RIYADH, 31 March 2004 — Saudi Television’s Channel 2 is bringing haute cuisine to the land of qabsa and spit roast goat.
A cooking contest called “Bon Apetit”, with participants from eight countries including the Kingdom, will be shown tonight at 9 p.m., the first in a six-part series. The competition was filmed at The Grill Restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel.
“The contest was conceived and planned because it was something new for the contestants and the viewers. I am very excited that it now has come to be realized after two months of preparation, and I hope that viewers will enjoy it just as much as we did preparing it,” Hanan Nayel, who is the creator and presenter of the show, told Arab News yesterday.
“The contestants come from eight different countries, so it is very exciting to have such a variety of backgrounds,” said Nayel.
The contestants include Rasha Serry (Egypt), Manal Salem (Saudi Arabia), Clarisse (France), Deborah (India), Jane (England), Deema (Jordan), Roger (Canada) and Amal (Turkey).
“I like the contest. I am fond of cooking for my family,” said Rasha, who will prepare veal parmesan.
Each episode will pitch two contestants against each other, judged by a panel of three experts who will award points for preparation, taste and presentation.
The winner of each episode has a chance to go on to the semi-finals and the finals to win one of four prizes.
First prize will be a four-day stay for two at the Four Seasons Hotel in the Maldives. Second prize will be a kitchen from American Kitchens and the third and fourth prizes will be home appliances from Zaina International.
The judges are two Saudi women, Walaa Hawari and Mayssam Tamim, and one man, Reinhold Nagler, the food and beverage director of the Four Seasons Hotel.
Walaa Hawari, a PR manager in a rehabilitation center, said she was recommended by various people because she travels a lot and is “exposed to different cuisines.”
She said she hoped the program would encourage both Saudi men and women with cooking talents to come out and participate in such shows in the future.
“I think it is courageous for a young Saudi woman to come forward and cook during the program ... but I would also like to see more young men come forward. It would help correct some of the misconceptions we have that the kitchen is a woman’s place. We all know that some of the world’s best chefs are men,” Walaa said.
Mayssam Tamim, who works at the United Nations and cooks European, Chinese and Indian cuisines, agreed, adding it was good to see a new concept on Saudi TV.
