Category: Media

Check out the wonderful review article and interview by Andrew Coletti on The Exile’s Cookbook in Gastro Obscura today!

A wonderful review article on The Exile’s Cookbook and the history of Arab cuisine in the Weekend section of Arab News.

Check out the detailed coverage of the ‘Fujairah Feast’ (وليمة الفجيرة ) held on the 27th of December at the Fujairah Fort in the leading Emirati lifestyle magazine Kull al-Usra and The Khaleej Times of the ‘Fujairah Feast’ (وليمة الفجيرة ).

This month, I curated three medieval banquets in the Emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, as part of a research project on ‘Medieval Arab Cooking: Identity and Culinary Heritage’. The events were organised under the patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al-Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, who also provided generous support throughout, and in collaboration with the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority. Here are some of the highlights from some of the events, including the cooking of the most spectacular dish of the day, a stuffed camel!

I attended COP28 (30^th November-12^th December) in Dubai (UAE) to take part in an exciting project relating to food sustainability and local heritage, in collaboration with the Barakat Trust and Al Ghadeer Emirati Crafts, a pioneering project under the aegis of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent Authority. The aim of the association is to empower local craftswomen by providing them with a sustainable source of revenue.

At the COP28 site, I curated a date tasting workshop through a number of carefully selected recipes based on the medieval culinary sources from the 8^th to the 15^th centuries. The dishes included stuffed honeyed dates, a meat-and-date stew (tamriyya), a milky date pudding (khabis) and a cereal-based date drink (subiya).

Join me today for an on-line panel discussion on The Art of Food across the Muslim World: Preserving Tradition & Reimagining the Future with my fellow speakers, Dr Neha Vermani and Sadaf Hussain. Register here.

On the 22nd and 23rd of May, at the wonderful Islamic Arab Biennale — the first of its kind in history — I organized a medieval banqueting experience, with special reference to the use and significance of roses in the medieval Muslim culinary tradition, as part of Civil Architects’ Work installation.

On the 5th of May, an event was held at Heenat Salma, an Eco-Farm and Camp, part of a multidisciplinary project dedicated to holistic methods in agriculture, architecture, and community development, and aimed at growing desert-friendly plants and vegetables, diversifying local food production, and contributing to a renewable, home-grown food supply in Qatar and beyond. The banquet was a held as a Chef’s Table under the banner of Sharing Identity.

A heartfelt thank you to Ivan Dubkov,  Curator of Caravane Earth Foundation and Heenat Salma Farm, the amazing chef Ajaya Teppa and their teams who turned into such a wonderful evening for all who attended. 

On 3rd and 4th of May, IDAM by Alain Ducasse hosted a medieval banqueting event, with an extensive menu drawn from over half a millennium of recipes from the medieval Arab culinary tradition, covering a geographical area from Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) to Baghdad.

The event was preceded by a guided tour in the Museum discussing various relevant cooking-related artefacts from its collections, after which guests were introduced to the menu and some of the more unusual ingredients.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make this such a resounding success: Susan Parker Leavy (Director of the MIA Library), Fabrice Rosso (Head Chef), Y. Godard (Director of F&B Operations and Commercial Leasing), J. Cheminade (Executive Chef), Mathieu Courtin (Food and Beverage Manager) and their teams!

Join me for an on-line talk today entitled Eat like a Sultan! Cooking In The Muslim in the Medieval Ages at the 2023 edition of the Muslim Arts and Cultural Festival. Registration is free, and the event will take place at 14.00-15.30 BST. Looking forward to seeing you there!