For Chef Omar Al-Watban, true creativity appears when you begin to think outside the box, or go off menu.
Aside from harnessing his natural talents for creating unique and interesting flavour combinations, it was during his training at Le Cordon Bleu in London, where Al Watban learned how to just this. Thinking outside the box led the talented chef to create dishes that are truly something special.
With a background in medicine, Chef Omar was driven by a passion for understanding the science behind cooking. He spent countless hours poring over cookbooks and deconstructing dishes to uncover their secrets and learn as much as he could. It was this drive to experiment that eventually led him to explore the exciting world of fusion cuisine and cooking. In 2019, he transitioned into sharing his culinary knowledge and creations with the world as a culinary content creator.
Transitioning from medicine to the culinary arts was no easy feat. However, the doctor's passion for cooking overrode any potential challenges; his meticulous approach to cooking, honed from years of precision in the medical field, now translates into a deliberate yet patient style in the kitchen. Each new dish is a canvas for experimentation, as he blends flavours from diverse cultures to create something extraordinary.
Breaking Boundaries
Fusion cuisine is a culinary canvas that allows any predefined boundaries dissolve; blending flavours, cooking techniques, and ingredients from different cultures demands a unique skill set. Fusion cooking is akin to creating art, where harmony and balance are paramount. A serendipitous journey into fusion cooking, as he experimented with flavours, Chef Omar realised his creations naturally fell into this category, he loved the freedom to break culinary rules and explore endless possibilities of flavour combinations.
When asked why he chose to specialise in fusion cuisine, Chef Omar says: "I didn't really choose it! By chance, I noticed that most of the dishes I prepared fell under the category of 'fusion cuisine'. It’s enjoyable, unconventional, and I can break the rules. For example, I can add specific flavours from another cuisine to any Saudi dish to create a new, exciting dish."
A World Flavours in One Dish
As the name might suggest, fusion cooking involves the element of mixing. By mixing the sweet with the salty, and combining contrasting textures, Chef Omar can create dishes that lead to an unexpected delight. The Saudi chef likes his creations to challenge the traditional flavour combinations, and resulting in delicious dishes such as date and chicken empandas, kimchi tacos and butter chicken spring rolls.
For Chef Omar, one of the most exciting aspects of fusion cooking is the opportunity to draw inspiration from diverse global culinary traditions. He says, "Chefs can seamlessly blend ingredients from Asia, Europe, and Africa, allowing for a wide range of flavours and textures."
Using Instagram, Chef Omar shares the preparation and cooking methods of these dishes in detail through informative videos, allowing his interested followers to create something new at home. With a background in food experimentation and flavour fusions, the talented chef already knows how the dish will turn out in the end, he explains, "I draw the final shape of the dish before preparing it, a skill I learned at (Le Cordon Bleu). I form a perception of its beauty and the compatibility of the flavours in my mind, and adjust this in real life to harmonise the flavours, and balance the aromas."
An Infusion of Personality
Chef Omar takes his time before preparing any recipe, he says, "My recipe choices have become more challenging because I like to test my abilities to present a dish that will cause a sensation and pique the interest of the culinary world."
He also sees that his dishes now express his personality, saying, "Most top chefs reflect their personality directly or indirectly into the dishes they create, whether it be through decoration or the flavour. I think that people will always associate me with my imaginative dishes, as they greatly express my personality."
The Skill of Saudi Chefs
For Chef Omar, his cooking tells a story, carrying in it traditional cooking methods and cultural flair.
He says, "Saudi chefs have managed to transfer the Kingdom’s produce and dishes to the world in a more contemporary and innovative way, allowing for the discovery of the stories of these dishes or products. The world now directly associates these products with the Kingdom, such as dates, coffee, and wheat."
More About Chef Omar
avourite international cuisine? Mexican
Which restaurant in Riyadh is your favourite? La Petite Maison (LPM)
