Bringing Bold Flavors to Every Table

Suzy Kades Karadsheh ’01 released her debut cookbook The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Bold and Healthy Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat in September 2022. In just under a month, the title became a New York Times best seller and landed her in the spotlight, as she cooked on Good Morning America and CNN, and was mentioned in prominent media outlets like Forbes, Real Simple, and the Food Network.

Karadsheh returned to Calvin on December 1, 2022, to share her love of hospitality, healthy ingredients, and bold flavors. During the public event at the Prince Conference Center, she cooked and spoke about her journey from Egypt to Calvin.

Karadsheh was born and raised by the shores of the Mediterranean in Port Said, Egypt. She fondly remembers her mother’s “vibrant kitchen” where she learned the “hospitality and love that accompanies the bright, bold flavors of the Mediterranean.”

A couple of years after graduating from Calvin, Karadsheh returned to work for her alma mater as its annual fund director. In 2014, her husband’s career took their family out-of-state.

Looking for a new direction, Karadsheh decided to combine her love of writing, cooking, and culture to start a blog called The Mediterranean Dish. What began as a way to help her Michigan-born daughters appreciate the flavors and heart of her homeland soon amassed quite a following. Since its inception, the site has served more than 100 million readers seeking to live a healthier lifestyle and millions more through the company’s social channels.

Karadsheh uses her growing platform to share three simple values with her readers and followers: “eat with the seasons; use mostly whole foods; and above all, share.”