DUBAI: Louloua didn’t start out wanting to be a chef. Although she grew up surrounded by food, watching her mother, aunts and grandmothers “cooking all the time,” her interest in food was sparked much later than her entrepreneurial ambitions — which she has had for as long as she can remember.
“It all began when I began to make recipes to feed my children. I started cooking out of need,” says the effervescent mother-of-three. “My real passion for food was born when I started to teach … that’s when I felt like learning more, exploring food more … Then, gradually, I started working with different brands on food-related projects and over the years, acquired the title of a chef.”
Today she is the proud founder of Loulou’s Kitchen, a state-of-the-art cooking school where she conducts a variety of classes for ladies of all ages – ranging from basic culinary skills to exotic cuisines such as Thai, Japanese, and Italian.
The journey to get here, from her humble beginnings doing cooking classes in her home kitchen nearly two decades ago, has been arduous to say the least.
“I struggled between the house with having little kids that need attention and care, and having to build my career,” she says.
“The biggest challenge for me, however, was changing perceptions of society about being a chef. When I first started 18 years ago, people thought my job was insignificant. When people would ask my son ‘What does your mom do?’ he would tell his friends she’s a cook. Even he considered me a cook, not a chef. When I met people socially, they would be surprised to learn that I am the owner of Loulou’s Kitchen, and ask if I hire a chef to teach my students!”
The pioneering chef persevered in spite of the pushback she received, motivated by a drive to change the culture and, over the years, found that the shackles loosened.
“I really wanted more girls to know about this field as a career option. I wanted to convince more women to get into this, and that pushed me to continue what I was doing,” she says.
Along the way, she garnered a number of accolades, including being invited to do recipe development for leading brands such as Maggi Arabia, Goody and Unilever. She has also participated in numerous cooking competitions and culinary events, and participated in TV shows such as “Rotanna Kaligia”; “Doctor Chef”; “Sayidaty” and “Maggi Diaries,” a program themed around empowering women through food and cooking.
Her biggest turning point, however, was participating in “Top Chef Middle East” in 2011. “I had much more exposure among everyone in society. People who had heard of my kitchen would actually watch me on TV,” she says.
Combined with the social media explosion of recent years, which also helped in building her brand – although she is quick to admit that she is still playing catch-up on that front, as none of it existed when she first started out – she acquired nationwide recognition, which contributed to making her dream come true in 2012, when she finally opened her professional cooking studio.
The cooking school, in turn, is helping her in the mission to change societal perceptions about cooking, and inspiring Saudi Arabian youth to explore the culinary industry as a viable and fun career option.
“Nowadays the mentality has changed dramatically, and women are so proud to become chefs. Some people I know have left their jobs in administrative work to fulfill their dream of becoming a professional chef. Now in restaurants and hotels, we often see female chefs working in the kitchen,” she says. “I had this vision that in the coming years, there will be many more Saudi chefs in the hospitality industry, and that is definitely happening now.”
As any female chef anywhere in the world will reveal, however, it isn’t easy. “Having to work in a commercial kitchen all day long made me realize that the physical and mental effort needed to do everything that is expected in the kitchen is really hard work,” she admits.
But, as long as they are prepared for the long hours and physical rigors of the job, she encourages anyone who is interested in pursuing this as a career, as it can be very rewarding.
“My message to all women who want to become professional chef is to go ahead,” she says. “With lots of perseverance and commitment you will reach your goal. It has a lot of potential as it is booming in the Saudi Arabia at the moment.”
The accidental chef who is cooking up a storm in Saudi Arabia
The accidental chef who is cooking up a storm in Saudi Arabia
Recipes for Success: Chef Aljawharah Al-Salem offers advice and a cereal bar recipe
DUBAI: At Kimpton KAFD Riyadh, pastry chef and chocolatier Aljawharah Al-Salem is hoping to contribute to a new chapter in Saudi Arabia’s evolving culinary story. One of the Kingdom’s most promising pastry talents, Al-Salem studied at Ecole Ducasse — Ecole Nationale Superieure de Patisserie in France and George Brown College in Toronto.
She has honed her expertise in French pastry and chocolate in kitchens including Le Meurice in Paris, Hotel X Toronto, and Richmond Station. Today, Al-Salem channels that experience into innovative chocolate creations at Kimpton KAFD Riyadh.
