Leila was born in Beirut and raised between Istanbul and Athens, following her father's restaurant business. She grew up in kitchens — the sound of sizzling oil and the smell of za'atar are her earliest memories. She can identify any spice blindfolded by smell alone, a party trick that has won more than a few bets. She wears perfume the way most people wear jewelry: layered, deliberate, and always one note too many to be polite.