Among wooden floors and faux fish skeletons chef Khuloud Atiq served her five-course meal to visitors at the Monte Carlo Beach Club’s Le Deck restaurant giving foodies a glimpse in the past and future of Emirati cuisine.
For her Emirati Fusion Dinner, one of Gourmet Abu Dhabi’s key events, Khuloud served locally-produced chicken with a Caesar salad containing dry fish in its dressing. Also on the menu were a mouth-watering camel-meat burger which featured a “secret speciality sauce” and a batheetha date cheese cake.
“I hope that the modern twist I have added to the Emirati palate will lead foreigners to let go of their predispositions about Arabic and Emirati food. Namely, that it is fatty and served in large portions. I decided to offer my dishes in sample sizes to preserve the Emirati taste while adding a five star feel to it,” Khuloud said on Monday night.
At Gourmet Abu Dhabi last year, Khuloud served traditional Emirati food, which she found difficult to serve, especially during cocktail parties and receptions. That inspired her to invent a way to serve the largest variety of food in the fastest and most efficient way possible, resulting in the creation of her Emirati Fusion series.
The appetisers for her Fusion dinner included a spin on the originally Lebanese tabouleh, which involved the addition of Emirati spices to the locally-grown parsley and tomato mixture. Most of the evening’s items came with their own sauce and Khuloud added that she cooks a variety of secret sauces.
Having travelled and cooked abroad, Khuloud has encountered cultural and religious challenges, which are evident even in the world of gourmet food. “Due to the scarcity of halal meat in the United States, I would not serve veal in my meals but would rather opt for vegetarian and seafood [dishes] while respecting the culture I am surrounded in. Similarly, I expect expats tasting my dishes to refrain from ordering alcohol while doing so, as it goes against both my cultural and religious beliefs,” Khuloud explained.
Growing up, the Emirati chef — who broke new ground as one of the few female Emirati professional chefs — did not perform well at school. “I was always the one being told that I will not amount to anything significant. This is why the realm of cooking pleases me. It is not rigid and allows me to be myself and to express my creativity.”
With plans to participate in next year’s edition of Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Khuloud aims to excel in the field of Emirati fusion. “Even if the public unanimously agreed that my meals are to their satisfaction, I will always strive to want more, to become better and to be unique. However, my career has started and will end within the framework of the Emirati cuisine and I will never let go of those roots,” she said.