“Our menus are designed to celebrate Saudi flavors while presenting them in a modern, refined way,” Al-Salem tells Arab News. “We wanted to create dishes that feel familiar to locals but also surprise international guests. You’ll find traditional ingredients like dates, saffron, cardamom, and local honey, but paired with global techniques and presentations. It’s a balance between heritage and innovation.”
When asked about her favorite dish on the menu, she said: “My favorite is the Saudi Tiramisu. It’s close to my heart because it tells the story of Saudi hospitality on a plate. Every time I prepare it, I feel I’m honoring my roots but also pushing boundaries in how Saudi cuisine can be presented.”
Here, she discusses her love for olive oil and fatty burgers, and shares a recipe for nut and spice cereal bars.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
Rushing the process. In the beginning, I wanted everything to be perfect and fast, but great food takes patience. Whether it’s proofing dough or tempering chocolate, time is often the secret ingredient.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Recipes are guidelines, not rules. Start with fresh ingredients, taste as you go, and enjoy the process rather than worrying about the result — especially if you have tiny hands helping you in the kitchen. Cooking together makes the food taste even better.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Good quality olive oil. It adds depth, richness, and balance whether you’re cooking or finishing a dish. For us, in the region, olive oil carries cultural as well as nutritional value.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
It’s impossible not to notice details, but I try to focus on the overall experience rather than just picking faults.
And what’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants?
The most common issue I notice isn’t about flavor; it's about consistency. A dish might be great one day and average the next. Consistency is the true test of a kitchen.
What’s your favorite cuisine or dish to order?
As much as I admire fine cuisine, after a long shift nothing hits the spot like a fatty smash burger. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t require perfection, it just delivers pure comfort, and that’s exactly what a chef craves after hours of precision in the kitchen.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
If I need a quick meal, I go for a one-pot pasta — sorry, Italians! It’s fast, comforting, and feeds the whole family.
What customer request or behavior most annoys you?
I wouldn’t say it annoys me, but sometimes people come in with a closed mindset — wanting things only the way they know them. I believe part of dining out is trusting the chef and being open to new flavors and experiences. Life is too short to only stick to what you know.
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
I love cooking saleeq. It’s comforting, deeply flavorful, and brings people together. In Saudi culture, saleeq is often served at big gatherings, so it also feels symbolic of our hospitality.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
Pastry is always humbling. It requires absolute precision and patience. You can’t improvise with baking the way you can with savory cooking, so it keeps me sharp.
As a leader, what are you like?
I believe in discipline, but not in shouting. A kitchen should be built on respect and teamwork. I lead by example. If my team sees me as focused, organized and calm, they mirror that energy. At the end of the day, food tastes better when it’s prepared in a positive environment.
Chef Aljawharah’s nut and spice cereal bars
Yield: 10 bars (30 × 40 cm tray, 1 cm thick)
Ingredients
• 180 g Rolled oats, lightly toasted
• 100 g Puffed rice (or puffed wheat)
• 60 g Puffed quinoa (or toasted quinoa)
• 40 g Almonds, roasted & chopped
• 40 g Pistachios, roasted & chopped
• 30 g Pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 30 g Sunflower seeds, toasted
• 30 g Dried cranberries
• 20 g Candied orange peel, finely diced
• 2 g Ground cinnamon
• 1 g Ground cardamom
• 1 g Fine sea salt
Binding syrup:
• 80 g Brown sugar
• 80 g Local Honey (or date Molasses)
• 40 g Water
• 25 g clarified butter
• 10 g Cocoa powder
Finishing:
• 100 g Dark chocolate 64–70%
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Method
1. Toast cereals & seeds: Spread oats, puffed quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds on a tray. Toast at 150°C for 10–12 min until lightly golden.
2. Prepare syrup: Cook sugar, honey, and water together to 113°C. Off the heat, stir in butter paste and cocoa powder.
3. Combine: In a mixing bowl, combine toasted cereals, puffed rice, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, candied peel, and spices. Pour in the hot syrup and mix well to coat.
4. Mold: Spread mixture evenly into a 30 × 40 cm tray, 1 cm thick lined with silicone mat/parchment. Press firmly to compact.
5. Bake: Bake briefly at 160°C for 6–8 min to stabilize the bar. Cool completely at room temperature.
6. Cut & finish: For home cooks, Cut into 10 bars. Dip bases in melted dark or drizzle across the top then refrigerate to set the chocolate. For professional use, dip in tempered chocolate or place in molds then top it with tempered chocolate. Crystallize at 17°C before unmolding.
