A taste of our town

BAHRAINI chef Abdul Majed Ali Mohammed Jassim is prepared to treat the island's food lovers to a feast of authentic, local tastes.

He was recently appointed executive chef by the Mercure Grand Hotel in Seef, as part of their initiative to promote Bahraini cuisine.

Chef Jassim, 32, is one of the first Bahraini chefs to hold such a prestigious position in an international hospitality chain.

Sinan Koseouglu, executive assistant manager of food and beverage, said: "We want to respect local culture and customs.

"Our group, Accor, is a French company and has more than 4,200 branches all over the world. This is excellent exposure for Chef Jassim as it will give him a chance to promote Bahrain and its culture, tradition and cuisine abroad."

Chef Jassim is delighted and believes his dedication and hard work is paying off. He explained: "Although becoming a chef means forgetting your social life it is a career that is rewarding and exciting. I work for nearly 14 hours a day and so don't have time for anything else. I reach home and spend some time with my children before going off to sleep."

Prior to joining the Mercure Grand Hotel he worked with the Diplomat Radisson SAS for more than 13 years. During that time he was able to visit the Netherlands for training.

At the Mercure Hotel Chef Jassim aims to bring a range of Bahraini, Arab and international cuisine to the table for diners. The hotel offers various promotions throughout its restaurants all through the week.

The Neyran has a Mediterranean theme on Tuesdays and a Far Eastern theme on Wednesdays. The Silk Route lays out a feast of Asian and Arabic cuisine. The Basha Lounge has a grape crush promotion including a five-course meal.

Alongside the Mercure Grand Hotel, the Novotel Al Dana Resort also comes under the Accor group of hotels.

The group is also expanding in the kingdom - with three more hotels soon to come under its umbrella. The Ibis Hotel, a three-star brand of Accor, is under construction next to the Dana Mall in Sanabis, another branch of the Novotel is being planned on Amwaj Islands and a deluxe-style resort, Sofitel, is under way in Zallaq. The projects are expected to be completed within two years.

Chef Jassim, from Muharraq, studied at the acclaimed former Hotel and Catering Training Centre on the island and the hotel management believes there are golden opportunities for Bahrainis who want to follow in the cuisine champion's footsteps.

Mr Koseouglu added: "Some of the best hospitality personnel in Bahrain are products of the institute but sadly it has now closed down.

"There appears to be hardly any options here promoting the field of hospitality and providing educational training to international standards."

He urged the government to consider introducing more initiatives to encourage aspiring students into the thriving industry and urged young people to consider cooking up an exciting career.

"Unfortunately, some people do not appreciate its potential. I feel people can judge these things once they have the mind to try it on their own - to enter a kitchen and see how it feels," he added.

This week Chef Jassim shares one of his favourite dishes with GulfWeekly readers.