Chef Igor Macchia talks Italian-infused creations, collaboration with Riyadh’s new Lavazza Coffee Design eatery

Chef Igor Macchia talks Italian-infused creations, collaboration with Riyadh’s new Lavazza Coffee Design eatery
Italian chef Igor Macchia designed the menu at Riyadh's Lavazza Coffee Design. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 27 May 2024
Follow

Chef Igor Macchia talks Italian-infused creations, collaboration with Riyadh’s new Lavazza Coffee Design eatery

Chef Igor Macchia talks Italian-infused creations, collaboration with Riyadh’s new Lavazza Coffee Design eatery

DUBAI: Italian chef Igor Macchia is excited about the opening in Riyadh of Lavazza Coffee Design, which infuses his signature dishes and brews with Middle Eastern tastes and flavors.

Having designed the menu for the establishment, which opened on May 23, Macchia is looking forward to Saudi Arabia customers experiencing his creations.




Italian chef Igor Macchia designed the menu at Riyadh's Lavazza Coffee Edition. (Supplied)

“The creative process started from a local consumer taste perspective combined with the Lavazza Italian DNA and my Michelin-star background from La Credenza Restaurant (San Maurizio Canavese, Torino, Italy),” said Macchia in an interview with Arab News.




Lavazza’s premium 1895 collection cosists of  limited-quantity microlot coffee, specialty blends and single-origin brews. (Supplied)

“I’ve visited different restaurants and spots in Middle East and tasted a lot of local recipes to get inspiration for my project for Lavazza Coffee Design store. The result is a rich and tasty menu, ranging from breakfast to dinner, ideal to be paired with 1895 premium coffee, selected by Lavazza for this store in Riyadh.”

Inspired by Lavazza’s flagship stores in London and Milan, the Riyadh location boasts signature design elements, such as the iconic chandelier made up of more than 300 illuminated coffee beans and the main counter finished with exhausted coffee powder and resin for an original effect.

Additionally, the coffee experience is elevated by the introduction of Lavazza’s premium 1895 collection sourced from around the world. It consists of limited-quantity microlot coffee, specialty blends and single-origin brews.

Here, Macchia discusses his favorite dish, early mistakes and management style.

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?

I’ve never made a mistake. (Laughs.) I’m joking. I think my most common mistake was to try and enrich a recipe, looking for the best taste when, in the end, it’s sufficient to buy good-quality ingredients and give value to them for a ‘Wow’ effect.

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs, cooking at home?

Cooking’s all about passion. Recipes are fine, but they need a personal touch to become really wonderful dishes.

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?

Parmesan cheese in all kinds of forms.

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food? What’s the most common issue that you find in other restaurants?

When I go out for dinner, it is a moment of pure pleasure and I love enjoying it without any fussing or critiquing. The most common mistake is building a very beautiful venue, but with no soul in it. The vibe you can feel inside your preferred spot will make all the difference.

When you go out to eat, what’s your favorite cuisine/dish to order? And why?

It all depends on the mood: it can be a traditional place like an Italian trattoria as well as a fine-dining restaurant, or ethnic food which I do love.

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?

Easy and fancy at the same time: rigatoni with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finished with a pinch of ground coffee powder.

What customer request most annoys you?

Clients are our guests: we need to listen to their requests. Maybe a suggestion from a client could one day be a new dish on the menu.

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

Risotto. No doubt about it. I spent my childhood summers in the Vercelli area, where Piedmont rice comes from. Risotto has a special place in my heart.

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?

I think it’s tiramisu — the iconic Italian coffee-based dessert. The way we do it, with sponge cake, instead of lady fingers biscuits, means it needs to be prepared in the right way to be light and airy. Then you finish the dish with mascarpone foam with syphon and pour the 1895 Cocoa Reloaded espresso on top. Different steps and textures for an amazing result.

As a head chef, what are you like? Do you shout a lot?

I’d say I’m a disciplinarian, but I’ve learned that motivation is key to great results. There’s no need to shout, you just need to build team spirit.

