From fine dining to pastry making, Qatar 365 takes you from the museums and into Souq Waqif for a tour of Doha’s finest restaurants. The MICHELIN Guide Qatar 2025 launches with a selection of recommended restaurants, including a star for IDAM by Alain Ducasse.
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00:00A Michelin star is not just a recognition.
00:05For me, it has a profound impact on every aspect of the restaurant.
00:09There is always a place for improvement.
00:11So we continue always involving, finding new techniques, new products.
00:19Hello and welcome to Kata365 with me, Laila Houmaira.
00:23On this episode, we'll wet your taste buds with a scintillating look at Kata's culinary scene
00:29from fine dining to the art of pastry making.
00:32But first, the wait is finally over.
00:35The Michelin Guide Kata for 2025 has been announced and the stars have been awarded.
00:41A big night for Alain Ducasse as he adds another Michelin star to his name
00:45through the modern European restaurant, Idam.
00:48The second Ducasse restaurant in Kata, Jiwan, also got a mention
00:52and I got to take a look at what makes these two restaurants special.
00:57Jiwan is a fitting name for the Alain Ducasse restaurant nestled inside Jean Nouvel's masterpiece.
01:04Meaning the perfect pearl, Jiwan is a gem in Kata's culinary landscape.
01:10So it's only right that 4 million Swarovski crystals adorn the ceiling, reflecting the intricate details.
01:17And perhaps with the launch of Kata's very own Michelin Guide, a worthy spotlight.
01:23A big part of any dining experience is undeniably the ambience and design of a restaurant.
01:29Here at Jiwan, designers Koichi Takada Architects paid tribute to Kata's rich pearl diving heritage.
01:36And you can see it in the overall colour palette.
01:39The earthy tones resembles the sand dunes.
01:42The carpeted floor that gradually goes from a light blue to a darker hue reminds us of the sea.
01:49And even the tableware has little details like a pearl inside a glass, all tying the theme together.
01:57That Arabic influence is also infused into the food.
02:01And the man behind the menu is head chef Morgan Perigo.
02:05Today he's preparing one of his signature dishes.
02:08A tandoori dish featuring a fish found locally, the hamour.
02:13So we mix it with the tandoori, then we stuff this fish mixed with a lot of things inside the naan bread,
02:21then we grill it at the barbecue.
02:23For me it's one of the dishes that is representing a lot Jiwan and the Qatar.
02:28Chef Morgan started his professional culinary journey at 16 years old and seeks inspiration everywhere he goes,
02:35even on his days off.
02:37Whether it's spending time at farms exploring local products or getting lost in the winding lanes of the souks,
02:44he's always looking for ways to spice up Jiwan's offerings.
02:48And while all the attention is on the Michelin guide,
02:51chef Morgan knows his work can't be defined by his childhood wish.
02:56I will continue to do my best. I will continue to manage my team as before.
03:00I won't change. It's not because Michelin is coming that I will change.
03:04And I think it will be the wrong idea to change completely.
03:07From the homey, neutral colours of Jiwan, we head across the road to the Museum of Islamic Art,
03:13home to the first Alam Dukas restaurants in Qatar.
03:17At Idam, we're welcomed by the sophisticated and modern chic fittings of Philip Starck.
03:22But the centrepiece of Idam's architecture is what looks like a painting in the distance, the Doha skyline.
03:29And it's here that head chef Fabrice Frosseau combines classic French fine dining with a contemporary flair.
03:36But to also run a restaurant with a no-alcohol policy, he had to get creative with the ingredients.
03:43I would not say it's a challenge. It's very interesting.
03:46Because of that, you have to think differently.
03:48So, for example, the tannin of the red wine that actually comes from the skin of the grapes and the branches.
03:55So we have been able to extract it, reduce it, and we use this as base to make sauce where there should be red wine.
04:02Alam Dukas is one of the most decorated chefs, with a total of 18 Michelin stars awarded to his restaurants all over the world.
04:10Some would say his secret sauce is innovation and experimentation.
04:15But for Jiwan and Idam, Michelin recognition aside, their mission is clear.
04:20To keep striving for excellence and make diners leave not just happy, but also looking forward to their next visit.
04:27There's always place for improvement.
04:29So we continue always involving, finding new techniques, new products, looking as well at how the markets work.
04:36And this is how you actually evolve.
04:39So what does it take to manage Jiwan and Idam?
04:42Both of which are distinctly different, but stay true to the Qatari identity with a European flair.
04:48I caught up with Jeremy Sheminat, Executive Chef at Jiwan and Idam,
04:53to get his thoughts on Qatar's evolving culinary scene and the significance of the Michelin Guide.
05:03Chef Jeremy, thank you for having us here at Jiwan Restaurant.
05:07As the Executive Chef of both Jiwan and Idam, can you tell us more about the ethos of Alain Ducasse's approach to gastronomy,
05:14and how that's reflected in both the restaurants?
05:17Alain Ducasse's philosophy is focused on the essential, which is to highlight the perfect ingredients,
05:25providing them the perfect preparation, the perfect seasoning, the perfect cooking, and the perfect pairing as well.
