Hello, my name is Wassim and I am from Algeria – the largest country on the African continent, located in North Africa between Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia. I lived in the capital city, Algiers – which is located in the north of the country by the Mediterranean sea. I come from a big family and I have many beautiful memories of food and cooking from my childhood. I used to watch my mother and my father in the kitchen, and I fell in love with the flavours and smells. Algerian food is rich and varied, with Mediterranean, Arab and French influences.

We use lots of fresh vegetables, and fresh spices such as cumin, coriander and paprika.  Every meal is accompanied by a salad, and the presentation of the food is very important.  My cooking class aims to reflect this and I have included recipes that are everyday, as well as some that we eat as part of special celebrations.