When Culture Meets Creativity | Meet Sofian Makkawi | Ecole Ducasse Paris | Culinary Arts Diploma

Bonjour! My name is Sofian Makkawi, I was born in Beirut and moved to Dubai with my family shortly after. I spent most of my upbringing in Dubai which introduced me to a plethora of cultures and customs due to the cosmopolitan nature of the city as well as attending an international school Dubai American Academy. I was brought up in a household with a deep interest and experience in multiple cultures and arts.?

I chose to study at Ecole Ducasse Paris Campus because I wanted to learn the French techniques of cooking whilst also learning to adapt them into more contemporary?kitchens and then eventually into my own style. French techniques have been adopted globally by many Chef"s whether learned at school or training. They serve as the backbone to creativity in the kitchen, giving you tools from which you can then build dishes and create experiences for your guests. Gaining access to the Ducasse network of restaurants was a large motivator as this would help me work under the best chefs. Alexandre GAUTHIER, Paul PAIRET, Tom KITCHIN.

"I wanted to be in an environment of students seeking cooking as a profession and not just a hobby".

What influenced my decision to pursue a degree in Culinary?arts?

The art of food is at the forefront of who we are, the transformation of energy from a sacrificed life to another in order to continue to live. My appreciation of it is improved due to my social upbringing in regards to food.?I grew up in a culture where we gathered around food, whether it was meals with my family or large family events centered around large tables with food from end to end.?I wanted to work in the kitchen before studying culinary?arts at a school. I wished to ensure that this path was one that I was going to pursue with heart. My interest in cooking developed as I gained experience working in some of the best restaurants in Dubai.?During my experiences in these kitchens I gained many mentors and benefited from a lot of advice which put me on the path that I am on now.?

My Professional ambitions?

My goal is to continuously?learn, improve my techniques, and positively develop the craft and pass down what I have learned. I will seek the greatest opportunities that will allow me to become a better cook. I will grow by learning from others skills and then use this knowledge to create new touches of my own, build new dishes, and create experiences for my guests. I have told myself that the next coming years will be my foundation and after that I would like to establish my own culinary concept and test my capabilities as a Chef and as an entrepreneur.