Image - the speaker and detail from his book cover
San Francisco

Michael Mina: My Egypt, Cooking From My Roots

In-person TicketsOnline-only Tickets

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Join us for a lively conversation with a lauded chef operating at the top of his game, triumphantly returning to his roots and sharing a lifetime of recipes that capture the flavor and energy of Egypt.

Growing up in a Middle Eastern household gave Michael Mina an innate understanding of how to cook with spice and use acidity to amp up flavors. But when he started working in restaurants, Mina went out of his way to cook everything but the Egyptian food he had grown up with. His family had left Cairo for the United States when he was two years old, and he felt the need to assimilate to thrive.

Decades later, after making his name as a technique-driven California chef and opening dozens of acclaimed restaurants, Mina looked back to what got him excited to cook in the first place: dishes like his mom’s ta’ameya, or Egyptian falafel, and tables heavy with dips and spreads at family barbecues. Thus began years of travel back to Egypt and a new story in his cuisine.

He’ll draw on stories from his new book My Egypt, taking us to contemporary Cairo and Alexandria to share the foundations of Egyptian cooking and hospitality, from the traditional breakfast of ful medames to the streetside meal of baladi bread stuffed with spiced hawawshi.

Hungry to learn more? Join us in-person or online.

Notes

This program has 2 types of tickets available: in-person and online-only. Pre-register to receive a link to the live-stream event. 

If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.

The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.

Copies of My Egypt are available for purchase during checkout (for delivery to domestic U.S. addresses only).

This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.

Bernard Osher Foundation

Photo courtesy the speaker.

All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable.

Tue, Oct 15 / 6:00 PM PDT

The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California
110 The Embarcadero
Taube Family Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States

Speakers
Image - Michael Mina

Michael Mina

Chef; Restaurateur; Founder, the MINA Group; Author, My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots

Image - Omar Mamoon

In conversation with Omar Mamoon

Writer; Contributor, San Francisco Chronicle, Resy and Esquire; X @0mmmar

Format

5:30 p.m. doors open & check-in
6–7 p.m. program
7 p.m. book signing
(all times Pacific Time)

COST

Members receive 30–50 percent discounts (not a member? Join)

In-person:
$25 
$65 with a book
Free for Leadership Circle members and students (no book)
Online:
$10 
$50 with a book
Free for Leadership Circle members and students (no book)