JWU Providence Hosts Iraq’s First Celebrity Chef

JWU officials invited Chef Khaldoon al-Khazaali to visit the school’s Providence Campus on May 2, as a cultural ambassador, and to demonstrate classic and updated versions of Iraqi cuisine. Chef Khaldoon, 24, is accustomed to giving culinary demonstrations, but this one was quite unique. It was his first time cooking for an in-studio audience, rather than a television camera. And for the first time, Khaldoon was performing for a non-Arab audience with the assistance of a translator, thousands of miles from the state-run Iraqiya TV studio set in Baghdad where he tapes his show.  
 
Despite these differences, for his first visit to the United States, Chef Khaldoon appeared right at home as he prepared two dishes, Shaikh Mah Shee (Stuffed Eggplant) and Kibbah Batata Máa Khubz Arabi (Potato Patty with Arabic Bread), in front of nearly 200 students, faculty and staff of J&W. “Our culinary program was a natural connection, but we also welcomed Chef Khaldoon as much for the unique cultural perspective he offers,” said university President John Bowen. Karl Guggenmos, J&W dean of culinary education, added, “Having Khaldoon come here was a great opportunity for our students to participate in a multi-cultural and intellectual exchange with a talented young chef with a unique worldview.”
 
A special “thanks” goes out to Badr Fayez, al-Khazaali’s translator for the event. Badr is a JWU graduate student from Saudi Arabia, who also holds a bachelor’s degree from JWU’s College of Culinary Arts. When asked why he came to JWU, al-Khazaali replied, “Much like my show, I enjoy introducing new foods to people. Cooking is about exploring new boundaries. It’s a unique form of art; one that is seen, and also experienced through taste. It’s something I enjoy sharing with others.”
 
With six broadcasts a week since 2005, al-Khazaali strives to present his viewers with new interpretations of traditional Iraqi foods as well as teach them Western cuisines. When asked what he wanted to bring back to his viewers after this visit, Chef Khaldoon replied, “recipes for pizza, hamburgers, and pastries.”