Hi. Shlama. Shlomo.
I’m Arim, a Swedish-Assyrian writer and researcher.
Since 2019, I’ve been working on Table of Gods: a cookbook inspired by the world’s oldest recipes written on clay tablets 4,000 years ago.
My goal with the book is to bring you back to the cradle of civilization—through all your senses.
Me, cooking Sumerian porridge live on Channel 4 in Sweden.
My Story
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I randomly discovered a book titled “The Oldest Cuisine in the World.” In the 1980s, author Jean Bottero deciphered 35 recipes on clay tablets dated to 1700 BC. But lacking measurements and proper instructions, they were impossible for modern cooks to follow. What a pity, I thought, and the idea for Table of Gods was born.
2019
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I quit my job to pursue my dream of self-publishing Table of Gods. I read millions of words of scholarly papers, and wrote as many, trying to figure out the concept for the book. At some point, it cleared. I wanted to write a book that would transport the reader to the cradle of civilization. Thus, the idea of Table of Gods grew from being a recipe book, to a history book, to a time machine (with stories and recipes).
2020
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I slowly learned that self-publishing a book includes far more than just writing the book. It’s more akin to starting a company, where the author only fulfills one of many important roles. I also needed the help of chefs, brewers, scholars, photographers, food stylists, designers, editors, printers, and fulfillment partners. I initially planned to launch the book in 2021. I'm glad I didn't.
2021
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My vision for Table of Gods and the reality of my manuscript were still far apart. I decided to double down on my craft and applied to a school for upcoming authors. I studied for a year under the mentorship of a published author.
2022
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My sister helped me launch this website by the end of 2022. In 2023, over 3,000 people joined the book’s waiting list. I also launched a YouTube channel and started posting long and short videos about food and legends from ancient Mesopotamia. The videos received over 300,000 views in the first year.
2023
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We completed all 63 recipes and had 142 people from around the world test them. I also sent the manuscript to 329 beta readers, a professional editor, and several Near Eastern scholars who fact-checked it. I signed with a design studio specializing in art books, got a publishing deal (which I humbly declined), and traveled to the British Museum to plan a book launch. And my following grew to over 50,000 across social media, YouTube, and the book’s waitlist.
2024
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In 2025, I plan to pre-sell Table of Gods on Kickstarter. Make sure you subscribe to the waitlist to be notified when the campaign launches.
2025
