Leaving Modern Culinary And Returning To His Prosperous Cooking, This Palestinian Chef Wins Awards In The US

Chef Michael Rafidi. (Source: Instagram/@chefcharirafadi)

JAKARTA - Palestinian-American Chef Michael Rafidi won the culinary award James Beard, dedicating it to Palestinians around the world.

Rafidi, owner and chef at Albi Restaurant in Washington DC, United States, received the Extraordinary Chef award at the James Beard Foundation's annual ceremony in Chicago, Monday night this week.

Rafidi is recognized for his dedication to Arabic and Levant cuisine which he served at his restaurant which he founded in February 2020.

Previously, Rafidi had been nominated in the same award category twice, as a semifinalist in 2022 and a finalist in 2023, but failed to qualify on both occasions.

In May 2022, Albi was awarded the Michelin star in recognition of Rafidi, who "takes inspiration from the roots of his family in Ramallah".

Rafidi also heads Yellow, a cafe intensifies, serving Arabic-inspired snacks and snacks with a touch of France.

The chef, who grew up in Maryland, said he was not very interested in cooking his ancestral food at the start of his career, preferring modern French and culinary dishes. However, after traveling around the Middle East, he changed course.

"I decided to return to my roots," he told The National News as quoted June 15.

"I thought: 'I want to open my own restaurant. The restaurant must have Palestinian food as a star and must combine everything I have learned in this business.'"

When opening the Albi, from the Arabic word meaning "my heart", in 2020, Rafidi dedicated the restaurant to his grandparents.

"I'm not trying to make Palestinian food word for word. I grew up in DC, so it's an American restaurant, but from a Palestinian point of view. It's really my interpretation of Palestinian food," he explained.

In November 2023, Rafidi announced on social media that Albi managed to maintain its Michelin star ranking.

"Our journey through Palestinian cuisine has just begun. We are honored that Albi has maintained her Michelin star. A little light was welcomed in the midst of such a dark time for the world," she wrote on social media.

"It was a huge risk when we opened up, and I thought most Arabs would hate what we did. But I think there is a soul in Palestinian food. I really want to show off the food I eat while growing up, because it's amazing, and pay tribute to my grandparents, my family and the Palestinians around the world eating this food," he explained.

The James Beard Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting the people behind American food culture.