Two women, intuition and the love of food

I met Rose in her Restaurant “Maydan” in mid city LA on a Sunday in mid-January 2026. I Had been meaning to stop by since it opened in October 2025. Also happens to be 5 min from my house.

And here she was, stunning in a gorgeous red dress. It felt as though we recognized each other immediately, even though we hadn’t met before.

Our exchange was brief. We hugged, I congratulated her on the beautiful space and she gifted me some of her “SOUK” Ras el Hanout spice. This one was very cumin forward. little did we know that by fall we would be traveling together from Palermo to Tangier creating a menu for Maydan LA ‘s first anniversary.

But this story began for me two years before that Sunday.

I had stumbled upon an instagram post that made me want to reach out, as though i already knew we were meant to create or share something meaningful. I tend to often follow those settle impulses. I sent her a DM that went unanswered.

The universe, however understood. It seemed to say, let me make it happen when the timing is delicious.

A month later, in February, the wizard Jeff Gordinier seated us together at one of his fun house dinners in Chinatown.

looking back, that is what I find so beautiful about intuition: The feeling that moves us to act without knowing the outcome, a simple act of trust and listening. By the time Rose and I were making travel arrangements it all felt like the unfolding of a conversation that had began long before we met. Timing was just part of the message.

If you happen to be in LA our new menu will debut on November 1 st 2026.

See you there … Yallah until soon

Here some pics our or trip this fall

In Tangier 09/2026 creating a feast captured by Hicham Ayouch

Rose and Yasmina

In Palermo captured by Kai Ephron