What was your first industry job?
I started out grilling corn in the summer at my uncle’s small place in Lebanon when I was just a kid. I thought I was the king of the fire, flipping each ear like it was the most important job in the world. Little did I know, that’s where I learned the art of patience and the importance of getting a good char.
If you weren’t in kitchens, what would you do?
I’d be a farmer - olives, za’atar, tomatoes, whatever the land gave. I love the rhythm of it. Growing food is just cooking in slow motion.
What industry figure do you most admire, and why?
Anyone still smiling at the end of a double shift.
What’s your pet hate in the kitchen?
Wet chopping boards. You might as well prep on a slip and slide. Also people who go “yeah yeah yeah” when you ask them to do something, then it’s either half done or not done at all.
What’s the oddest thing a customer has said to you?
Someone once asked if we could make our toum (garlic sauce) without garlic.
Sum up your cooking style in a single sentence…
Honest and classic, fire-kissed, Lebanese food that feeds both the belly and the memory.
What’s the worst review you’ve ever had?
Someone said our food had too much flavour. Honestly, I took that as a compliment.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
Get your head down, learn everything, and always clean as you go. Skills come, attitude matters more.
Which single item of kitchen equipment could you not live without?
A charcoal grill. Everything tastes better with smoke and flame.
What would you choose to eat for your last meal?
I’d have lamb sfiha from Baa’lbeck in Lebanon with pomegranate molasses and fresh goat yoghurt from the farm, all baked in a traditional stone oven.
À la carte or tasting menu?
A la carte. No one ever leaves hungry or bored.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had in a restaurant?
The roast goose at Kim’s Roast Goose in Hong Kong. It had crispy skin, juicy meat, no fuss, just proper flavour. It’s a tiny local spot, packed with regulars, and every bite was unforgettable.
What’s your favourite fast-food joint?
Any Lebanese bakery with hot mana’eesh straight from the saj. Pure comfort.
What’s the dish you wish you’d thought of?
Definitely hummus – it’s so simple, yet endlessly versatile. I wish I had been the one to turn chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic into something that conquered the world.
MasterChef or Great British Menu?
I’ll take a smokey BBQ in the garden over either, but probably Great British Menu for the stories.
What’s the most overrated food?
Anything covered in gold leaf. If you can’t taste it, what’s the point?
You’re restaurant dictator for a day – what would you ban?
Fake smoke or foam. Food should speak for itself, not with a fog machine.
Who would your dream dinner party guests be?
My dream dinner guest would be my dad. We never got the chance to go out, just the two of us - life got busy, and I was living abroad when he passed. I’d give anything for one proper meal together, no rush, just good food and a long chat.
What’s your earliest food memory?
Dipping fresh bread into the first press of olive oil, straight from our family grove. Still unbeatable.
TikTok or Instagram?
Instagram. I like pictures that make you hungry, not videos that make you dizzy.
What’s the closest you’ve ever come to death?
Once, when I was working in a restaurant in Mayfair, I was baking fatayer in the oven. Just as I went to open the door and the oven exploded. It was like something out of a cooking disaster movie. I ended up in A&E, looking a little less colourful than usual, but the fatayer? Perfectly fine.
Where do you go when you want to let your hair down?
When I need to let my hair down - what’s left of it - I like to head out to the countryside. I’ll either go for a long walk where it’s just me, the birds, and maybe a confused sheep, or I’ll jump in the car and drive with no plan, just country lanes and a good playlist. It’s the best way to switch off… and no one asking what’s for dinner.
What’s your tipple of choice?
Arak — cloudy, cold, and full of stories.
Name your favourite food and drink pairing
Smoked aubergine with chilled rosé. It’s kind of like flirting with a campfire.
What do you consider your signature dish?
Moloukhia - a rich, garlicky chicken broth with Jew’s mallow leaves, served over fluffy vermicelli basmati rice, and finished with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.