Arnold Malham made this video in 2007 to share his recipe for great food and a great life with all his friends.

Enjoy!

Cooking With Mr. Kibbee

Making Kibbee is an art made perfect through years of family tradition, life lessons, longstanding friendships, and unforgettable stories.

Arnold A. Malham made batches of this traditional Lebanese dish —considered the national dish by some —for over 60 years of Sundays, cooking in his (or someone else’s) kitchen. A conservative guess estimates that Arnold made more than 3,000 batches of kibbee throughout the years. Many have eaten from his table and experienced his hearty hospitality firsthand.

For the Malham family, Lebanese kibbee is the glue holding the memories of the past 60 years together. And now, the Malham family wants to pass that gift on to you. In this video, Mr. Kibbee himself shows you the best way to make the meal.

More than a vehicle for Arnold to pass on his tradition and share his gift, this video gives him a chance to say, “God bless,” to the entire world—in his own way, with his signature dish.

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Arnold A. Malham

In Memory (1927-2008)

Arnold Malham started making kibbee after learning the ropes from his mother, Mama Rose, in 1947. After returning home from a stint in the Navy near the end of WWII, Arnold watched Mama Rose making the dish and thought to himself, “Hell, I can do it.”

For 60 years, Arnold made kibbee nearly every Sunday—for his wife, Sada Marie, their four children, six grandchildren, and hundreds of friends and acquaintances. Arnold’s kibbee expertise took him and his favorite grinder all over, including Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Mississippi, doing what he loved best—making kibbee, giving it away, and making people happy.

Some Arnold-isms heard around the kitchen through the years:

  • “It ain’t hurt me. It won’t hurt you.”
  • “You can always add more [salt and pepper], but you can’t subtract.”
  • “It’s not good…It’s damn good.”
  • “A lot of people just sit up and eat the hell out of them.”
  • “Men like it more than women, cause…men eat more.”
  • “People eat the devil out of it.”
  • “How many people will this feed? Depends on how hungry they are!”
  • “Thank God and God bless.”

A Memoir From His Son

My dad was 80 when I turned 40.

On the birthday card he sent me for my 40th birthday, he wrote, “You will always be my baby boy.” Reading those words one year after his passing puts tears in my eyes. Writing them here puts a lump in my throat. He was twice my age, and I feel, twice the man.

Before he passed away at 82, my dad, Arnold A. Malham, “Mr. Kibbee,” had done more, seen more, and most importantly, given back more than most. His strength of character has been and always will be respected by all who knew him.

Mr. Kibbee, the video, carries on his great stories, his recipe, and his methods for making the great Lebanese dish, kibbee. My dad lived to give, and this video does just that. It’s more than just cooking with Mr. Kibbee—it’s about sharing lasting traditions and unforgettable memories.

—Arnie Malham, Son of Mr. Kibbee

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Questions?

If you have any further questions
regarding Mr. Kibbee, please contact:

Arnie Malham
(615) 406-3557
arnie@worthdoingwrong.com