Marc Summers of Bubala to release debut Middle Eastern-inspired vegetarian cookbook
This October, Marc Summers, founder of the London-based vegetarian restaurant group Bubala, will release his debut cookbook, Bubala: Middle-Eastern Inspired Vegetarian Recipes to Share. The publication, with photography by Patricia Niven, aims to bring the brand’s popular Middle Eastern-inspired dishes into home kitchens for the first time.
Bubala began as a pop-up in East London in 2018 and has since expanded to three permanent locations in Spitalfields, Soho and King’s Cross. Specialising in vegetarian feasting menus and a contemporary take on Middle Eastern cuisine, it has garnered critical acclaim on best restaurant lists in The Guardian, The Times and Time Out. Summers, who previously worked in financial consultancy before transitioning to the hospitality industry and holding positions in kitchens and front-of-house at establishments such as The Palomar and Berber & Q, said: “Bubala has always been about more than just the food – it’s about the energy, the generosity and the joy of sharing a meal. This book is my way of bringing that spirit into people’s homes. Whether it’s a big table of friends or just a regular Tuesday night, these recipes are designed to be approachable, fun, and full of flavour – all the things that made me fall in love with cooking in the first place.”
The cookbook features over 100 entries, including several dishes that have become staples at the brand’s restaurants. Highlights include Burnt Butter Hummus, Halloumi with Black Seed Honey, Oyster Mushroom Skewers, Potato Latkes with Toum and Baba Ganoush. The selection is organised into chapters such as Sides & Salads, Skewers, Mezzes, Mains and Sweets, with additional sections like the Bubala Larder offering pantry staples and tips for enhancing everyday cooking. In addition to recipes, there is a narrative element. Readers are given a behind-the-scenes look at daily operations in the kitchen, with a focus on the Soho branch and its head chef, and the text recounts the origins of Bubala from Summers’s initial concept to its development into a fully fledged restaurant group.
Food Desk
Bubala: Middle-Eastern Inspired Vegetarian Recipes to Share is released by Penguin: Quadrille at the hardcover price of £28, and is available in the UK on 16th October 2025. For further information or to pre-order, visit the publisher’s website here.
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