What can you tell us about your career journey so far?
I’m a Lebanese chef who is passionate about exploring new cuisines. I first discovered my love of food over 10 years ago. Internships helped to improve my skills in cooking, but I wanted to continue formal education at university. Thus, I am a holder of two bachelor’s degrees: the first in hospitality management and the second in event management.
Over the years, I have worked with talented Lebanese, French, Indian, Italian and Japanese chefs to gain experience in the culinary world. Furthermore, I have participated in many competitions and have been awarded 18 medals for creating and designing new dishes.
How has your professional experience helped shape you into the chef you are today?
By working with skilled executive chefs, I have learned how to have a growth mindset and see the positive in every situation. In addition, my professional experience in reputable five-star hotels and restaurants has made me appreciate the fact that my job goes beyond simply cooking. A successful chef should have good time management skills, be organized, flexible, creative and a team player.
What are you cooking today?
I’m making a fish dish that features some local ingredients I love, such as tahini and chickpeas. It’s rich in protein and very satisfying.
What are the main ingredients and products you’re using these days?
Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor, color and fragrance to dishes without adding extra fat, sugar or salt. They also provide powerful antioxidants and have a range of other health benefits.
In addition, I enjoy using extra virgin olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and many other ingredients that remind me of my Lebanese heritage. It’s amazing how these simple ingredients can transform a dish into an extravaganza of flavors.
What important food trends have you noticed lately?
Social media continues to have a massive impact on consumer behavior, particularly when it comes to food.
The first trend worth mentioning is “mood food.” Imagine a future where you go to visit your foodie psychologist, someone who listens to you and creates the right dish to suit your mood. This is not as wild as it sounds, as food has the ability to change one’s mood. As chefs, we can experiment with shape, texture, taste, color and even the sound of the dishes we create.
On the other hand, “zero-waste cuisine” is on the rise, with nose-to-tail and leaf-to-root cooking trends gaining traction. These days, it’s all finding creative ways to make food go further.
What advice would you give suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market?
Suppliers need to be sensitive and proactive. A zero-waste approach is key. Customers are becoming increasingly cautious when it comes to food. They want to know what’s in their meal, if it’s healthy, how it was made and where it’s from. As a result, restaurants are becoming more diligent, paying greater attention to the vendors they select. They want to partner with suppliers who support sustainability, care about the environment and share the same values. In turn, I am seeing a greater number of venues updating their menus to reflect this, with descriptions that include “grass-fed” and “free-range.”
RECIPE: ILY’S FISH
Ingredients
Roll
- 150g sole fillet
- 50g spinach
- 100g flat mushrooms
- 1g salt
- 1g black pepper
Hummus museline
- 50g boiled chickpeas
- 10g lemon juice
- 10g tahini
- 50g liquid milk
- 0.5g saffron
Plating
- Baby carrots
- Mixed leaves
Preparation
Roll
Wrap the sole fillet in a round shape in cling film and place it in the fridge.
Sauté the spinach with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Remove a small section from the lower part of the mushrooms, boil and press well using a clean kitchen towel and a heavy cutting board to flatten the mushroom.
Remove the fish from the fridge and remove the cling film.
Wrap the fish roll with spinach, and then mushrooms using another more cling film. Make it as tight as possible.
Place the roll in hot water (75 degrees) for 10 minutes.
Hummus museline
After boiling the hummus, remove 50g to blend with the other ingredients. Place to one side in the fridge.
Plating
Remove the roll from the water and cut it into thin slices.
Reheat the hummus.
Sauté some baby mushrooms and baby carrots.
Plate and serve.
