The
20-year-old, who is known as "Chef b" on social media - with over
70,000 followers on Instagram and 10,000 YouTube subscribers - has collaborated
with Sebastien Pinson, the French executive chef at Brasserie Flo in the
Venetian Village in Abu Dhabi.
During the
weekend, fans of Chef Bader got the chance to meet and greet their favourite
Emirati cook, as well as taste some unique blends of desserts, including a café
gourmand dessert consisting of éclairs, luqaimaat and aseedat bobar.
The
collaboration between the two chefs resulted in a culinary fusion of France and
the UAE.
Chef Bader,
who also appeared on America's 'The Today Show' where he created luqaimaat, -
an Emirati classic but with an ice cream twist - believes that food is not just
a meal to be eaten, but it is also a chance to get creative and to be inspired
with cultures around us.
He told
Khaleej Times that creating a dish that is an art for the eye is important, as
it signifies the taste of the dish itself.
"There is
an old saying, "we eat with our eyes first," and that is 100 per cent
true."
"If you
had the most delicious dish in front of you, but not well presented, then you
would not feel appealed to eat it," he added.
The
self-taught chef highlighted that it was his mother's love for baking cake
every Saturday, while he was a child, motivated him to learn the fine art of
cooking.
He illustrated
that being recognised as the youngest Emirati chef has certainly lifted his
spirit and made him proud.
However, Chef
Bader, who has also given classes around the world, including in Milan and
Saudi, highlighted that he did not always get the support that he hoped for.
"Being a
male chef might not be considered the norm in the UAE, so some people looked at
it negatively and didn't support me. But I want to change that perception,
because I believe one should always follow his or her true passion. Passion is
a passion, you don't really choose it, you are just born with it," he
added.
He noted that
the collaboration between Emirati and global dishes is a representation of UAE
itself, because it reflects on the multina- tionalities and cultures that are
welcomed in the nation.
"Collaborating
with other cultures is what the UAE has taught us. I want to reach different
heights by reaching different cultures."
It is about
mixing two cultures into one cuisine, he stressed. "You can gain a lot
from other cultures by learning about their cuisines".
Chef Sebastien
Pinson said this was the first time he worked with an Emirati chef, noting that
collaborating different cultures in food certainly creates something
unforgettable.
"I've
been fortunate enough to work all over the world, but this was the first time I
had the chance to work with an Emirati chef since I've been in the UAE."
At the end of
the day however, UAE's youngest chef believes that age is not a restriction and
that one should always follow his true calling. "If you have a vision, you
must go for it. Ignore what people think and just surround yourself with those
who support you, and you will succeed."
"You can
never dream big enough in this world."
Image by: http://www.khaleejtimes.com/
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