It’s a family affair for chef Daniel Halabi, whose father, Elias, taught him the trade at the age of eight. We sat with the chef to learn more about his experiences and his work as the technical development chef of Kuwait Proteins Company.
If you were to summarize your experience in one sentence, what would you say?
I believe that one needs to continuously innovate in order to be successful; that is why I have always made it a point to learn and grow.
Which sector have you found most challenging and why?
Each sector has its own challenges. Working in catering means dealing with last-minute orders, perfecting your craft and handling the logistics of serving food outdoors as if it is a fine-dining service.
When it comes to working at five-star hotels, you need to be able to handle wedding parties, five to six events every day and manage mass production in different locations at the same time.
As for working in a bakery, the challenge is to manage daily bulk production, with the exact same SOP.
What does your current role entail?
Kuwait Proteins Company is one of the largest B2B suppliers of brand raw materials. My job is to create recipes using these raw materials, as well as training our clients’ chefs. The recipes we create need to be relevant to the culture and demands of the local market. Whether it’s a bakery, café, hotel, catering service or restaurant, I make sure that my recipe fits the client’s menu.
