Meet the Emirati chefs cooking up a storm in Dubai's culinary scene

Living far away from home in a cold city in Northern England, Faisal Naser, like any other university student abroad, used to feel miserably homesick. Fed up with takeaways and pizzas, he started trying out some of his mother’s traditional Emirati recipes which had many takers among his equally homesick friends from all over GCC.

“That was our weekend bash. Cooked biriyani, Machboos and Thereed. I realised people love it when you cooked for them,” said chef Nasser, who owns the newly-opened Lento restaurant in Dubai.

A graduate from Leeds in Genetics, Naser said he is a born artist and loves playing the guitar, keyboard and harmonica. But he had to pursue science under parental pressure. Those three years of college didn't just give him a degree. Nasser says he bloomed into a chef who could cook Spanish, Italian and French dishes like a pro.

“I was the happiest when I was in the kitchen. Hence, I wanted to learn more and started working for a small restaurant in London,” he said. “I even enrolled myself in a summer programme at a cooking school. My parents had no clue what I was doing.”

After the graduation, Naser came back to Dubai and got a job as a technician in a Dubai lab. “But my heart was in the kitchen. I started posting recipes on my social media and I was suddenly popular. For me, it was not about gaining popularity, but sharing my passion and also several techniques I learned,” he said.

He soon started participating in cooking shows and hosting workshops. “It is in Dubai that I learned more about the business of gastronomy. In 2020, I was ready to take the plunge and opened my first outlet ‘Lento’ in Abu Dhabi."

Naser said his cooking is all about simplicity. “I do not like complicated dishes and dressings. I am a minimalist in the kitchen. But it is slow cooking,” says the chef, who believes his signature dishes must have ingredients that age slowly, such as black garlic and fermented condiments. “It tastes better when it takes longer,” he said.

He uses Emirati condiments and applies French techniques to create unique dishes. “For instance, I like to use Mehyava (fermented fish) in Ramen. You don’t always have to be a traditionalist... Cooking is as much an art and a science. You have to experiment. I strike the right balance between my head and heart when I am in the kitchen and that reflects in my cooking,” says Naser.

'Food is a cultural glue'

Sumaya Obaid, Emirati chef

Sumaya Obaid grew up in an Emirati household where food connected people from all over the world.

“My mom is an excellent cook and she would make every cuisine; she had friends from different nationalities who enjoyed her cooking. I grew up watching how food is a glue between cultures, families and friends. I naturally became a foodie,” Obaid told Khaleej Times.

But as an Emirati woman growing up in a society with traditional values, it was not easy for her to pursue cooking as a profession. “Our society expects us to be engineers or doctors. Becoming a chef is not considered a big deal. But now, my family is so proud of me and that they do not miss a chance to tell others that I am a chef,” said Obaid.

Speaking about her journey as a chef, Obaid said she studied culinary science in Australia where she was living with her husband. “I had to juggle between my studies and my family duties as I had a baby to take care of.”

When she returned to the UAE, she got the opportunity to be a Nestle ambassador and travel around the world to support women entrepreneurs. She also became a household name as the host for a daily morning show called ‘Sabah Aldar’ on Abu Dhabi TV.

“I used to drive every day from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and present a new dish. That pushed my creativity, and I would present fusion dishes like Payeya with Jareesh (a dish made with crushed wheat) or Tom Yum soup with rice and shrimp,” said Obaid, who also went on to present shows in MBC Arabia and Sharjah TV. “I did not want to work full time. But I have worked with many international brands in Dubai and helped them improve or launch new menus,” said the mother of five.

Obaid said cooking is a form of self-expression for her. “It is a stress reliever... like being with family. You feel at home. And there is no better way to people’s hearts than food.”

Pilot in chefs gear

Faisal Al Naqbi

Faisal Al Naqbi can rustle up a perfect steak with the same ease as he flies a Boeing 777 airplane. A commercial pilot with Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, he has the same passion for cooking as he has for flying.

“Cooking is like engineering. You are engineering flavours to get the right taste. It is also an art that requires passion,” he said. Naqbi revealed he became a connoisseur of food thanks to his profession that allowed him to travel the world and taste various cuisines.