Saudi Gazette Working as a chef is viewed in the Kingdom as a strange thing. Despite this stereotype, Abdulaziz Shoaib Hawsawi, born in 1982 in Makkah, has proved himself as a chef in the Middle Eastern cuisine. Today, he is in charge of all Middle Eastern dishes at the Movenpick Hotel and Residence, one of the five-star hotels in the holy city located across the Grand Mosque. Hawsawi started in 2000 as an assistant chef at a five-star hotel in Makkah. "My family rejected the idea right from the start because of the stigma associated with this job. But I insisted on gaining and honing skills in this field and I like what I am today. Perhaps the most shocking thing to me was my friends' reaction. They also were against my decision to be a chef. The funny thing is they like the food I cook a lot," he reminisced. Another reason why his family did not want him to go into this business is the belief that working as a chef does not have any promising future. But this is not true, according to Hawsawi, who believes that working as a chef for a five-star hotel should be regarded as a prestigious job that earns a lot of money. Luckily, his family and friends changed the way they view chefs because of him; and to them he is a superstar and a role model. "Now some of my friends want to be chefs as well. I am glad that I am a source of inspiration for them." Challenges It proved to be a very difficult job that needs patience and stamina, especially in the beginning. Hawsawi described his first days at the hotel's kitchen. He had to learn quickly and exert great effort to keep pace with his co-workers and other chefs. Sometimes, he has to stay up late at night cooking food for guests. "It was a few months later when I started to feel confident and excel at my work," he said. The most difficult challenge, Hawsawi said, is the absence of academies that give courses in different cuisines. The only way a chef can improve his skills is by traveling to another country and taking courses there. Hotels also send their chefs abroad for training. Dishes The first time Hawsawi joined the hotel, he was assigned to cook dishes from the global cuisine. This type of food requires high skills and efforts and the ability to pick up the chef's tips fast. He was trained by a seasoned chef named Mahmoud Haneef. "I'll always be indebted to Mr. Haneef for his belief in my skills. He was the one who advised me to specialize in Saudi and Gulf food because there were not many chefs who can cook this food. I excelled in this field and learned how to serve Middle Eastern food with special flavors unique to our hotel. I am proud that big businessmen and princes order my dishes. The hotel also asks me to cook food at various events outside," he said. Recognition Hawsawi has received different global certificates, the most important of them are the Crystal Food Safety Certificate and the Movenpick and Residence Hotel Food Safety Certificate. He also trained graduates of tourism and hospitality schools. Hawsawi said he would not have made this achievement without the help of the hotels' management. He also appreciates the support he received from his trainer Haneef.
