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Lebanon shone brightly at the international gastronomy festival, “Les Étoiles de Mougins,” through the remarkable culinary talents of Chef Joe Barza, along with chefs Aline Kamakian, Charles Azar, and Youssef Akiki, who showcased the best of Lebanese cuisine.
We caught up with Chef Joe Barza, a global ambassador of Lebanese gastronomy, for whom the Mougins festival is a must-attend event. During a book signing for Goûts du Liban, Recettes et Rencontres, co-authored with Noha Baz, Joe Barza, and Aline Princet, Barza shared, “This book features 60 of Lebanon’s best recipes, alongside texts and portraits of Lebanese personalities.” He reflected on his 30-year career, his time in South Africa, and his discovery of the culinary world, where he trained under renowned chefs such as Pierre Paumel, Marc Veyrat, Jean-Pierre Jacob, and Pierre-Louis Marin before forging his own culinary identity.
With his bold personality, Barza adds “modernity and originality to a Mediterranean cuisine deeply rooted in Lebanese tradition.” Each of his dishes is a true work of art, playing with colors and aromas. In 2009, he launched Joe Barza Culinary Consultancy, specializing in culinary consulting and introducing new trends. He was crowned “World Champion” at the International Bluefin Tuna Cooking Competition in Sardinia and earned the title of Master Chef in 2010.
For Chef Youssef Akiki, attending the festival for the first time was a significant milestone. “Mougins is a premier gastronomic destination. I am here representing Lebanon and its culinary heritage. It’s a privilege to meet the best chefs in the world.” Youssef Akiki, a disciple of Escoffier in Lebanon and the Middle East, has undergone extensive training with Alain Ducasse, CREA, and the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, along with internships at Joël Robuchon in Paris, Nicolas Le Bec in Lyon, De Leest in the Netherlands, and locations in Brussels, Australia, and Switzerland.
In 2002, he joined the Intercontinental Hotel Group in Beirut, hosted culinary shows in Belgium and Montreal, and participated in the Beirut Cooking Festival and Horeca. In 2009, he became the executive chef at Burgundy, a high-end restaurant in Beirut. Since 2015, he has served as a culinary consultant for the American Meat Export Federation. Akiki is also the founder and director of Kitchen Backstage Company, a culinary consultancy, and Brût, a seasonal gastronomic restaurant offering a unique farm-to-table Levantine dining experience.
“I’m delighted to be part of the Mougins festival for the fourth time,” says pastry chef Charles Azar, who had just prepared a delicious oriental pistachio, orange blossom, and mastic (known as meske in Lebanese) dessert served in a verrine. After earning a degree in hospitality, Charles Azar trained at the Lenôtre school in Paris and spent more than 20 years working in the hotel industry both in Lebanon and abroad. Since 2005, he has shared his expertise with many students and has been involved in organizing national and international competitions. He captained the Lebanese team at the World Pastry Cup in Lyon and the Bocuse d’Or. Azar is also the president of the National Academy of Cuisine for Lebanon, the Gulf, and the Middle East and hosts a pastry show called Well Done. In 2017, he co-founded “Le Flocon – Artisan Glacier” in Lebanon, the region’s first artisanal ice cream concept, using natural ingredients.
Chef Aline Kamakian was a hit at the gala dinner, preparing a basterma lentil starter. “I chose to reinvent the basterma to highlight it,” she explains. “It’s a tribute to my mother, and the Michelin-starred chefs loved the dish. It’s my first time at the festival, and I’m proud to introduce my Armenian culture.” In 2003, Aline Kamakian opened Mayrig, a pioneering Armenian restaurant offering a taste of Armenia’s forgotten family recipes. Since then, she has ventured into new concepts such as catering, Batchig, and Mayrig Boutique, and opened Mayrig branches in Dubai, Riyadh, the Maldives, and Yerevan. She also launched Lahmajun, a takeout brand, and hosts a YouTube show called Cook with Aline.
In collaboration with World Central Kitchen and Chef José Andrés, Kamakian helped feed over 1,000 families daily. She has also created her own retail brand, Kamakian, featuring Armenian products made by Armenian and Lebanese mothers. “I also teach Armenian cuisine courses at Ducasse in Paris.” In October 2024, Kamakian will be named ambassador of Armenian gastronomy in New York. “I’m thrilled to have put Armenia on the international gastronomic map,” she says.
Among the four Lebanese chefs, Jean Haidar was also invited to the festival, where he offered tastings of Lebanese dishes. He has made a name for himself in Nice by opening Le Cèdre, a must-visit for lovers of Lebanese cuisine. “After studying at the hotel school in Lebanon, I opened Le Beyrouth in Strasbourg. It was only seven years ago, after discovering Nice on a trip, that I decided to settle here,” he reveals. Jean Haidar assisted the four Lebanese chefs who prepared dishes for the gala dinner, helping to restore Lebanon’s culinary brilliance to the international stage.
