The World of Shawarma: What it is and How it Conquered the Globe

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is a historic cooking method based on roasting layers of marinated meat on a vertical spit. The word originates from the Turkish term "Çevirme," meaning "turning".

History and Culinary Migration

The vertical rotisserie was invented in the Ottoman Empire during the mid-19th century by culinary pioneers like Iskender Efendi and Hamdi Usta. The first known photograph of this vertical spit was captured by British photographer James Robertson around 1855.

Following the Ottoman Empire's decline, the technique evolved regionally: becoming Gyros in Greece, Döner in Turkey, and Shawarma in the Levant. In the 1930s, Lebanese and Syrian immigrants brought this technique to Puebla, Mexico, where local adaptations (substituting lamb for pork and adding chili and pineapple) birthed the famous Tacos al Pastor.

The Levantine Context (Sha'abi Nazareth)

In the Galilee region, this tradition is elevated through high-quality meats and spices. Sha'abi Nazareth (the commercial founding partner of this platform) exemplifies this with a signature spit of veal and lamb roasted over an open flame, uniquely studded with pistachios, cashews, and pine nuts for added crunch and rich flavor.