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Rabat – As part of the trade month celebration, the British Embassy in Morocco hosted acclaimed British-Moroccan chef Khalid Dahbi, for a “culinary voyage” at the British Ambassador’s residence in Rabat on Thursday, August 13.
Guests from both the UK and Moroccan media industries, embassy stakeholders, from both private and public sectors, joined this gastronomic showcase experience.
On the sidelines of the event, Morocco World News sat down with the internationally acclaimed Moroccan-British chef to discuss his work.
Dahbi’s passion is apparent, and his love for his culture is undying. Mister Gold, as he is nicknamed in professional culinary circles, is on a quest to introduce British people to Moroccan culture, through an authentic culinary experience.
“I’m proud of our culture, and I’m proud of our ingredients, the passion of igniting Morocco has come alive,” he told MWN.
The chef also expressed pride in his Moroccan heritage, stating “I wanted to showcase the best of what Morocco is all about.”
When asked about what ignited his passion for food, Dahbi reminisces on his family’s influence, saying: “I come from a very foodie family, we’ve always celebrated Morocco through our food, it is one of the main reasons why I love cooking.”
Khalid Dahbi left Morocco at the tender age of 14, but through his family’s strong attachment to their homeland, he has grown up immersed in Morocco’s rich culinary heritage.
After traveling through Europe and working in legendary restaurants in Italy and Switzerland, Khalid arrived in London where he worked with Gordon Ramsey at Claridge’s, Jamie Oliver, and Rhubarb food designs.
But Dahbi’s career plans have not always been aimed at grand kitchens and the culinary arts.
“At first, I wanted to be an actor. But after my application was turned down twice, I decided to become a chef.”
To the untrained eye, Dahbi’s culinary pursuit can be seen as fusion food, bringing the best of both Moroccan and British cuisine. The chef is prompt to correct the misconception, however. For him, his culinary art is “ not a fusion, rather a showcase of both cultures.” Or, as he put it, “It’s about highlighting the best of both countries, with an emphasis on the quality of ingredients both kingdoms enjoy.”
When asked about the reception Moroccan dishes and flavors receive in the UK, Chef Dahbi told MWN that “there are a lot of restaurants in London that do the same thing, not all do justice to our culture, and I really want to change that.”
He explained his passion for Moroccan cuisine by citing the incredible diversity of ingredients present in Morocco. “We have an amazing dual access to both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; we need to celebrate the ingredients and the essence of everything we have.”
Although Moroccan gastronomy has gained great international success, Dahbi maintains that there is still much to be accomplished in terms of showcasing to the world the riches of Moroccan culture.
Khalid Dahbi wishes to see Moroccan culinary diversity more widely recognized and celebrated. While it is “great” that “a lot of our products are exported abroad and people enjoy them,” he said, “we also need to celebrate our ingredients here more.”
Asked about his favorite Moroccan dish, the world renowned chef could not settle on one. To Khalid Dahbi, the beauty of Moroccan gastronomy lies in its diversity, and the singularity of each dish. “Every single Moroccan dish, when done well, is just extraordinary.”
More than couscous and tagine
He added, “People know Morocco through couscous and tagine, but there’s so much more to us than that. We have an array of different ingredients, textures and flavors.”
Khalid Dahbi’s dishes are built on the quality of sourced ingredients, from unprocessed fish, fresh produce, and wholesome grains; his emphasis on sourcing basic ingredients “makes all the difference,” according to the chef.
Because of “the abundance of fish, the abundance of herbs, fruits and vegetables,” he argued, Morocco could be described as “the Mecca of best kitchens.”
In 2015 Dahbi founded KD Luxury, a brand that specializes in sourcing rare and highly prized food and beverages from small producers across the world.
He specializes in caviar and in keeping with the meaning of his own surname, edible gold.
Through both KD Luxury and his lifestyle brand Touche, Khalid organizes exclusive experiences around the world for his clients, many of whom have become close friends.
“I run a few different brands, cooking is a passion, but second is my passion for business.”
Dahbi is also dedicated to helping smaller startups in the UK and Morocco with funding, among other methods to promote diversity in the startup world.
“I run a few luxury brands, travel brands and a few tech companies, which in essence will benefit Morocco.”
“Britain has just come out of the EU, and I think that’s a huge opportunity to further partnerships between the two kingdoms.”
‘The pleasure of receiving, lays in giving’
Khalid’s passion for food is only exceeded by his commitment to charitable endeavors, which he continues to grow through partnerships and collaborative efforts around the world.
“To be successful, one needs to have an equally matched essence of giving. This is part of the pride I have for being Moroccan. My family enjoys giving, as it’s part of our culture, religion and DNA as Moroccans.”
The KD Foundation, which the chef started in tandem with his roaring success in the kitchen, works alongside local charities in the UK and Morocco.
In 2019, the foundation was a sponsor of Queen Elizabeth’s birthday events at the British embassy in Rabat, Dahbi’s home city.
The chef is also the co-founder of the Kindred Network together with Quintessentially Group co-founder Aaron Simpson, an online e-commerce platform which donates a percentage of each purchase to participating charities.
Back in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, Khalid Dahbi kept the doors of concierge company Quintessentially open during the pandemic, as he and his team donated thousands of meals to frontline workers and the homeless.
Dahbi’s team cooked and delivered 150 restaurant-quality meals every day, in support of the National Health Service (NHS) and homeless people who bore the brunt of the COVID lockdown, leaving many soup kitchens and food outlets closed.
He explained that, through conversations with friends working for the NHS, he had the idea to start the food distribution initiative. The team delivered gourmet meals to 40 nurses at London Bridge Hospital during their first outreach.
The team also distributed meals to police staff in London’s Charing Cross, as well as to homeless people in Covent Garden, Camden, and Marylebone.
Such initiatives are simply part of his ethos, saying that “there is a much broader pleasure in receiving, when you give,” Dhabi told MWN. “I was brought up to give and I will continue to give. And there’s no better place to give than your own country.”
