DeRusha Eats: Sameh Wadi

Sameh Wadi was a culinary prodigy in his low 20’s.Competed on Food Network’s Iron Chef at age 24. Had his own fine dining Mediterranean restaurant, Saffron at age 23. But after a decade, he was burned out and closed it. In the interim, his fast-casual World Street Kitchen and ice cream shop Milkjam have taken his energy. But now, post-COVID, he’s returning to his roots and rebooting his first love. Why now and what role his identity as a Palestinian-Minnesotan has in his food in this extended conversation.