Salma Tacos is a culinary venture inspired by the power of a shared meal. What started off as a ghost kitchen in the heart of Kerr Village in August 2022 has evolved into offering catering services only to continue its mission to bring people together with great food.
It all began around the family dinner table. Since childhood, Moe witnessed the power of a good meal in bringing people together. Growing up surrounded by olive trees and an abundance of middle eastern produce, Moe created countless food memories connected to simple dishes that highlighted the quality and natural flavour of seasonal ingredients.
In 2009, he immigrated to Canada to pursue culinary arts at George Brown College. After he graduated in 2012, he worked under the watchful eye of Chef Francisco Alejandri. He learned about Mexican cuisine through his passion and developed a love for it as well.
With over a decade of experience as a chef for a number of notable restaurants across the GTA (Grand Electric, Agave y Agucate) and Tel Aviv (Mezcal), including in the kitchen famously lauded by the late Anthony Bourdain as offering “the best Mexican food north of the border”, Moe has honed his culinary skills and love for Mexican cuisine, with a particular passion for the one dish that represents so much of what he values about food: The Taco.
After welcoming his first child with his wife Iris in 2020, it sparked an idea for him to operate a ghost kitchen to create his most beloved dish, but most importantly, spend more time with his family.
Whether it’s highlighting the crunch of a perfectly golden cod fillet, a crisp bite of deep-fried cauliflower florets, the richness of slowly cooked pulled lamb, or the punching flavour of bright green and red chile salsas – a taco provides the perfect canvas to build and enjoy a memorable meal, all in a few bites.
It’s through Salma Tacos, named affectionately after Moe’s niece and meaning “Peace” in Arabic, that he hopes to share the very thing that brought people together around his childhood table: a good meal that highlights flavourful, fresh ingredients that everyone loves and will remember.
“I love how versatile you can be with a taco, and that it promotes connection with food through eating with your hands”.
– Mahmoud Diab, Owner
