“People should follow their passions,” says Chef Tala Bashmi, “but that doesn’t mean blindly doing something.”
Tala Bashmi, an emerging star in the Middle Eastern culinary world, is on an intense quest and passion to popularise the taste of her land: Bahraini cuisine. Inspired by her father, a great foodie who introduced her to the oldest cookbook in the Arab world, Tala found ways to adapt her regional food to the global flavour through her own fusion recipes and dynamic visual presentation. Her signature dishes are a gastronomic delight where she blends her beautiful heritage into modern dishes.
Tala Bashmi is often referred to as the voice of modern Bahraini cuisine. She has been named the winner of the first Middle East and North Africa’s (MENA) Best Female Chef Award 2022. The award forms part of the 50 Best Organisation’s mission to honour female role models within the culinary industry and represents the first pre-announced award of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 programme. Chef Bashmi will be presented with the inaugural award, at the debut edition of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants, set to take place in Abu Dhabi in February. Tala also is currently the chef patron of Fusions by Tala at Manama’s iconic five-star Gulf Hotel Bahrain.
Tala believes that hard work and the inner drive are everything. “It means committing yourself to the hard work and education that is needed to take you to the top; often that is a journey of sacrifice that only you will really know about,” she says, “but in the end, it is always worth it.”
Below, is a conversation with Tala Bashmi who recollects her journey to reinterpret her traditional cuisine on the world culinary stage.
Was it your childhood dream to become a chef?
Actually, it was to be a football player, sport, health and being competitive was something I always enjoyed. These days I have much less time for sport though.
How did your career in the culinary industry begin?
As a child growing up, I learned the history of Middle Eastern cuisine, and my cultural identity from my father through his in-depth knowledge of the ingredients used. This knowledge quickly turned into a passion for life, as I watched the impact and joy a good dish would bring. This passion followed me into my first foray into the culinary world with Baked by T. I was happily surprised with the success of my desserts as they became notorious in Bahrain, garnering me social media awards, however, this was just the beginning. I decided to legitimise my journey as a chef by joining The Gulf Hotel Bahrain as a trainee working my way up the ranks.
My professional kitchen experience began with butchery, then led to working my way around the various kitchens and cuisines to develop my knowledge and hone my skills. Inspired by my success I then studied at the Culinary Arts Academy, Cesar Ritz, Lucerne, Switzerland, where I was awarded Master of International Business in Culinary Management. During that time, I worked at both Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois and the One Michelin star Prisma at Focus in Switzerland, where I experienced both what a restaurant should be and what it shouldn’t. For me people matter, your team is everything and treating them with respect is a fundamental value I will not walk away from.
Which is your signature dish? And what inspires you?
Most of the dishes on my menu come from a specific memory of a tradition. For example, Ghoozi, a dish usually served during celebrations: a small lamb cooked whole on a bed of aromatic rice sprinkled with crispy jewels of onions, raisins, cashews, and lentils. How do you translate something so entrenched in history into today’s eating culture? This became the elegantly simple ghoozi tacos, it transports people to the flavour and feeling of that dish in a bite.
My inspiration comes from many places. More traditionally, a trip to the local fish market or a farm could spark joy for me and help me create something new. I look to places born of passion: art, architecture, even literature with almost forgotten Arabic texts. These all trigger inspiration for me whether it’s painting my chocolate pralines or crafting my next dessert. Added to a life served by my father’s knowledge in traditional food history and ingredients, he constantly pushes me to explore my culture through cuisine.
What are your favourite ingredients? Why?
I am always on the lookout for premium ingredients, something where care has been taken in the production, but that doesn’t mean looking around the world. I love working with local producers here in Bahrain, who use traditional methods handed down for generations, for example, the dried fish. One of my suppliers is the third generation who dry the fish and sell them. I love the passion that goes behind that and then translate their ingredients into my dishes for a uniquely modern experience.
Which are your popular dishes?
I like to recommend to my guests in my restaurant to experience the menu by tasting them. This way they get to try a journey of dishes to explore my signature take on dining. They get to try a little of everything and often come back to explore more! One dish that people just can’t get enough of are the Ghouzi Lamb Tacos, the word mouthwatering doesn’t even come close to these.
What has been the most memorable part of your career so far?
I think becoming the inaugural Best Female Chef MENA for the World’s 50 Best awards, is not just a moment for me but also a pivotal moment. Other highlights would be cooking for chefs like Thomas Buhner and Esben Holmboe Bang on Top Chef and getting such rave reviews that will always stay in my memory.
What are the food trends now?
I think people are looking for something that holds meaning to them. Trends in food aren’t something I focus on; it’s more on creating an experience. Those experiences are now becoming much more commonplace, with many great chefs providing their culinary journeys on a plate for diners to devour their tales.
Are there any memorable stories/incidents during your journey as a chef?
I think cleaning fish at 3 am in Japan as part of a research trip was something that I will never forget. The whole trip was packed with intense moments, but here I was with these traditional Japanese fishmongers in one of the largest markets in the country, working side by side to clean fish!
How did you feel when you received the MENA’s Best Female Chef Award 2022?
It is an absolute honour to be awarded the first-ever Best Female Chef award as part of the inaugural MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. It represents validation and a culmination of all of my hard work; to know the direction I have taken with my food is being received so well is pushing me to be and do more.
What are your plans for the future?
It’s a very exciting time and I have lots of plans for the future, but travel and exploration are what I seek most. To constantly learn, grow, and develop myself, as well as be able to collaborate with chefs from around the world.
