Culinary Maestro: Chef Hisham Baeshen on the evolution of Saudi cuisine

Earning acclaim as a food blogger and known across the country for his catchphrase “fi galbak” (in your heart), Hisham Baeshen’s journey to becoming one of the Kingdom’s most recognised chefs, a representative of the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission, and the founder of popular eatery Fi Glbak (a nod to his blogging days) has been an inspiring one.

• 

With a deep passion for cooking ignited from the age of nine, Baeshen is known today for seamlessly blending tradition with innovation. As if all this wasn’t enough, he was also named TikTok’s 2020 ambassador and has 4.5 million followers on Instagram.

We caught up with the mastermind to delve into his sources of inspiration, culinary approaches, and how he works on supporting future generations of local talent.

---

The Journey

• 

• 

Having discovered his love for cooking at a very young age, Chef Baeshen's culinary journey reached a pivotal moment in 2014 while watching the film Chef, featuring a culinarian who loses his career due to a review from a food critic and blogger.

Baeshen admired both characters – the chef for his passion and the blogger for his honesty. “I decided to become a food blogger after seeing that film,” he explains, laughing.

Venturing into that world, Baeshen soon garnered recognition as a prominent blogger and frequently featured as such on esteemed shows like Top Chef – all the while honing his culinary skills in the kitchen. However, it wasn't until 2018 that he realised his true passion lay in cooking, and soon after he transitioned to a culinary luminary.

You Might Also Like: 13 Dishes of Saudi: Discovery the regional culinary fare of the Kingdom

His dedication to his craft saw him evolve from showcasing restaurant experiences to crafting his own recipes. With the launch of Fi Glbak in 2023, his dream of sharing his creations with the world became a reality, as he embarked on a mission to redefine Saudi cuisine.

“Throughout the past 12 years, I’d never called myself a chef until I opened and operated my restaurant,” he says. “I always blogged online, so thought: why not do it offline? I decided to focus on creating unique recipes.”

Flavours and Spices

• 

Baeshen's creations pay homage to the diverse culinary heritage of Saudi.

Born and raised in Al Khobar, his earliest memories were of his mother cooking majbous shargawi, a favourite childhood dish of his, and today a main plate at Fi Glbak. Another preference of his is Bedouin rice, cooked in delicious meat broth. “It’s a family suhoor tradition before the first day of Ramadan,” he says.

With five different regions in the Kingdom and each with its own table, Baeshen, considered as one of the 20 most influential chefs in the world, balances his recipes like a symphony. When thinking up a new dish, he works on developing a completely novel technique, method, and taste. He then meticulously crafts the final plate to showcase the essence of Saudi cuisine and challenge preconceived notions about the Kingdom’s culinary identity.

“A good chef identifies ingredients at a location and comes up with new flavours,” he explains, highlighting cardamom as one of those ingredients that can take dishes to another level.

The Fi Glbak Experience

• 

• 

“At Fi Glbak, I want my guests to notice the breadth of Saudi culinary heritage and traditions, as well as the power of our kitchen; most people still believe that Saudi cuisine is represented by kabsa,” Baeshen explains.

Fi Glbak has been designed with traditional interiors, adorned with buck's horn plantain and traditional patterns such as Al Sadu, to offer a sensory feast for patrons. On the menu is a selection of soups, appetisers, and mains like jareesh, Saudi grills, seafood, sauces, and salsas, as well as other plates with interesting twists, like the smoked jareesh soup and the shrimp kuoja one inspired by seafood and greens from the Madinah region.

• 

• 

“Saudis are known for their generosity, so I’m personally against showcasing local cuisine in a way that doesn’t reflect our hospitality. We want our guests to enjoy their dining experiences and feast their eyes at the same time,” Baeshen says.

The chef’s vision extends beyond the confines of Fi Glbak, with plans to expand his culinary empire across multiple cities, both domestically and internationally – in the Kingdom, he expects no less than three branches in Riyadh, in addition to Madinah, Makkah, Jazan, and of course, Al Khobar. “I want people in different cities to explore the flavours and tastes of all Saudi regions.”

Supporting Local Talent

Beyond perfecting gastronomy, the culinary whizz behind the Kingdom’s 90th National Day menu is committed to nurturing the next generation of gastronomic talent in Saudi. Through various collaborative initiatives, Baeshen aims to provide aspiring chefs with the opportunity to master the art of Saudi cuisine and carve their own culinary legacies.

For instance, restaurant consultant Chef Faisal Aldeleigan recently had the opportunity to hire young Saudi chefs, and last October, ZADK Culinary Academy and Baeshen signed an MoU to provide cooperative training opportunities for students, eventually providing them with jobs at Fi Glbak.

“It’s always been one of my dreams to build a culinary academy for the Saudi kitchen. I want to create a sanctuary for chefs who want to learn and explore the diversity of our food,” he explains. “It’s our chance to instil the craft of Saudi cuisine in chefs. To become a true Saudi chef, you need to learn techniques to master the skill of cooking various local dishes, and you can delve into international cuisines afterwards.”

His advice to those who want to open their restaurants is to be knowledgeable. "Either have a partner who is well-informed on business operations or educate yourself enough to run it."

---

@misho_baeshen @figlbak
Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd, Riyadh