At a young age, Maha learned cooking in the family kitchen in the small northern village, Tubas. Watching her mother and grandmother prepare food every day for family and friends. Maha learned “How to cook with Love” and the joy of using fresh ingredients from the farm to prepare savory and delicious meals.
Abu Raed and Maha, husband and wife, moved from Jerusalem to Jericho in 1974 to open their first 24 hours food and beverage restaurant in downtown Jericho. In addition to authentic dishes, they served their world famous roasted chicken and grilled lamb chops. Due to customer demands and instant fame, they decided to expand and move the restaurant to a new location near Tel es Sultan and the Mount of Temptation. The Temptation Restaurant opened its doors in 1979 and became “where locals and travelers want to eat every day of the week, and guests leave with lasting memories.”