The pastry people
We asked five pastry professionals from different countries in the region to give us the lowdown on their professional journeys and brands.
A Peruvian adventure with Yasmina Yared Azoury founder of SAPA Beirut, CINCO Beirut, SOFITA Beirut restaurants
Yasmina Yared began her career in Dubai working for Kearney in management consulting. It is only after traveling to Peru in 2013 that she discovered her true passion, Peruvian cuisine, bringing the country’s vibrant gastronomy back with her to Lebanon. She has since opened CINCO, the first Peruvian restaurant in the Middle East, as well as other concepts.
Franchising with Luminescenza, a reliable partner, helping foodservice clients achieve optimal efficiency
Luminescenza has over 10 years of experience in helping foodservice clients achieve optimal efficiency. Georges Haddad, the firm’s owner, explains how he and his team are supporting businesses that are looking to franchise their brands.
A Valrhona “culinary-dating” experience
On March 22, 2022, Valrhona brought together the team of Relais Desserts and Ecole Valrhona for a three-hour intimate afternoon tea at Jumeirah Al Naseem to discuss trends, business opportunities and the importance of knowledge sharing while discovering the talents of Frédéric Cassel, Vincent Guerlais, Pascal Lac, Eric Vergne, Sébastien Bouillet and Glenn Noel.
A taste of Minus Eighteen with Yasmina Rizk, GM of Sweet Mania LLC
An optician by profession, Yasmina Rizk pursued her passion for sweets by starting an ice-cream business, which she later launched in Dubai. We spoke to the general manager of Sweet Mania LLC, to hear more about her journey.
Eclectic Japanese food with prodigy chef Reif Othman
Award-winning chef Reif Othman, owner of the Reif Japanese Kushiyaki restaurant brand, is known for his witty, trendsetting culinary style. Here, he tells us about his latest collaboration with Baky Hospitality and his future projects.
13 chefs’ favorite heavy-duty kitchen
We asked 13 chefs to name their favorite heavy-duty kitchen item and new equipment they are using. Take a look at what they said.
How Valrhona’s La Consigne scheme is making a positive impact on the environment?
Juliana Lepan, Valrhona’s international marketing director, tackled the company’s environmentally friendly approach and its La Consigne program during Gulfood 2022 held in Dubai, UAE.
Dairy Diaries with four chefs from the region
We asked four chefs to share their dairy secrets and tell us which products they cannot bear to substitute.
A “Gourmandise Raisonnée” with ART-chitects of taste Frédéric Bau and Pierre Hermé
Always taking things up a notch, Valrhona invited two titans of the culinary scene, Pierre Hermé and Frédéric Bau, to a week of fine pastry, innovation and expertise in Dubai. In the presence of international Cercle V chefs from Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Oman, KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE, Frédéric Bau and Pierre Hermé showcased a new way to thinking pastry around Bau’s latest book, titled “Reasoned Gourmandise,” which explores the fundamentals of a healthy and harmonious pastry that respects the flavors and textures of the great classics. In a joint interview, Frédéric Bau and Pierre Hermé tell us about their exciting collaboration and Valrhona’s role in it all.
