Tara Khattar (Arabic: تارا خطار; born 1992)[1] is a Lebanese chef, who was the first person from a Middle Eastern country to compete on Top Chef France. She also won the competition Chopped on Food Network on two occasions.

Tara Khattar
EducationInstitut Paul Bocuse
New York University
Known forFirst Middle Eastern participant on Top Chef France
Culinary career
Cooking styleProgressive Lebanese
Television show(s)
  • Chopped on Food Network
Websitetarakhattar.com

Career

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Born in Lebanon, Khattar's grandmothers taught her how to cook as a child.[2] One grandmother was from Aleppo, the other one from Achrafieh; they were both differently influenced by the cuisines of their home regions.[3] She studied for a BA in International Management of Culinary Arts at the Institut Paul Bocuse, graduating in 2013.[4] She subsequently worked at l’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Saint-Germain in Paris.[5] She then moved to New York to study for an MA in Food Studies at New York University.[5][6]

In 2018 she was the first person from the Middle East to participate in the television programme Top Chef France, when she joined the show.[7][8] This led to her describing her style of cookery as 'progressive Lebanese'.[1] She subsequently won the competition Chopped on Food Network twice.[7] In 2020 her first book, Liban, was published in French and Arabic.[7]

Books

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  • Liban: Une histoire de cuisine familiale, d'amour et de partage (Hachette Practique 2020)[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kufer, Katrina (10 December 2018). "The Food Hustle: Chef Tara Khattar Rethinks Lebanese Cuisine". Harper\'S Bazaar Arabia.
  2. ^ LBTAdmin (2017-01-31). "Tara Khattar". Lebanon Traveler. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  3. ^ "تارا خطّار: كتابي تحيّة للأم اللبنانية التي تجمع عائلتها بحبّ حول مائدة شهيّة | Laha Magazine". 2021-01-11. Archived from the original on 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  4. ^ "Graduate insight with Tara Khattar". School of hospitality management food service and culinary arts. 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  5. ^ a b Nohra, Rita (2019-02-14). "16 under 30: Tara Khattar". Hospitality News Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  6. ^ "Tara Khattar | La Maison Hachette Pratique". www.hachette-pratique.com (in French). Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  7. ^ a b c Ifteqar, Naheed (2021-01-14). "Lebanese Chef Tara Khattar's Debut Cookbook Honors the Women Who Taught Her Cooking". Vogue Arabia. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  8. ^ taste2016 (2018-02-01). "Tara Khattar". Taste & Flavors. Retrieved 2023-02-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Khattar, Tara (2020-11-25). Liban: Une histoire de cuisine familiale, d'amour et de partage (in French). Hachette Pratique. ISBN 978-2-01-712006-3.
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