Name: Nivine Hassan

Restaurant: Alice & Co.

Title: Head Chef

QUICK FIRE

My Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Manaeesh.
My Knives:   1. Zwilling J.A.Henckles  2. Victorinox.
Most overused spice: Black pepper & Paprika.
Favorite Foodie Destination: Lebanon.
Favorite Kitchen Gadget: Spatula.
Favorite Food Aroma: Rosemary & garlic.

Why did you first get into cooking?
Having a drive for the art of painting for a long time, cooking has always been a hobby on the side, so the inspiration was to blend that hobby with the artistic muse, turning cooking into the art form that it is.

Describe your favorite dish.
An ocean medley on a platter; grilled fish & shrimps, steamed crab, infused with Arabic spices, served with brown rice, sautéed onions & tahini salad.

Name three ingredients you can’t live without in the kitchen.
Flower, eggs & nuts.

What is the most important part of a sandwich?
Bread.

What’s your favorite sauce of all time?
Chilli sauce.

How does your personality differ inside and outside the kitchen?
Outside of the kitchen, I’m in reality, while inside the kitchen I find myself in my own Foodtopia, where nothing exists but me, my music and my food art supplies.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you like to be?
If not a chef, my direction will probably take another form of art, so I’d say painting.

If you could choose, what would your “last supper” be?
Sushi: The combination of a crab salad which includes salmon and avocados, is one of the most craved salads in Asian cuisine. In addition,  the preparation of my ultimate sushi roll combines seaweed, rice, salmon, crab, cucumbers, carrots and avocados with my savory weapon of spices gives it that extra punch in your taste buds.

What do you think will be the biggest food trend of 2019?
Following the self-awareness/awakening revolution that is striking the globe, clean eating will be the biggest food revolution “rather than a trend” of 2019.­­­