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How did your career as a chef begin?
I grew up around food and always knew I wanted to work in it. My favorite television show growing up was Yan Can Cook. My idea of a fun weekend was trying out different marinades for chicken drumsticks. My dad ran a grocery store in Doha that became two grocery stores, then eventually grew into a group of restaurants. He would R&D his new creations at home, and I looked forward to helping out. When I moved to the United States, I joined AmeriCorps and chose to be stationed at a soup kitchen. No matter what my situation was, I always found a way to work around food.
Tell us about your New Orleans-inspired restaurant, Strange Delight!
Strange Delight was born out of the desire of my partner, Anoop, to bring a piece of his old home, Louisiana, to his new home in Fort Greene. Anoop, Michael, and I wanted to reference our favorite places in New Orleans, like Felix’s for chargrilled oysters and Pascual Manale’s BBQ Shrimp, while also bringing our favorite parts of NOLA cuisine and combining it with some of our favorite NYC products and techniques that we’ve learned along the way.
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What’s your favorite part about the New York culinary community?
The diversity of the New York culinary community is by far my favorite part. You can find exceptional versions of most cuisines tucked away in various parts of the city. It is impossible to feel jaded or get bored with food when you are surrounded by so many quality options.
Happy Mardi Gras! How did the food of New Orleans become such an inspiration for you?
The food of New Orleans is the best representation of the magic that happens when cuisines from around the world combine seamlessly. NOLA has such a strong culinary identity that it is inspiring to see how passionate they are about it. There is so much history behind every dish, and the soul of the immigrants who helped create it is still tangible.
What dish of yours are you most excited about right now?
I am very excited about our Iberico spare ribs with Steen’s glaze. The Iberico spare ribs are such an incredible product, and after trying them, you won’t be able to go back to eating regular pork ever again. It also references the vibrant Vietnamese community in NOLA and features a Louisiana staple that isn’t often seen around here: Steen’s. Steen’s has become one of my favorite ingredients to use; it is a reduced cane syrup and brings a very tempered sweetness and deep caramel notes.
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