Q: How long have you worked on the Princess Donia?
A: I have worked on Donia for eleven years now.
Q: How old were you when you started cooking?
A: I started cooking when I was very young at home and when I left school at aged fifteen I started my culinary training in a full time job.
Q: Who taught you to cook and how did you gain your culinary skills?
A: My father was a trained chef and I started to learn from him at home when he was cooking. When he catered for big celebrations and events locally to my village, just outside Luxor, he asked me to work with him so that was really good experience and I thoroughly enjoyed working with my father. Then, when I left school I went to work full-time at a large restaurant in Luxor under the tutorage of a very proficient and accomplished chef, who trained and taught me the culinary skills I have today.
Q: What is your favourite dish to cook?
A: Well, that is a difficult choice but I think it is probably beef tagine, Egyptian style.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration and ideas for creating new dishes?
A: I love being inspired to try new creations and recipes. I do get new ideas from watching cookery programs on the television.
Q: You always get a special mention in our guestbook from the guests that stay on Princess Donia. Everyone comments on your fantastic culinary skills and excellent ability to provide such a wide variety of delicious meals to suit all tastes for our visitors from around the world. How does that make you feel?
A: I strive to please everyone with my cooking, so it makes me very happy that people enjoy my menus. It also encourages me to widen my repertoire further; I enjoy the fusion of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and European cuisine and being creative.
Recent Comments