Over the past 30 years, Fatimas has served more than a million customers from its bustling kitchens in Auckland.
They’ve always been cooks first — passionate about feeding people, sharing flavour and making food that feels good to eat. Now you can bring a little of that magic into your own kitchen.
Whether you’ve stood in one of their queues, grown up eating their lamb shawarma or koftas, if you want to know how to make their garlic sauce or are curious about harissa, FATIMAS cookbook brings the colour, sprit and soul of their kitchen to life.
FATIMAS is packed with the dishes and techniques that have kept their kitchens humming. From slow cuts to zesty salads, from punchy sauces to late-night pitas, each recipe is designed to be approachable, satisfying and full of flavour. These are recipes for any day of the week and for cooks of all skill levels.
Middle East Influence
Each one teaches a technique or flavour combination that reflects Fatima’s way of cooking — layered, full of herbs, spice-rich and always grounded in the bold, vibrant ingredients of the Middle East, reimagined here in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
There are over 100 recipes in FATIMAS including their pantry staples, butters, oils, dressings, sauces, pickles and preserves with suggested menus. The main recipes are divided into sections: BRUNCH with Ashura cereal and Middle Eastern (French) toast with rhubarb and labneh. SALADS with Cos, zhoug ranch and spiced nuts and Curried cauliflower, mango and spinach. BOWLS & SANDWICHES with Fattoush Fatimas style and Harissa salmon bowl. BBQ, GRILL, FIRE with Scotch steak with pomegranate chimichurri and slow cooked tomatoes and BBQ butterflied lamb with Arabic chopped salad.
SIZZLE, SEAR, FRY with Sophie’s prawn pasta and Epic flatbread with Za’atar butter. SLOW COOK, ROAST, OVEN with Speedy Hapuka tray bake with nduja, butter, fennel and capsicum and Moreish Masala potatoes and eggplant. MEZZE & SIDES with Citrus and pistachio, crudo and Leek and saffron pilaf. Finishing with SWEETS like Our chocolate brownie and Pistachio and rose meringues.
Although this is primarily a cookbook it is also a celebration of their 30 years in operation. It features beautiful photography of not only the food but the environments and streetscapes that their stores operate in, and Sophie and Kirsty hope to encourage and remind people of the joy of cooking.
Guiding Backbone
Kirsty Senior co-founded Fatima’s in 1995 and has been at the helm ever since. Over the past three decades, she has guided the business through growth, change and challenges — raising a daughter while navigating everything from new technologies and shifting food trends to evolving systems, regulations, and legislation.
Now the Managing Director, Kirsty remains the backbone of the business. Kirsty’s love for layered, complex flavour resonates throughout the book — she’s their in-house texture enthusiast, responsible for the generous use of seeds, nuts and grains, and the queen of double (sometimes triple!) sauce layering. Her keen eye for design shapes every element of their visual branding and interior spaces, creating a warm, cohesive experience that reflects the soul of Fatimas.
Sophie Gilmour grew up around the clatter of kitchens and the hum of good conversation. Since joining Fatimas in 2018, Sophie has brought heart, hustle and deep love of flavour to everything she does.
With a background in law, cooking and front-of-house hospitality, Sophie’s impact has been felt in every corner of Fatimas — from reimagining systems to fostering culture, and always, always staying true to the food. She believes in flavour that punches above its weight, in spaces that feel like home, and in businesses that nourish everyone involved — from kitchen crew to customer. In this cookbook, Sophie shares not just recipes, but reflections — on running a values-led hospitality business, on the chefs, cooks and establishments that have provided her inspiration and on what it means to feed people well in a fast-changing world.
Our Reviewers State:-
As a chef who’s spent many years working in Ponsonby, Fatimas has always been one of my go-to spots during breaks. Their chawarmas and koftas are legendary. I’m genuinely excited that they’ve put together a cookbook, which I know will become a staple in home kitchens across Aotearoa. It’s a chance for all of us to bring a bit of that Fatimas magic home. I’m especially looking forward to trying the Fried Chicken Wings Two Ways and the Spiced Pork Belly and trust me, their Harissa is going to end up on just about everything I cook at home.
– Chef Sid Sahrawat
“What a treasure this is. Jammed full of tried and true Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes,…. 30 years making.
Beautifully designed, stunning photography, sage advice, this is my new ‘Go To!’ Make some room ‘Yotam’, there’s a new kid on the block!”
– Chef Al Brown
“At last, the Fatima’s cookbook! Since opening in 1995, Fatima’s has tuned Kiwis into the bold, traditional flavours of the Middle East and Mediterranean always with the Fatima’s treatment.
This joyful cookbook from the happy warriors at Fatima’s now enables anyone to enjoy these flavours in their own kitchen. Home cooks can build a delicious repertoire of their favourites, guided by the same punchy, vibrant flavours that define Fatima’s modern take on street food. A search for flavour is something Fatima’s understands – and with this book I’ll certainly be cooking them.”
– Chef Ray McVinnie