Ali Mansour
Polish Food & Culture Writer
Based in Gdansk, Poland • Food researcher since 2017
Ali is a Lebanese-Polish food writer who grew up in Beirut and moved to Gdansk to study food science at the Gdansk University of Technology. Since graduating in 2017 he has spent nine years documenting Polish culinary traditions, researching their origins, and identifying which dishes are safe for Muslim visitors and which contain hidden animal products. His first trip to Zakopane was in 2018, and he has returned each year since to update his research on Gorals cuisine and the highland food culture of the Tatra region.
About Ali
Ali's academic background in food science gives his writing a level of ingredient-level detail that goes beyond most travel guides. He does not simply list dishes as halal or not halal. He traces the traditional preparation method, identifies the specific ingredients that raise concerns (lard, pork dripping, blood sausage, animal-derived starches), and provides the practical guidance a Muslim visitor needs to navigate a Polish restaurant menu confidently.
His research into Polish highland food began after he arrived in Zakopane and realised that the food landscape was far more interesting, and far more navigable for Muslim visitors, than most guides suggested. Traditional Goral dishes like grilled mutton, sheep's cheese, and rye bread have deep roots that predate the widespread use of pork lard in Polish cooking. Ali spent two seasons speaking with older highland cooks, visiting sheep farms in the Tatra foothills, and researching the historical diet of the Goral people.
He also holds a WSET Level 2 certificate in food and beverage pairing (the non-alcoholic module), which informs his writing on flavour combinations and food culture. His work has appeared in Polish food magazines and several Arabic-language culinary publications covering Central European cuisine.
Editorial Standards
Ali verifies every ingredient claim before publication by cross-referencing manufacturer data, speaking with restaurant chefs directly, and where possible reviewing Polish-language product labelling and supplier documentation. He distinguishes clearly between dishes that are confirmed safe, dishes that vary by preparation method, and dishes that should be avoided. Where uncertainty exists, he says so plainly rather than defaulting to a blanket halal or non-halal label.