In conversation with Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader

Portrait of Kuwaiti chef Ahmed Al-Bader. Supplied
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Updated 30 July 2021
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In conversation with Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader

  • The Kuwaiti chef and entrepreneur on cheese-melt goodness, the brilliance of butter, and taking inspiration from his dad

LONDON: On a fine London afternoon, Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader sits in Chestnut Bakery. It is one of four successful food ventures he’s co-founded and currently co-manages — the other three being the beef canteen Habra, and Lunch Room — a “social-dining venue” — both in Kuwait, as well as GunBun in Riyadh.

Al-Bader has made a name for himself in the regional and international culinary scenes thanks largely to the consistent quality of his food, which is partly down to his systematic approach to cooking and baking. 




Al-Bader has made a name for himself in the regional and international culinary scenes. Supplied

“This is the core of success,” he says. “Things have to be written down. For the past 10 years I’ve been writing my recipes, not cooking them. When you reach this point, you have to be very experienced and to know exactly what is right. Recipes are written based on the palette — the acidity, sourness, bitterness, and sweetness; that’s how I create the balance.”

Q: What’s one ingredient that can instantly improve any dish? 

A: Butter. It’s has a fatty flavour. It’s soothing and it hits the palette. Sometimes you can have a loaf of white bread and still feel empty. But on other days you can have two or three spoons of peanut butter and some honey and feel happy.

What’s your favorite cuisine?

I love Chinese food, and Indian. Anything that (Wagamama founder) Alan Yau does always inspires me. He’s one of the ‘guru’ concept developers I’ve met. I respect how he thinks and works and I’ve learned a lot from him. The same applies to Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (co-owners of six delis and restaurants in London). I have the greatest respect for them. 




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What’s the most common issue you find when you eat in other restaurants?

Dining out is never for competitive purposes. Knowledge is always my objective — I want to learn how to do something. But not to compete. My objective is always to build something with value. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly? And why?

A cheese melt sandwich. Good cheese and good bread. It’s soothing. And you can play with it — you can put pickles, mustard, or roast beef or chicken. And use a good 60 grams of butter; that will give you a solid foundation.

What’s the most annoying thing customers do?

Customers are never annoying. As long as they’re not insulting one of the waiters or insulting us, I’ll respect whatever they have to say. I’m here to serve them. 

What’s your biggest challenge as a restaurateur?

Food handling, especially critical items like protein and fish that need to be transported. I don’t risk having a lot of them in my concept because of the heat and handling. Freshness is very important in these protein concepts. That’s why I simplify things through process cooking or curing, et cetera. That’s what I do to avoid any bacterial growth. 




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What’s your favorite dish to cook? 

Grilling and barbecuing reminds me so much of my dad. Prepping instant salsas is also one of many things I learned from him. He’s probably been making chimichurri for 30 years but in his own way, with a lot of coriander and garlic. He’s always been a host. Hosting is very important to me. 

I also love slow cooking. I love cooking tongue — beef or lamb — and this I also got from my dad. I remember he used to slice it and eat it with mustard. And I always loved that. 

 

Here, Al-Bader offers some cooking tips and a recipe for a tasty beetroot dish (although it requires a sous-vide machine).

Ahmad Al-Bader’s pickled beetroot recipe 

 

INGREDIENTS:

100g boiled beetroot; 100g apple vinegar; 100g white vinegar; 30g honey; 3g roasted coriander seeds; 5g thyme; 3g roasted yellow mustard seeds; 3g whole black pepper; 3g fresh dill; 3g salt; 10g jaggery

 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Set sous-vide machine to 80 C.

2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the beetroot last.

3. Transfer to a vacuum-sealed bag.

4. Cook in the sous-vide machine for 10 minutes at 82 C.

5. Remove and transfer into a bowl of ice.

6. Transfer to a clean container, cover, and store in refrigerator at 1 C to 4 C until serving. It can be stored for up to three days.


Authors, screenwriters sign letter calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’

Updated 28 May 2025
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Authors, screenwriters sign letter calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’

DUBAI: Members of the literary community including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan, Russell T Davies, Hanif Kureishi, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and George Monbiot are among 380 writers and organizations who have signed an open letter condemning Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as genocidal and calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The letter, also signed by William Dalrymple, Jeanette Winterson, Brian Eno, Kate Mosse, Irvine Welsh and Elif Shafak, states: “The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations.”

The writers are urging the UN to ensure the free and immediate delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza, alongside a ceasefire “which guarantees safety and justice for all Palestinians, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli jails.” 

They add that if the Israeli government fails to comply with the demand for a ceasefire, sanctions should be enforced.

The letter, organized by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique Roffey also says that Palestinians “are not the abstract victims of an abstract war. Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. Too often, too, the right words – the ones that mattered – have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them.”

The term “genocide” “is not a slogan,” it adds. “It carries legal, political and moral responsibilities.”


Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returns to the runway  

Updated 28 May 2025
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Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returns to the runway  

DUBAI: French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returned to the runway this week when she walked in Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry collection show, held at Bellver Castle on the island of Majorca, Spain.

Al-Zuhair reshared a video posted by Dubai-based Iraqi model and influencer Dima Al-Sheikhly, who shared her runway moment with the caption: “Wait for it… our beautiful Amira Al-Zuhair.”

The model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. (Instagram)

It marks her return to the runway after she hit the catwalk at the amfAR gala in Cannes in May, before which she walked for Australian label Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week in March.  

