Fine Foods stores and we do catering as well.

Has it been a smooth road?
Being a small business owner is far from any smooth road! The nature of our business, selling at the farmers markets, is unpredictable and is faced with many struggles. We sometimes find ourselves working against the elements for instance the rain, the wind, and the heat. Being the owner, you must have many roles. That is the day to day operation. You have to be the chef, the cook, the salesperson, the dishwasher, the distributor, the heavy lifter, the accountant, the web designer, the janitor, the handyman, the marketer, the employee, the boss and most importantly the risk taker from being an entrepreneur. You struggle at first but grow and learn along the way and become the successful person you are today.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Claudine’s Kitchen – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am the owner of Claudine’s Kitchen. It is our family business where my husband and our two daughters also help. The cooking is done only by my husband and I. We are specialized in authentic Lebanese food that is considered one of the six healthiest cuisine in the world according to the QSR magazine as it contains healthy ingredients. The only way we cook is our mothers’ way with no written recipes but with the taste and the smell that determine when the dish is complete. We are known for our fresh and from scratch food especially for our trio Hommous, Baba Ghannouge, and Tabbouleh. Not to forget the famous and delicious wraps that my husband makes such as Beef and Lamb Shawarma, Chicken Tawoo’ and Falefel. The list is too big to mention. In addition, we are so proud of our food that sets us apart from all competition because it is made with love, with local ingredients and most importantly it is always fresh and speaks to all food lovers from vegan to meat eaters. And of course, we dont want to forget the authenticity of our cooking that my mother-in-law attests to.

Is there anyone in particular you would like to recognize? Mentors, etc?
Of course my family! They are my biggest supporter through the good and the bad days that come along the food business. But what also keeps Claudine’s Kitchen going are the loyal customers, the fans and the friends that have been there helping whether in the kitchen, the markets or somewhere behind the scenes. They are very appreciative of what we offer and they continuously push us to be creative and do our best. So thankful for all!

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.claudineskitchen.com
• Phone: 6235656872
• Email: claudineskitchen@cox.net
• Instagram: @claudineskitchen
• Facebook: Facebook.com/claudineskitchen
• Twitter: @claudinesk

Image Credit:
Sara and Clara Borjeily, Carol Kunes, Caroline Carabas

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