Iraq's Celebrity TV Chefs

By JULIETTE ROSSANT War and food go hand in hand. Armies have to eat: August Escoffier based his "kitchen brigade" on army experience. Civilian populations have to eat as well. In war-torn countries these days, you're likely to catch a celebrity chef cooking on the airwaves. Propaganda? Believe it or not, one of the more recent, would-be Emerils to hit the airwaves has been a 24-year old Iraqi chef named Khaldoon Al-Khazaali. Al-Khazaali used to host a popular cooking show, Good Morning Iraq, on state-run Iraqiya TV. Having escaped an attempted kidnapping and death threats, reports The Associated Press, he fled the country. Now, Iraq's most famous chef has found a new home -- at Emeril's alma mater, Johnson & Wales. Johnson & Wales President John Bowen spoke at Al-Khazaali's demonstration of Iraqi dishes for students and faculty last week: Our culinary program was a natural connection, but we also welcomed Chef Khaldoon as much for the unique cultural perspective he offers. We are always seeking opportunities that reflect our diverse student body, which represents 89 countries. In this case, the focus of Middle Eastern cuisine is especially timely as developments in the Middle East are at the forefront of public discussion. Bowen returned recently from India where he served as part of a U.S. delegation led by Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes -- where, no doubt he sample the famed mangoes that are now on sale in the US. Of course, there are Iraqi chefs still in Iraq and still on the air. The BBC profiled Firas, the new resident chef for Good Morning Iraq and Al-Khazaali's sucessor. Before this, I worked for many years as a chef, running kitchens for international companies, both inside Iraq and abroad. I'm currently also working as a chef in a five-star hotel in Baghdad. On air, he often prepared cheap food on air to help Iraqi house wives stretch their limited budgets. Iraqi cuisine is famous for producing some of the best dishes in the Middle East. The biggest challenge is the security. I miss the safety.If we had security, we could move freely and go to work. We could organise a food fair so people could come and see the food we prepare, and we could swap ideas. I work with Iraqia TV, despite the difficult security situation. However, there is nowhere in Iraq that is completely free from violence. So, it is in God's hands. Let's hope its traditions are not destroyed with the rest of Iraq. Video: Johnson & Wales Previous articles: Mangoes for Motorcycles Arab Table: May Bisisu [Chefs & Politics - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, Iraqi Chef, Khaldoon Al-Khazaali --> back to Super Chef