With practiced hands, Ibtisam Masto scoops the purée of chickpeas, cilantro, garlic, and Aleppo pepper into a mold, then dips it in sesame seeds. With a pinkie finger, she makes a hole in the center before depositing the batter into the deep fryer. Minutes later, she plucks out the piping hot falafel. I dip it in tahini sauce, take a bite, and my body slouches with pleasure.  

If food is love, Masto’s is that to the power of 10. 

It’s no exaggeration to say that Masto’s journey from Syrian homemaker to Cincinnati culinary entrepreneur could be a documentary. Years of civil war had forced her family to relocate several times within Syria. Then in 2013, with bombs dropping on their neighborhood and food, water, and electricity scarce, Masto and her six children fled for Lebanon, where her husband had gone to find work. She left behind her parents and siblings, friends, and all possessions save the three extra layers of clothing she and her children had on. 

“In Syria, we cook a lot,” Masto says. “Women visit our friends and family and have coffee in the morning. And in the evening, friends and family would come to our home for food.” In Lebanon, food became her saving grace. The Beirut office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees gathered a group of refugee women who shared their traditional dishes and gained culinary training. Masto began working in the agency’s cafeteria and got a taste of cooking professionally. 

Through the UNHCR, Masto and her family went through the lengthy application and vetting process to be resettled. Their destination? Cincinnati. She was sad and scared. But the refugee coordinator offered hope. “She said, ‘I understand what you’re feeling, but you want things for your kids, and America would be very good for them. Everything will be fine.’”

Masto set out to find work in the culinary field in Cincinnati. She began in the in-house kitchen at Jungle Jim’s and did some catering on the side. She then worked as the chef at Dean’s Mediterranean Market. She ran her catering business out of the Northern Kentucky Incubator Kitchen, then Findlay Kitchen. 

Still, she longed for her own place with enough business to support her family. In June, she opened Olive Tree, a catering kitchen and takeout counter at the Oakley Kitchen Food Hall. She credits local culinary pros Teri Heist and Renee Schuler as mentors: “I had so much help, and step by step we found success. It’s not easy but we did it. I can’t believe I’ve become a chef.”

Masto’s food has roots in the gatherings of friends and family in her homeland. It’s meant for savoring and sharing. “If you want to taste peace and love of the hearts of the people of Syria, come to us,” Masto says. “I love to share my food with all people. Everything I make from my heart goes to the other person’s heart.” 

Olive Tree
OliveTreeCincy.com / 513.954.1705

Find it at
Oakley Kitchen Food Hall, 3715 Madison Rd, Cincinnati
Tue–Sat 10am–8pm; Sun 10am–6pm
Findlay Market Farm Shed, 1801 Race St, Cincinnati
Sat 8am–2pm; Sun 10am–2pm