NAME: CHRISTOPHER RICHARD VAUGHAN

CONCEPT: AL NATA

TITLE: EUROPATE KUWAIT

Faves

Chef: My mom, who always manages to surprise me with tasty creative twists to typically traditional French cooking.

Cooking show: Qui sera le prochain grand patissier.

Cookbook: Modernist cuisine by Maxime Bilet and Nathan Myhrvold.

What experience most defined your decision and desire to get into the food industry?

I remember my very first vegetable garden when I was 6 years old. In awe of all things magical, as I am sure most kids at that age are, I was fascinated by how I could make a tiny grain grow into something I had never seen before. I remember the first bag of seeds I was given came out of this old shed at the bottom of the garden. It had no labels or pictures and no instructions.  After a quick crash course from family on how to plant, they were safely buried in the ground and the seemingly

endless wait had begun. I spent hours playing in the garden waiting for something, anything. When the first shoots popped out of the ground a few days later I knew I was hooked. I’d excitedly wake up before school to run down and check on my little garden, and then rush back home afterwards to check that nothing had happened to my little shoots. When it came time to harvest my little garden I had totally evolved into a food nerd and was annoying everyone in the house with all my questions.

Where is your favorite place to shop for food and ingredients in Kuwait?

I rotate amongst the large retailers here and decide what gets bought based on the quality and freshness I am able to find. I like to visit the fish and spice markets here but, I miss the farmers’ markets near my house back in France. In the early morning they have mushrooms the size of dinner plates sold  out of little wooden carts, and the smell of freshly ground coffee  and bread filling the air all day long.

What food most reminds you of your mother’s house, and why?

Apple tart or chocolate mousse because we could never get enough of these two desserts growing up. She lovingly made them so many times that she could probably prepare them with her eyes closed and both hands behind her back by now.

When you want to go somewhere else to eat, where do you go and why?

I love tapas, so anywhere with good tapas, nice company and some chilled out music is good for me.

Who in the world would you most like to cook for?

First choice would be Nelson Mandela but sadly as that is not possible, Old friends that I’ve lost touch with. Cooking gives you lots of time to catch up and listen to the stories they have  to tell, over well aged traditional French style grape juice and a  plate of cheese to get the appetite going.

If you were to leave Kuwait and could take only one kitchen gadget with you, what would it be?

The clay oven they throw the Iranian bread in at Souk Al Mubarakiya.