Chef Steven Hadid grew up immersed in cooking. His parents owned a popular restaurant in Bethlehem that Hadid worked in. “My mom has always been my best friend,” says Hadid. “Growing up, I always hung out with her.” The lessons he learned in the kitchen with his mom have given him such insight and an appreciation that he carries with him in his own restaurant, Steel City Gyro in Trexlertown. “I didn’t see it then, when I was in my early 20s working for my parents, but now years later, I am grateful for the connections and love that have been created in our community from simply cooking for people and sharing food created from family recipes,” he says. “It is not just a job. It’s cooking, meeting new friends and, in some cases, those friends becoming family.”
Nowadays, both his mother and father work for him at Steel City Gyro, a place he had long dreamt of opening and finally did in the winter of 2018. Steel City Gyro refers to a nickname he was given in high school, which he got because in English his last name means steel. That, and the ever-popular Bethlehem Steel in the Lehigh Valley.
The menu at Steel City Gyro is full of fresh and flavorful kabobs and gyros, with an atmosphere that is welcoming and warm. Hadid has a charismatic personality, and it is almost guaranteed that, after your first visit, he will remember you and greet you with a huge smile the next time you stop in. And yes, you will quickly become addicted to everything on menu.
Here, Chef Hadid is sharing his recipe for hummus. The bright dish, with fresh lemon, garlic, tahini and blended chickpeas, can be added to almost anything or eaten alone with veggies and pita. “It is funny actually,” he says with a laugh, “my girlfriend always makes fun of me because my tag line is ‘Everything is better with hummus.’ No matter where you are or what you are doing, hummus will make it 10 times better.”
6900 Hamilton Blvd., Trexlertown 484.274.6019 | steelcitygyro.net
Ingredients
Hummus
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tahini
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 small garlic clove or ½ large clove
- 1 ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup water
Optional Garnishes
- Paprika
- Pickle slices
- Peperoncini
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients into a high-power blender and blend until very smooth for about one minute. Adjust the salt or the lemon to your taste.
Garnish with paprika, pickles and peppers if desired. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Published as "Beyond the Menu" in the September 2022 edition of Lehigh Valley Style magazine.
Tag @lvstylemag and #livelvstyle when you make it at home!