05:33And that's what we are doing in both restaurants.
05:36We are also sourcing local products, you know, from local farms.
05:40And it was to inspire, you know, ideas for our new creation dishes.
05:47And even the beverages, you know, we found there a lot of essential oil,
05:52which can be very interesting to use in our future mocktails.
05:57And what is making us different in the city, I think both restaurants are located in an incredible location,
06:08you know, with a stunning view and architecture.
06:12And this is making the difference in Doha.
06:16And so there's a lot of buzz about the Michelin Guide.
06:19What are your thoughts about Qatar getting its own Michelin Guide?
06:23How will that impact the food and culinary scene here?
06:26A Michelin star is not just a recognition.
06:28For me, it has a profound impact on every aspect of the restaurant for the staff.
06:34It's a powerful motivator by inspiring everyone to push for excellence and perfection.
06:41A Michelin star is a mark of quality.
06:46And on that note, other than Alain Ducasse, you have worked with many other Michelin star chefs during your career.
06:53So you know the inner workings of what a Michelin star restaurant looks like or how it works.
06:58So what are some of the biggest learning points or takeaways that you have learned from spending time in those kitchens?
07:07When I arrived in my first position for Alain Ducasse, it was in Les Louikins in Monaco in 2006.
07:14And I started all over from the beginning, like a new beginner.
07:19And it was very difficult.
07:21I've got technique skills, professionalism, and an excellent organization.
07:25I have also learned to always remember to be better than yesterday.
07:30You know, it's very important in our job to question yourself, stay focused, creative, humble.
07:39Yes, Alain Ducasse used to say, plus je vois, moins je sais.
07:44That means, the more I see, the less I know.
07:47And this sentence is always in the back of my mind.
07:53From culinary roots to savory delights to something a little sweeter.
07:58Joanna Hoos enjoys a sugar rush as she explores the art of making traditional sweets here in Doha's Souq Waqif
08:05and tastes desserts crafted by Idam and Jiwan's executive pastry chef, Lucas Frodinier.
08:12For sweet toots like me, Doha serves up a slice of sugary heaven.
08:17Desserts and pastries are part and parcel of Qatar's culinary heritage,
08:22with sweet shops and bakeries like Al Halab dotted around the city.
08:26Great news for your sugar cravings, not so much the waistline.
08:30Sweet to the Arab culture is something that brings joy, tradition.
08:37Our main two best sellers, it's our kunafa, that is crispy from the outside and cheesy from the inside,
08:46that gives you a taste of heaven.
08:50And the second one is the baklava, that is made with authentic and high quality premium nuts, if you want,
08:58with a layer of crispy dough that's also amazing.
09:03Al Halab has been selling Arabic sweets for nearly 150 years.
09:07They first opened in Lebanon in 1881, but due to popular demand, have since opened here in Qatar.
09:14Now, they sell desserts from all over the MENA region,
09:17all with a Qatari twist, and the cherry on the cake is that they've given me some to try.
09:26It started in Tripoli, north of Lebanon, 1881, as a small run shop making Arabic traditional sweets,
09:37and it grew to become franchisee all over the world, especially in the GCC and in the Middle East.
09:42While our sweets are deeply rooted into the Lebanese state,
09:46but we actually tailor some of the Qatari sweets just to respect their culture and their tradition as well.
09:54For a more high-end experience, I head back to Michelin-starred Idam to meet executive pastry chef Lucas Fourdrinier.
10:02Born and trained in France, his refined desserts reflect his French roots,
10:07but are also inspired by the Middle Eastern region he now calls home.
10:11So we use all the best ingredients that we can find, or ingredients that nobody knows,
10:18like we work with maybe camel milk, like the small flour that we can find in the desert here,
10:24all the spice and all the diversity of food that you can have here.
10:28But I will keep some touch or some technique that I use in French, for sure.
10:33In some restaurants, dessert is treated as a bit of an afterthought,
10:36but not here at Idam, where the final course is integral to the tasting menu.
10:41A perfectly sweet finish to a carefully crafted dining experience.
10:46For me, pastry is something that you don't need, but you will crave for.
10:49You don't need to have any desserts, but you will take it.
10:52In Idam, when you have this kind of menu that you will go with six or eight plates,
10:56of course it's obvious that the dessert will be mandatory at the end.
11:00You need to have it. This is the sequence of experiences.
11:04Prove is in the pudding, as back in Souk Waqif, I definitely don't need another pastry.
11:09But with a selection like this, who can blame me for having another one?
11:13A celebration on a plate and a perfect reflection of Arab hospitality,
11:17where sweets are as much about taste as a sense of community.
11:21In our culture, sweets are not just food.
11:25Sweets are a way to bring people together, family together, friends together.
11:30It's a way of connection between the whole community.
11:37The introduction of the Michelin Guide will enhance the reputation of restaurants in Qatar
11:41and elevate the culinary scene even further.
11:44We hope you've enjoyed going on a gastronomic journey with us,
11:47but that's all the time we have for now.
11:49For more, check out Euronews.com and connect with us through our hashtag.
11:53Thanks for watching and we'll see you next time on Qatar 365.