Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bahraini Tala Bashmi’s years of culinary cleverness and bag-full of accolades have landed her a seat on a judging panel, alongside other top chefs from around the world, in South Africa.
The 34-year-old celebrated chef, known for transforming traditional Middle Eastern cuisine into contemporary works of culinary art at Fusions by Tala at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain, Convention and Spa, helped judge the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Africa, Middle East and South Asia Regional Final 2023 in Cape Town.
She witnessed an intense two days of kitchen-focussed creativity as 14 young chefs from Africa, Middle East and South Asia came together to vie for the regional title and the privilege to compete in the grand finale of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition in Milan in October this year.
“It is a responsibility I don’t take lightly,” said Chef Tala, who was on the judging jury alongside South African best-selling author and Chef Siba Mtongana and UN humanitarian Selassie Atadika. “I’m elated to be able to brush shoulders with some of the greatest chefs in the world, pick their brains and develop work towards the future of the culinary world!”
Chef Siba runs the SIBA The Restaurant at The Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town and is the star of Siba’s Table on the Food Network. Selassie was voted #73 in the Best Chef Awards 2020 and was the 2021 recipient of the La Liste New Destination Champion Award for Africa.
Chef Tala’s talents and victories have also inspired the competitors. After all, the former Ibn Khuldoon National School pupil and ex-captain of the Venus Ladies Football Club was awarded the Middle East and North Africa’s Best Female Chef Award last year.
This year, Fusions by Tala ranked third in The Middle East and North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants, which is a celebration of the leading places to nibble and dine across 19 countries.
The restaurant also whisked up the ‘Highest Climber for 2023’ accolade, after moving a record 36 spots since 2022 on the list and has also won the ‘Best Restaurant in Bahrain’ title, proving she has the recipe for success.
“I am hoping to shine a spotlight on our region and the talents that reside here,” she added. “I am also hoping for more judging roles as well. It is inspiring to see how the future generations minds work and how they are developing their own personal cuisines.”
During the cook-off, the all-female jury had the difficult task of tasting, assessing and evaluating dishes.
“What we were looking for was someone whose identity was visible in their cuisine, and who would bring something to the future of the culinary world,” she said.
“Flavour, presentation and personal belief were all key points. Finally, we also wanted to select a regional winner that wouldn’t only ‘compete’ at the final in Milan, but has the ability to win the final.”
Mythrayie Iyer, head chef of Farmlore Restaurant in Bengaluru, India, will be heading to the final.
Kareem Atef from Egypt won the Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award. Zanté Neethling from South Africa, won the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility. Aurélien Durand from Dubai won the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy.
Meanwhile, Chef Tala continues to slay in the kitchen as she ‘is constantly working on different versions of myself and my food’.
“I am studying our history, cuisine and culture to showcase our version 2.0,” she said about her and the future of Fusions by Tala.
For details, follow @fusionsbytala and @tala.bashmi on Instagram