For Louis Vuitton, the model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. The dress was detailed with cascading ruffles outlined in dark trim, which ran down the front and sides.

Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. (Instagram)

For the jewelry, Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. One band was set with a row of vivid yellow diamonds, while the other two boasted a twisted, rope-like texture. At the center, a large round yellow diamond pendant was suspended beneath a striking white diamond. 

Al-Zuhair also walked Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry show in Saint-Tropez last year.

She wore an intricate chunky choker that featured a wide, structured design with a lattice-like pattern in gold, adorned with numerous diamonds. The focal point of the necklace was a large yellow gemstone, which added contrast to the overall design.

This week, Al-Zuhair also reflected on her recent campaign with Balmain, sharing photos from the Resort 2025 collection shoot.

“Had so much fun shooting inside the Eiffel Tower herself!” she wrote in the caption.

In one of the images, Al-Zuhair donned a strapless denim mini dress paired with two matching denim handbags and calf-high black boots.

In the second image, she wore a black sequined two-piece outfit, featuring a crop top and a high-waisted skirt. The design incorporates gold and silver embellishments, with the top featuring the word “L’aime.”

This is not Al-Zuhair’s first collaboration with Balmain. She previously walked for the brand during Paris Fashion Week in September.

Al-Zuhair, born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, has made her mark on the fashion world and has appeared on the runway for an array of renowned fashion houses such as Missoni, Maison Alaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and more.


Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

Updated 28 May 2025
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Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

DUBAI: While promoting his latest film, “The History of Sound,” at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Irish actor Paul Mescal took a moment to spotlight the Palestinian documentary “No Other Land.”

In a heartfelt statement, Mescal shared his experience watching the film in a packed Brooklyn theater, expressing profound upset over its limited distribution. He emphasized the importance of amplifying Palestinian voices and stories, highlighting the film's portrayal of the destruction of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank.

“I remember sitting there in a packed-out theater in Brooklyn and just being so profoundly upset that the film hadn’t, at that point, I still don’t know if it has received distribution there. Having a cultural moment like that with a film like that, which is so wildly upsetting to see in a room. The story that I feel like needed to be told the most was being censored, it felt like almost. And the feeling in the room was one of great fear and sadness and it felt like the film was bigger than the four walls in which we were watching it,” he said.

“No Other Land,” the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, won the Oscar for best documentary earlier this year.

The film’s co-directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham used their speeches to call for an end to the “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

The film follows activist Adra as he risks arrest to document the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone.


Nikki Glaser wears Yara Shoemaker at American Music Awards

Updated 27 May 2025
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Nikki Glaser wears Yara Shoemaker at American Music Awards

DUBAI: US actress and comedian Nikki Glaser attended the American Music Awards this week wearing a black midi dress by US label Yara Shoemaker, founded by Syrian-born designer Yara.

Nikki Glaser completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos. (Getty Images)

The form-fitting dress featured a lace-up corset detail at the front, with thick straps, a deep sweetheart neckline and metal eyelets that cinched the waist. She completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos.

The designer also featured at the Cannes Film Festival last week, with part-Saudi model Shanina Shaik and US German model and TV personality Heidi Klum both wearing her creations.

Shaik opted for a two-texture gown featuring a sculpted, strapless corset-style bodice in ivory ribbed fabric. The silhouette flared slightly at the hips and flowed into a floor-length skirt of sheer embroidered lace adorned with beadwork and sequins.

Meanwhile, Klum wore a black strapless gown with a corset-style bodice embellished with black sequins and intricate beadwork. The dress flowed into a sheer floor-length skirt decorated with delicate black appliqué motifs. She completed the look with a voluminous black feathered cape draped over her arms.

The American Music Awards saw “Birds of a Feather” singer Billie Eilish named Artist of the Year, beating Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and others nominees for the top honor. Eilish won all seven categories in which she was nominated, including Album of the Year and Favorite Touring Artist.

“This is so crazy. I feel speechless,” she said in a video message from Europe, where she is currently on tour. “I wish I could be there tonight.”

Gracie Abrams was named New Artist of the Year, while SZA earned awards for Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song for “Saturn.” Becky G won Favorite Female Latin Artist.

Many of the big names nominated for awards did not attend. One such absentee was Beyonce, who claimed Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for “Cowboy Carter,” her first AMA wins in country categories.

Post Malone was named Favorite Male Country Artist.


Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo wins New York Architectural Design Awards

Updated 27 May 2025
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Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo wins New York Architectural Design Awards

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai was awarded the Gold Prize in the Cultural Architecture in the Interactive and Experiential Spaces category by the New York Architectural Design Awards.

The prize recognizes the pavilion’s design and architecture, which offers visitors an immersive experience and insight into Saudi Arabia’s heritage.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the pavilion was spearheaded by the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission and was led by CEO Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman and Project Manager Fatima Al-Doukhi. It was also designed by the renowned global firm Foster + Partners.

The design highlights the cultural similarities between the kingdom and Japan, while focusing on sustainability, employing passive cooling strategies enhanced by the strategic placement of structural blocks to facilitate wind movement.

The pavilion features low-carbon materials, energy-efficient lighting and solar energy technologies, SPA reported. It also features Braille signage and pathways for visitors with disabilities, making the building accessible and inclusive.

Saudi Arabia’s pavilion has already attracted over half a million visitors since its launch on April 13.

It has also hosted over 175 events, including cultural performances, business events, media and over 400 VIP delegations.