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DUBAI: Ali Fouad, the award-winning head chef of the popular Lebanese restaurant Al Nafoorah in Jumeirah Al Qasr in Dubai, first started helping out in the food industry aged nine, in his father’s bakery in the mountains of west Beqaa. It was his dad who inspired him to pursue a career as a chef, and Fouad has steadily worked his way up through the industry, spending five years as a chef in Lebanon before moving to Dubai to join Al Nafoorah in 2006. Sixteen years at the same place of work is something of a rarity in the UAE, but Fouad explains: “This brand is something I believe in. The name is in my blood. It’s a friend and a family for me. Ten years back, I felt that, one day, I would be able to run this restaurant. At the time, I was the second-in-command. And my dream came true.”

Here, Fouad offers some advice to amateur cooks, and a delicious soup recipe inspired by his grandmother’s cooking.

Q: What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?

A: Three words. Cook with love. If you do that, you’ll make everyone happy, no matter what the cuisine.

Is there a single ingredient that can improve any dish?

There are lots of amazing ingredients, but if I had to pick one, then for me it’s olive oil. You can use it in many things. It’s healthy, and it works with many dishes. It’s a major ingredient for me.

What are you like as a head chef? Are you strict?

I’m very relaxed, but nobody’s perfect, right? I think I’m very supportive and my team love to work with me — many of them are very loyal and have been with me since 2010 — so with them, not with new people, I might be a bit strict, because they know exactly what I want, so I don’t like it when they make mistakes. But in general, let’s say 80 percent of the time I’m not strict. But 20 percent… (laughs).

What behavior or request from customers most frustrates you?

Oh…. You feel pain every day. If not every day, then every two days (laughs). I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating, necessarily, but I might get a guest — not Lebanese people, but other nationalities — saying, “This isn’t how we eat it.” OK. I’m a Lebanese chef, I was raised on this food. I know each detail. I might add a simple ingredient to lift the dish, but I never change the traditional taste. Of course, I’m not going to say that to the guest, but sometimes this makes me upset. But you can never make everyone completely happy.

What’s your go-to dish when you’re in a hurry?

The Lebanese like raw meats. You know like you have tartar in Italian kitchens? We have kibbeh. It’s crushed wheat with minced beef and Lebanese spices — you add some herbs; basil and mint. It only takes five minutes or so. Or I might make these very traditional dishes that my wife likes — mujaddara and loubia. Mujaddara is a mix of lentils and rice and olive oil — you eat it with cabbage salad. And loubia is green beans with tomato sauce, garlic, onions and olive oil. They’re both very quick to make.

And what’s your favorite dish to cook?

It’s something that reminds me of my grandmother. It’s very traditional, and when I visited my grandma, she would always cook it for me. Whenever I cook it, I always remember her. I was so in love with her. We call it Addas bel Hamed. It’s kind of soup and not soup at the same time. Mostly we eat it in winter in Lebanon. It’s lentil with rice or potato, and selek (chard). My grandmother was a great cook, believe me. A great cook. She had a salad that I put on my menu now, I call it Chef Ali Teta Salad. “Teta” means grandma.

When you began your career, what was your most common mistake?

There are plenty of them. (Laughs.) From time to time, you’ll forget to check that the recipe is being followed properly. It’s so important to taste the dishes. Also, you need to keep checking up on the quality of the ingredients. It’s really important to have high-quality ingredients for Lebanese food. So you really have to stay in touch with suppliers, all the time.

What’s your favorite cuisine when you go out to eat?

Aside from Lebanese? I like Asian food — especially Thai. I like Mexican food. And Italian. Of course, when I want a burger and shake, then it’s American, but mostly I go for Asian and Italian, if I’m not eating Lebanese.

And when you go out to eat, are you able to relax and enjoy it, or do you find yourself critiquing the food?

When I go out, I’m going out to enjoy it as a guest. I like to go to places where I’m expecting to feel like I could be in Italy — if it’s Italian cuisine, or in Asia — if it’s Asian, in the same way that I’m trying to make my guests feel like they’re in Lebanon. I’m not big on giving comments or feedback. Even if I don’t like it, I’ll still say thank you and appreciate that they’ve done their best.

Chef Ali’s Addas Bel Hamed Soup

INGREDIENTS

200g brown lentils

150g red onion

200 ml olive oil

750ml water

500g fresh potatoes

100g salt

30g cumin powder

20g black pepper

500g chard leaves (aka selek)

20g garlic

30g fresh coriander

10g mint leaves

2x lemons

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a pot over high heat. When oil is hot, add the onions and stir until they turn brown and caramelize

2. Wash and cube the potatoes, add them to the pot with the lentils and stir

3. Add the garlic, coriander and mint

4. Add salt, cumin and black pepper

5. Add water and boil for approximately 10 minutes

6. Add the chard leaves, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender

7. Add a squeeze of lemon just before serving