Recipe: MASCARPONE & DRIED FRUITS TOAST




The chef's marscapone and dried fruits toast. (Supplied) 

1. Cut a 1cm slice of sourdough bread and gently toast it.

2. Spread generously with mascarpone cheese, add pomegranate seeds, decorate with fresh mint leaves and finish with a sweet sauce made from honey with chopped dried fruits, such as dates, and nuts, such as pistachio.

3. Serve. Ideal when paired with coffee.

 


Mona Tougaard shines in new Versace campaign

Mona Tougaard shines in new Versace campaign
Updated 19 February 2025
Follow

Mona Tougaard shines in new Versace campaign

Mona Tougaard shines in new Versace campaign

DUBAI: Model Mona Tougaard showed off the new Versace collection this week as she starred in the luxury fashion house’s latest campaign.

Tougaard, who has Danish, Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian ancestry, was seen on video reclining on a deep orange sofa, her hair styled in a sleek, straight look with blunt bangs.

She wore a two-piece ensemble combining various textures and patterns.

A lilac-toned sequined crop top featured delicate yellow floral embroidery, thin straps and a plunging neckline. The skirt, in rich brown satin, had an intricate overlay of cream floral lace.

Accessories include oversized engraved gold rings with motifs such as the Versace Medusa emblem and baroque-inspired designs. Others had sculpted leaves and swirling patterns.

Also highlighted was a bold red handbag with intricate silver embroidery and a gold medallion clasp, with the Versace logo prominently displayed.

Tougaard wore a rich navy look, featuring a shaggy-textured coat draped over matching velvet pants. (Supplied)

Tougaard’s footwear included a pair of sparkling crystal-embellished heels in a soft mint green shade, with a delicate ankle strap featuring a silver buckle and a sharply pointed toe.

Tougaard started her modeling career in 2017 after winning the Elite Model Look Denmark competition at the age of 15. Since then, she has become a well-known figure in the fashion industry, working with top designers and luxury brands including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Chanel and Valentino.

The catwalk star has had a whirlwind month, gracing the runway during New York Fashion Week in the Tory Burch Fall/Winter 2025 show.

She sported a look in rich navy, including a shaggy-textured coat draped over matching velvet pants.

A structured scarf was wrapped around her shoulders, secured with a gold pin. The look was completed with glossy pointed-toe shoes and she carried a slouchy black leather handbag with soft folds and a long strap.

In January, she was part of the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025 show at Paris Fashion Week, when she wore a halter-neck dress with a sheer, form-fitting bodice that transitioned into a voluminous skirt with meticulously folded fabric. The gunmetal shade accentuated the texture of the design.

“This dress is a literal masterpiece,” she wrote on Instagram, sharing a video of herself on the runway. “I’m completely lost for words.”


Mona Kattan’s Kayali fragrance brand parts ways with cosmetics giant Huda Beauty

Mona Kattan’s Kayali fragrance brand parts ways with cosmetics giant Huda Beauty
Updated 18 February 2025
Follow

Mona Kattan’s Kayali fragrance brand parts ways with cosmetics giant Huda Beauty

Mona Kattan’s Kayali fragrance brand parts ways with cosmetics giant Huda Beauty

DUBAI: Huda Beauty — founded by US Iraqi sisters Huda, Mona and Alya Kattan — is divesting its ownership in fragrance brand Kayali, co-founded by Huda and Mona Kattan in 2018, the pair announced on Monday.

Mona is partnering with global growth equity firm General Atlantic to jointly own the fragrance brand.

Kayali will operate as an independent company, with Mona continuing as the brand’s CEO.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HUDA BEAUTY (@hudabeauty)

Since its launch in 2018, Kayali’s product offerings have grown to 24 fragrances, which are sold by retailers like Sephora, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and ASOS.

The move allows Huda Beauty’s owners to buy back a stake held by TSG Consumer Partners since 2017, according to a joint statement by the three companies on Monday.

Beauty sells everything from luxury eyelashes to makeup and skincare products. The company has more than 54.2 million followers on Instagram, well ahead of rivals Rare Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics which have 8 million and 24.7 million followers respectively.

