Dr. Madelain Farah was the author of the original edition of Lebanese Cuisine from 1972, Pocket Bread Potpourri, and other books. She was a teacher, linguist, writer, Fulbright scholar, former model and beauty queen. Among her extensive academic accomplishments, she earned a doctorate from the University of Utah in Middle East studies, sociology, and language and literature. Born in Portland, Oregon she was visiting Lebanon with her family at the age of 2 and became stranded there throughout WWII. Subsequently, she collected family recipes from her mother to develop a comprehensive catalog. Dr. Farah was an educator who spent a number of years teaching French and lecturing with an emphasis on Middle East culture and literature.

Leila Habib-Kirske is passionate about her Lebanese background and sharing her love of that cuisine to a broader audience. A financial executive in the technology industry and an advanced home cook, she grew up in the kitchen of her mother and grandmother as an avid taster and assistant. Through them as well as international travel, she learned Lebanese and Moroccan cooking using traditional methods and has crafted new recipes of her own. She is also an analog film photographer and enjoys traveling, particularly through Europe and Northern Africa, which informs her flavor profiles.