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WHEN you're catering to Bahrain's elite businessmen and women there are no second chances when it comes to delivering the finest food with an impeccable service.

The Capital Club is perched high on the 51st and 52nd floors of the imposing Bahrain Financial Harbour East Tower.

Impressive views of Manama on one side and the Arabian Gulf on the other, the club's in-house restaurant, Anan, immediately delights the senses of its diners.

Head Chef Mouhammed Ibrahimi is happy with the challenge of trying to satify the taste buds of the 650 members and guests.

He moved to Bahrain last year as the club prepared to open, having helped establish the highly-regarded Capital Club Dubai as one of the region's top venues. He boasts 17 years of experience and has also worked in France after gaining experience in his home country, Morocco.

Chef Mouhammed, 35, who now lives in Umm Al Hassam, explained that his fascination for cooking began at an early age when he was the only one of nine children to help his mother in the kitchen.

He said: "I really enjoyed spending time with her, learning and appreciating her cooking skills. I would even help my mother peel vegetables!"

After leaving school he pursued his career by taking a degree course at a specialist culinary college before entering the industry as a trainee. He completed the course in 1993 before entering the fiery world of the kitchen as a demi chef and progressed to his current status. Chef Mouhammed said: "The working environment at a private business club is very different from that of a hotel where you often end up preparing food for large parties.

"It has been very challenging at the club, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly as we get to meet some of the most prominent businessmen and personalities in the country."

During Ramadan, Chef Mouhammed is preparing to offer diners an array of authentic Arabic food alongside its existing Mediterranean dishes.

He said: "Since Ramadan falls during the height of the summer this year, we will be also featuring a wide variety of Moroccan, Indian and Arabic sweets.

Our main course menu will also include the sea food pilah, mixed grills including kofta kebab and grilled hammour as well as oriental dishes such as ouzi and a range of breads."

Here Chef Mouhammed shares a well-known Irani kebab recipe with GulfWeekly readers.

Chelo kebab

Ingredients:

Ground beef or lamb 1lb

Cumin 1 tsp

Black pepper 1/4 tsp

Chopped onion 1

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or your hands. Take about a quarter of the meat and roll it into a ball. Place this through flat skewers and shape into square cigar-like shapes. Repeat with the remaining meat. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about four to six minutes each side. Serve over a bed of rice and pita bread as well as salad such as fattoush.