Tell us about your culinary journey

I started studying at the Paul Bocuse Institute in Lyon. I traveled around the world, going to Lille-Maurice, and later to Saint-Tropez in Les Étoiles. I then worked with Club Med and traveled throughout Europe and a few African countries. Finally, I came back to Lebanon and opened my expertise in French cuisine in Lebanon at Bistro Lobo in Badaro.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My greatest inspiration was the great chef Paul Bocuse in person, who gave me a taste for French cuisine, which is rooted in terroir cuisine, really good products, and high-quality ingredients. It made me want to get into this field so much that I am where I am today.

What are three ingredients you always keep in your kitchen?

For me, the three most important ingredients in the kitchen are butter, butter, and butter. It’s the most important thing — it’s the foundation of the kitchen. Butter, cream, French thyme, and fleur de sel.

What are your future projects?

My plan is to make French cuisine taste everywhere in the Middle East and to deepen it as much as possible, making it discoverable to many people because, for me, it is the best cuisine in the world.

What advice do you give to young chefs?

A piece of advice I would give to young chefs is: experience, experience, experience. The most important thing is to go, try, practice, have a routine in order to learn and perfect many things — from experiences, trying out activities, meeting many people, traveling around the world, trying as many different types of cuisine as possible, and tasting. The most important thing is to taste.

What is one quality a chef should never have?

The most important thing for a chef is not to be disorganized in his thoughts. He must be organized in his work and in his thinking. It’s like being an artist.