01-08-2025
Palestinian chef serves mother's recipes from occupied home
Even in the Palestinian territory where Israeli military operations continue, family recipes with their own take on flavors continue to endure as each generation teaches them to the next.
Sudki Mansour is part of this legacy. The 42-year-old chef serves the simple home-cooked dishes he learned from his mother at his restaurants, hoping to introduce Japanese diners to the Palestinian way of life.
Mansour was born and raised in the West Bank as the seventh of 11 siblings. His family struggled financially. When he was 13, he left home to work at a chicken farm in Israel.
Every time he returned home, he looked forward to helping his mother in the kitchen and adding new dishes to his repertoire.
At 22, Mansour came to Japan at the invitation of his eldest brother who was running a restaurant in Saitama Prefecture.
He would then discover what he describes as 'the wonder of freedom and peace,' something he had never known in his homeland. Determined to open a restaurant of his own, he taught himself Japanese and saved up money by working jobs in demolition and painting.
Mansour pulled off his goal about 15 years ago when he opened Bisan in the Jujo neighborhood of Tokyo's Kita Ward where he steadily built a loyal clientele, first among his coworkers and then through word of mouth.
He later opened a second location in Yamanashi Prefecture, followed by a third in Kyoto last year—both share their names with the original.
Some customers were so inspired by his cooking that they went on to visit Palestine where Mansour then guided them to his family home. Certain travelers broke down in tears, moved by the kindness they encountered on their trip, and asked, "Why can't this war end?"
Peace in his homeland remains out of sight, and his family is not unscathed. Four years ago, an Israeli soldier shot one of his older brothers to death. Mansour continues to send money to support his brother's five surviving children.
'I feel anger, but people must not hate one another,' he said. 'Every single person has a precious life to live.'
He longs for the day when he can once again welcome his Japanese friends to his family home.
