'I always have the appetite to tuck into naan and dal or dum biriyani': Alaa Goudat Mahfoud

Your best food-related experience.
My mother is a great cook and her seafood dishes are magnificent. I always look forward to her grilled or fried hammour and sea bass. However, it is the baked lobster that tops the charts for me. She preps and boils the lobster, cracks it open, adds a little cheese to the meat and pops it into the oven. She serves it with a little sauce on the side and it is perfect.
Who do you admire most in the culinary world, and why?
Antoine Hajj, the celebrity TV chef from Lebanon. He is an exemplary chef, who knows his ingredients and technique. He is also personable and uses humour to create a connection with his audience. I think that's important for a chef - the ability to converse with the customer and understand their needs and tastes.
Your favourite culinary destination, and why?
I have two - India and Italy. Everyone assumes Indian food is all heat and fat, but it is actually healthy and flavourful. They use a variety of spices, as opposed to just chilli, to add flavour to the dishes - and I always have the appetite to tuck into naan and dal as well as dum biriyani. Likewise, I love Italy as a culinary destination because the food is based on its culture: it is light, easy to prepare, and bursting with flavour. Italian homes can create a bowl full of magic - a simple pasta or a creamy risotto - with just a few ingredients.
How often do you eat out? What's your favourite place around town?
I eat out about once a week but try out different places and cuisines. As a chef, it is good for me to take stock of the competition and keep on top of the different food scenes. My favourite place is Gazebo.
If you could cook for a high-profile personality, who would it be and what would you serve them?
Lt-Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and Public Security of Dubai. I feel that he has been instrumental in keeping Dubai safe and helping the city flourish. I would cook a very traditional Syrian/Lebanese dish - burghul with hummus - to show him the authentic flavours of the Levant. He is also very outspoken, so I would love to get his feedback on my food.
You're asked to invent an unusual dish - what would it be?
I love seafood, so I like creating new dishes based on that. Right now, I am experimenting with calamari as a filling. The dish would be mixed seafood stuffed with calamari, a little cheese and a special sauce. Insha'allah, you might see it on the menu soon!
One ingredient/dish you can't stand, and why.
Sugar. Actually, too much sugar. Nature has a number of sweeteners - like honey and fruits - so I hate it when a sweet dish is heaving with sugar as opposed to the healthy, good stuff. Desserts are a treat, but they should not be so sweet that you cannot taste anything else.
After cooking all day, do you cook for yourself at home too?
Of course, I love cooking. I cook Lebanese dishes at my restaurant all day and my wife cooks Moroccan dishes, as she is from Morocco, at home. To add some variety to our dinner table, I try and rustle up something Syrian.
Favourite comfort food?
Arabic bread with labneh, zaatar, vegetables and olives.
If you could choose a last meal, what would it be?
My choice for a last meal, to cook and eat, would be salt-baked fish. It is quite labour-intensive but is a joy to prepare and eat.
Where can we find you, when not in the kitchen?
If I am not in the kitchen, you can find me on the beach, fishing and listening to classical music.
- Staff reporter