Thaer Dhimch, a Syrian national, is executive chef at Sah el Nom restaurant.
Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?
I have 20 years of culinary experience, 10 of which have been in the UAE. I’m currently the executive chef of Sah El Nom restaurant in Dubai. I work with the restaurant managers to plan and price menu items, establish portion sizes and prepare standard recipe cards for all the new dishes.
What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?
I love many dishes, but my favourite would be ‘makhlouba’: it’s very delicious, full of flavour, made with all my favourite ingredients and is very filling. It can be made with either lamb or chicken, depending on what I’m in the mood for!
What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.
Today, I’m making a classic Syrian dish, basmashkat. I will use tenderloin steak, where I will flatten it with a hammer and fill it with a combination of rice, minced meat and seasoning. This is then rolled and baked in the oven, and can be served on top of anything; today, I will serve it on top of MAGGI Mashed Potato.
What are some of the most recent, important food trends you can tell us about?
The trend at our restaurant is to stick to traditional classic dishes and add a twist; we serve these as daily dishes, as they are very popular with our customers.
What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?
Most importantly, I would advise food suppliers to give quality products, good prices and definitely top service.
