Global chefs explore Saudi flavors for fresh innovation
Saudi Feast Food Festival spotlights how international chefs adapt local ingredients to global techniques, elevating the Kingdom’s culinary identity
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (MNTV) — As Saudi cuisine gains momentum both domestically and internationally, chefs are increasingly experimenting with local ingredients and reimagining traditional dishes through global culinary methods.
This rising interest took center stage at La Liste’s roundtable and awards ceremony during the Saudi Feast Food Festival in Riyadh, according to Arab News.
While fusion cuisine has been popular in the Kingdom for years, the current wave focuses on Saudi flavors themselves and how international chefs are integrating them into their own gastronomic styles.
French chef and author Cyril Rouquet-Prevost said the global spotlight on Saudi Arabia drew him to explore its ingredients and culinary heritage.
Curiosity, he added, is essential for chefs seeking new inspiration. His latest cookbook, “1 date, 1 coffee,” presents 60 recipes built around dates, inspired by flavors from Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean.
He noted that tasting fresh Saudi dates transformed his view of the fruit, which he described as far superior to those available in France.
Rouquet highlighted dates’ versatility, noting they can be used as whole fruit, paste or syrup, enabling both sweet and savory dishes.
He praised the Kingdom’s spices as well, particularly cardamom paired with rose essence, and named bukhari rice as his personal favorite.
He also pointed to the desert truffle, which Saudi Arabia began exporting to Europe in 2024, as another ingredient fueling international interest. The Kingdom’s date exports reached $451.7 million in 2024, strengthening its global culinary presence.
“Food is a bridge for peace,” Rouquet said, adding that shared meals create space for cultural exchange and soft power.
Colombian journalist and cookbook author Jacqueline Jackaman is preparing to publish her second Saudi-focused book, “Saudi Fusion Flavors,” co-written with Saudi chef Yasser Jad, president of the Saudi Arabia Chefs Association.
The book showcases fusion dishes by chefs across the Kingdom, blending Saudi traditions with global culinary identities ranging from French to Colombian.
Jackaman’s first book, “Cooking Her Heritage: Saudi Arabia,” compiled traditional recipes from Saudi women nationwide.
She said many of these dishes had never been formally documented, requiring extensive travel to meet home cooks, including grandmothers and great-grandmothers who preserved these traditions in handwritten notebooks.
She emphasized that while men often dominate restaurant kitchens, Saudi women have long been the custodians of the nation’s culinary memory.
The hospitality shown by these women, she said, was essential to the project’s success. At the Riyadh event, La Liste also unveiled its 2025 Saudi award recipients.
Cafe Boulud won Opening of the Year; Indulge Thyself secured the Ethical and Sustainability Award; Momo was honored as Talent of the Year; Najd Village earned the Classical Revival Award; Kuuru received the Innovation Award; and AlUla was named Gastronomic Destination of the Year.
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