"Huda Beauty is making history as one of the few established beauty brands to return to full founder ownership," the statement said, according to Reuters.

A value for the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, was not disclosed.

Goldman Sachs International acted as Huda Beauty’s financial advisor, and Gibson Dunn served as its legal advisor. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom served as Mona Kattan’s legal advisor.

Raymond James served as General Atlantic’s financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins served as its legal advisor.


Lyna Khoudri shares teaser trailer for Afghanistan evacuation drama ‘13 Days, 13 Nights’

Lyna Khoudri shares teaser trailer for Afghanistan evacuation drama ‘13 Days, 13 Nights’
Updated 18 February 2025
Follow

Lyna Khoudri shares teaser trailer for Afghanistan evacuation drama ‘13 Days, 13 Nights’

Lyna Khoudri shares teaser trailer for Afghanistan evacuation drama ‘13 Days, 13 Nights’

DUBAI: French Algerian actress Lyna Khoudri took to social media to share the teaser clip and poster for upcoming film “13 Days, 13 Nights” by director Martin Bourboulon this week.

The Afghanistan evacuation drama, the full title of which is “In The Hell Of Kabul: 13 Days, 13 Nights,” stars Khoudri alongside Danish BAFTA-winning “Borgen” star Sidse Babett Knudsen, Roschdy Zem (“Chocolat,” “Oh Mercy!”), and theater actor Christophe Montenez.

Set against US troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, as the Taliban marches on Kabul, the film recounts the true story of French Commander Mohamed Bida who oversaw security at the French embassy, which was the last Western mission to remain open.

Commander Bida negotiated with the Taliban to organize an evacuation convoy with the help of Eva, a young French Afghan translator played by Khoudri.

The teaser trailer features aerial shots of hundreds of people attempting to leave Afghanistan, as well as close up shots of Zem who plays Commander Bida.

“This movie happens to be one of the most exciting challenges that has been offered to me. Firstly, there is this character based on a real-life person, whose fate intersects with history itself. Secondly, the context of fleeing your own country has left no one indifferent thus bringing us to a story within history, the one that we are interested in,” Zem said, according to a previous article by Deadline.

“It tells us how, in the heart of a recent drama, a few individuals only listened to their courage to save what many would consider dear, with the feeling that they were only doing what seemed right to them. Heroes, as many would call them, because they retain the most essential quality: humanity,” he added.

The film marks a change for Bourboulon after period dramas “The Three Musketeers – Part II: Milady,” “The Three Musketeers – Part I: D’Artagnan” and “Eiffel.”

Khoudri, 32, first rose to prominence in her role as Nedjma in Mounia Meddour’s critically acclaimed drama “Papicha.” For her work in the film, she won the Orizzonti Award for best actress at the 74th Venice Film Festival, and she was nominated in the Cesar Awards’ most promising actress category.

Khoudri also starred in the 2019 mini-series “Les Sauvages” and in 2016’s “Blood on the Docks.”

Notably, she was cast in Wes Anderson’s 2021 comedy “The French Dispatch” alongside Timothee Chalamet, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Owen Wilson.


Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition
Updated 18 February 2025
Follow

Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition
  • Host of winter entertainment options celebrate ancient Saudi city’s history, identity 
  • Food, luxury retail, hands-on heritage activities among visitor attractions

RIYADH: Layali Diriyah, the immersive winter entertainment experience, is offering a range of cultural and culinary experiences that celebrate the identity and history of the ancient city of Diriyah.

Now in its fourth edition, the event offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants.

Asma Al-Shehri, one of the visitors, told Arab News: “The place is absolutely stunning, and it’s even more well-prepared than I expected. What impressed me the most was the incredible hospitality — the organizers are everywhere, ready to assist and welcome you.”

Layali Diriyah opened on Feb. 12, 2025 as part of Diriyah Season 24/25.

