Chef Zeyad Al Obaid has had an impressive 20-year journey in the culinary industry, and his hard work does not go unnoticed. He started from humble beginnings working long hours in the kitchens of the Radisson Hotel peeling vegetables. He discovered his passion for hands-on, creative work in the hospitality field, which was encouraged by his father who always aspired to see Chef Zeyad shine in this field. Today he is part of the Al Hajery Restaurant Group family as Solia Restaurant’s R&D chef. So the next time you’re enjoying your meal at Solia, you can think of Chef Zeyad fondly.
But let’s backtrack to when it all started, in the kitchen, of course! He recounts how he was always drawn to the hands-on, creative nature of working in kitchens, rather than a traditional office job. With his early start in hotel kitchens, he got a taste for hospitality even though Chef Zeyad described working long hours, up to 18 per day, and taking on tasks like peeling onions, potatoes, and shrimp when he first began. He said he was “happy” doing this “dirty work” in the kitchen, as that is where anyone starts in the industry. Chef Zeyad emphasized that he enjoyed the hands-on, multitasking nature of the work, rather than just sitting in an office.
Every aspiring young chef has a mentor and Chef Zeyad recalls Radisson Hotel’s Head Chef David as a guide, a person who instilled a strong work ethic early in his career. He credits his experience with Chef David as a key reason for him to pursue formal culinary education and leave the comfort zone of Kuwait for a new journey at the Florida Institute of Culinary Arts. Not only did Chef Zeyad make lifelong friends, but he believes that this move truly shaped his vision, honed his adaptability skills, and prepared him well for what he wanted to pursue upon his return to Kuwait.
Chef Zeyad later pursued formal culinary training in the US, where he had formative experiences and built lifelong friendships. Over the years, he has worked his way up, taking on dedicated roles in corporate kitchens such as P.F Chang’s and Texas Roadhouse, spearheading the menu at concepts like The Breakfast Club and Fogoda (which is still functioning), and eventually joining Solia as an R&D chef. Constantly citing freedom to create as his constant muse, Chef Zeyad believes that this alone doesn’t account for success, as he believes in the importance of collaboration.
Chef Zeyad thrives in the collaborative, supportive environment at Solia, where he has the freedom to experiment and develop new dishes that balance Mediterranean flavors with local tastes. Chef Zeyad succinctly summarizes his role, “It takes a lot of brainstorming, and Solia’s kitchen at The Avenues is like my second home. It’s a playground to create and I love working alongside the other chefs here.”
Upon first joining the team, he got to work, refining the menu and better adapting Solia’s Mediterranean soul to local palates. “People here did not have the right “mindset of Mediterranean” cuisine, as the perception around this cuisine is built around what we know from our side of the Mediterranean, ” He tells us. “So I got to work, thinking of different ways of bridging Solia’s menu items to speak to local customers.” Most importantly, Chef Zeyad was empowered to make these changes thanks to his seasoned experience in the field and the support he received in-house, and the results were quickly seen. When he’s not at Solia, he is supporting Al Hajery’s various culinary concepts, adding, “I joined Al Hajery as a guy who wants to create tasty food, regardless of the concept or cuisine. If you limit yourself to something then creativity is stifled. I love collaborating for Jafra, Sutis, Danish Bakery, and even the company’s Central Kitchen.”
Pass by any time during weekdays or weekends at Solia at The Avenues or Murouj during the cooler months, and it’s always buzzing with action, especially in the mornings. Diners in Kuwait love the menu, which is true to its Mediterranean soul but also caters to beloved local classics, the theater of the food presentation, and the bread and olive cart.
When it comes to the culinary scene in Kuwait, Chef Zeyad appreciates quality and consistency when it comes to staples like burgers, pizza, and pasta, regardless of whether it’s a casual takeout or a high-end establishment. He’s particularly drawn to well-executed smoked meats, and great wings, and is a huge fan of Mexican and Asian cuisine which makes him hark back to his days working in the kitchens at P.F. Chang’s. For loyal bazaar fans, you will remember that Chef Zeyad loves making sandwiches, and he still believes that sandwiches will forever be the ultimate comfort food.
From humble beginnings to shaping the culinary direction at Solia, Chef Zeyad’s path is marked by grit, passion, and relentless pursuit of quality. His story stands as a powerful example of how dedication and a love for craft can elevate unassuming beginnings into an extraordinary legacy in the culinary world.
