Celebrating the Art of Arab Hospitality
Labels — on a jar of spice, a pack of herbs, a book — can be helpful, insightful, even enlightening. That single block of text on a wrapper that helps you distinguish parsley from cilantro. The road sign that helps you narrowly catch your exit on a long highway… Those are helpful.
At other times, however, labels can put shackles on creativity. Over the years, the colonial legacy in the Arab World forced us to fit our food traditions, personal and intangible as they may be, into small geographical clusters: Egyptian, Levantine, Iraqi, etc, although our ingredients and techniques have historically been very similar. This prevailing narrative cast a shadow over the heart of our food’s authenticity and diminished the value of our dishes globally.
So for the first edition of Cairo Food Week, and with the help of two of the most accomplished Arab chefs, we attempted to retell our story by spotlighting the mixed roots of Arab food.
Written by Reem Khamis & Wesam Masoud
Bayt al-Razzaz is a historic residential complex in the district of Darb al-Ahmar, in the heart of medieval Cairo
Chefs Mohammad Orfali and Tarek Ibrahim, two long-time friends, came together in a 15th century courtyard on a warm Cairo evening for a night of celebrating personal traditions and redefining labels. Their friendship goes back to their early days; they were both on the cooking show Hakawi (Kitchen Tales), back when satellite TV was a thing. Incredibly enough, they had never cooked together in Egypt – Ibrahim’s homeland.
The scene for this long-overdue collaboration was set in Bayt al-Razzaz, a complex of palatial residences that were combined in the 18th century when an Ottoman Nobleman created a central courtyard between the two mansions. Its name, transliterating to “the ricer” or “rice merchant”, comes from the occupational title-turned-last name of the owner, the heir of a wealthy rice merchant. The walls are replete with references to — and celebrations of — food and a culture of eating. It’s currently undergoing renovation under the careful guidance of Omniya Abdel Barr, Head of Development for the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation.
It was this story that kicked off the evening, once we had all been seated along two long communal tables. We listened intently as Abdel Barr recounted the history and unique curiosities of the space, giving us a glimpse of life in historic Cairo.
To the tunes of a wonderful performance by Nathalie Bichara, each dish was prefaced by its story of origin, as told by its creator. What followed can be summarized as a meditation on flavor memory and Arab culinary heritage.
White Tomato Soup
The entire experience directed attention to a forgotten diamond in the historical rough of Cairo. It challenged the type-casting of the 'celebrity chef’ and re-centred the shared cultural history of ‘Arab cuisine’, which is bigger than the sum of its parts. To experience the emotional journey served up by the duo first-hand — the rush of excitement when two old friends, who are master performers, are reunited — was undeniably remarkable.
Orfali shared a taste of his childhood in Aleppo with a fried bun stuffed with sujuk topped with toum, a garlic paste revered in Levantine cuisine, pickled cucumbers and Urfa chili – Aleppo pepper’s spicier cousin.
Ibrahim followed with a tomato soup, recalling from childhood his mother’s tomato soup and how he disliked its red color. Following his instruction, we closed our eyes for the first spoonful, tasting the familiar flavors of a tomato soup before opening our eyes to the unexpected: a white creamy soup. To soak up every drop, an Alexandrian-style crisp baladi bread (whole wheat pita) sat in the center of the dish.
Orfali then treated us to his signature dish ‘Eat H’ (pronounced eetch), representative of his diverse genealogy — Syrian by birth with Turkish and Armenian ancestry. It is a common salad known across the region as eetch or kisir which he craftily updated as a vegan tartare of sorts: spiced bulgur slow-cooked with tomatoes and three different kinds of pepper. Especially intriguing was the balance of spices, with surprising cumin-notes that were provided by the shiso leaves untraditionally underlying the dish.
The night did not slow down after that. Ibrahim showed off his talent for singing in a rousing duet with Bichara’s rendition of “Salma ya Salama”, Dalida’s most famous tune. As we rose into a choir behind her heartfelt vocals, the next chapter was presented. ‘Um Tarek’s Artichoke’ is an eclectic cumulation of Egyptian flavors and a tribute to his beloved mother, composed of creamy artichoke and tender chicken that were elevated by roumy cheese and dukkah — a spice blend as ubiquitous and distinctive in Egypt as garam masala is in India. A dish so tastefully ingenious some guests asked for seconds, and Ibrahim enthusiastically obliged.
‘Orfali Bayildi’ came next, a reinterpretation of the classic Ottoman ‘Imam Bayildi’ and a tribute to the chef’s Turkish roots. Bayildi means to swoon, and the dish was a heady combination of smoky charred eggplants, nutty muhammara (roast red pepper dip) and delicious top-notes of garlic tarator sauce and verjus.
“Tonight we celebrate the harmonious fusion of culinary artistry, thoughtful design and Egypt’s magnificent heritage.”
Chef Mohamed Orfali of Orfali Bros. Bistro, Michelin Bib Gourmand 2023, No.1 MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, No.46 World’s 50 Best 2023
Masterchef Tarek Ibrahim
“From the streets of Aleppo to the shores of Alexandria, the dishes explored the locations, people and experiences that have shaped each of the chefs’ careers.”
To conclude the evening, both chefs delivered a final combination celebrating all the definitive flavors of Arab desserts: we were offered ‘ORF Baklawa’, a layered Aleppo pistachio, orange blossom water cream & a salted pistachio brittle between a flaky phyllo crust, next to a ‘Melouky Roz B Laban’ — an indulgent creamy rice pudding with mastic and qamar el din (a dried apricot paste).
It was dinner and a show: we were, in equal measure, fed and entertained by the brace of two chefs who are most comfortable when they are personally interacting with their guests. Festive, boisterous, euphoric — like a wedding minus the bride and groom.
It was also a joyous display of love for one’s homeland. A culturally rich, fine dining experience that inventively and meticulously reframed what we often think of when we hear ‘Arab cuisine’.
Aleppo Street
“ [Cooking] is like a symphony, you add elements and ingredients until the flavors harmonize and the dish sings.”
- Chef Tarek Ibrahim
“What I do with my dishes is a redefining of our food without removing the spirit and substance of our cuisine. It has to still clearly taste like our [Arab] food.”
- Chef Mohamad Orfali
Omniya Abdel Barr, Head of Development Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation
Addes bel Jebbeh
Hoda El-Sherif