Food lovers can indulge in a selection of flavors at six cafes and nine restaurants, featuring both local and international cuisines. The event also includes 13 luxury retail stores, giving visitors access to renowned brands, unique handcrafted items, and winter-inspired food and beverage stalls.

A highlight of this year’s event is the “Chef’s Table Experience,” where visitors can enjoy exclusive dishes prepared for the occasion. This fine-dining experience, with its elegant winter atmosphere, adds a luxurious touch to the vibrant energy of Layali Diriyah.

Standout features of this year’s event include interactive art installations such as the palm frond bridge. Other attractions include traditional swings and live folk performances.

Visitors can also engage in hands-on heritage activities that celebrate Diriyah’s historical significance, allowing them to experience the traditions and customs that define the region.

Entry to Layali Diriyah is SR185 ($49) per person. Alternatively, visitors can book a table at one of the participating restaurants and pay the entrance fee through The Chefz app. The event also provides a shuttle service from designated parking areas.


Saudi designers transform traditional handcrafts into high fashion

Saudi designers transform traditional handcrafts into high fashion
Updated 18 February 2025
Follow

Saudi designers transform traditional handcrafts into high fashion

Saudi designers transform traditional handcrafts into high fashion
  • Competition winners to display their work at Saudi Cup exhibition
  • Techniques include hand embroidery, natural dyeing, leatherwork

RIYADH: A fusion of tradition and innovation stole the spotlight at the Traditional Handcrafts Revival in Saudi Fashion competition on Sunday, where local designers used age-old techniques to craft high-fashion pieces.

Held at Mansard Hotel – The Gallery in Riyadh, the event celebrated 10 winners whose designs honored the Kingdom’s rich cultural identity through embroidery, natural dyeing, leatherwork, and even 3D printing.

First-place winner Rand Al-Saif’s design, ‘Saudiya,’ is inspired by the desert landscapes of Hijaz and Tihama. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)

The winning designs will be showcased at the Fashion Commission’s exhibition during the Saudi Cup 2025 this weekend.

Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Fashion Commission, highlighted the initiative’s role in promoting Saudi Arabia’s culture.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The winning designs will be showcased at the Fashion Commission’s exhibition during the Saudi Cup 2025 this weekend.

• ‘Sidrat Najd’ by Maha Al-Qahtani is an ethereal gown that integrates sidr fruit kernels, covered with silver leaves and Swarovski crystals.

“The ‘Traditional Handcrafts Revival in Saudi Fashion’ initiative is a program designed to promote traditional Saudi attire within the contemporary fashion industry.

“It emphasizes Saudi cultural heritage, enhances and preserves Saudi cultural identity, and fosters local talent in creative design,” he told Arab News.

Second-place winner Maha Al-Qahtani stands next to her design, “Sidrat Najd,” a gown inspired by the sidr tree. The piece incorporates sustainability by using sidr fruit kernels wrapped in silver and adorned with Swarovski crystals. (AN photo by Waad Hussain)

Cakmak added: “By emphasizing Saudi culture at the forefront of the competition, we were able to foster creative talent to create new designs showcasing the vast heritage of Saudi in alignment with the Ministry of Culture’s ‘Year of Handicrafts.’”

Rand Al-Saif’s winning design, “Saudiya,” is a five-piece ensemble showcasing intricate hand embroidery, natural dyeing, and traditional leatherwork — techniques deeply rooted in Saudi Arabia history.

“My design, ‘Saudiya,’ is inspired by the desert of Hijaz and Tihama,” Al-Saif said.

In second place was “Sidrat Najd” by Maha Al-Qahtani. Her ethereal gown integrates sidr fruit kernels, covered with silver leaves and Swarovski crystals.

“The name of my design is ‘Sidrat Najd,’ inspired by the sidr tree, which holds deep cultural significance in Saudi heritage,” she explained.

Third was “Bride of the Arabian Peninsula” by Ghaida Majdali, who took a bold and innovative approach.

“The fabric was worked on for 350 hours of hand embroidery, without any machine. The skirt is made of metal with 3D printing, covered in natural camel leather,” she said.