Avec Karim Takes Over the Tea Lounge at Four Seasons First Residence
Avec Karim's culinary experience elevates food into art, and art into a personal archeology - this is more than a dining destination, it's an emotional journey.
There are meals that fill the stomach - and then there are meals which stir something deeper. At Avec Karim, dining has always been less about consumption, and more about transformation. Now the immersive culinary experience that garnered a devoted following across Cairo is taking root in the Four Seasons at the First Residence.
At the Tea Longue, Avec Karim brings a first-of-its-kind limited edition residency. Built on years of seasonal pop-up experience, this new chapter isn't a story of stasis, but rather a chance to refine the narrative.
Where better to settle down than in the iconic Four Seasons. That blend of nostalgic luxury and timeless hospitality is exactly what Avec Karim is about. Just as nature shifts through its seasons, this residency is about growth - both for the brand and for the guest. Avec Karim aims to curate a narrative that doesn't just unfold on the plate, but in the heart of the guest, bringing forth new emotions with each new course, and each new season.
'It's not just a meal,' Avec Karim tells SceneEats. 'It's a meditative experience where the ambiance - soft, inviting, yet profound nostalgia - mirrors the emotional voyage we craft through each dish.'
Held weekly, the set tasting menu is less of a list and more of a meditation. Each course is a chapter in 'A Meaningful Journey' - a poetic progression through reimagined Egyptian ingredients, memory, and tradition. Expect familiar flavours presented in the most unfamiliar of ways.
'We're especially excited about courses that challenge the perception of contemporary Egyptian gastronomy,' Avec Karim shares. 'Where flavour becomes a portal to curiosity, or even discomfort - because growth often lies beyond the familiar.'
With seasonal changes and spontaneous creations, the menu is a living narrative of the cultural and physical landscape that informs it. Whilst the core themes of introspection will remain, guests can return again and again without the risk of monotony.
'We want returning guests to find something familiar yet unexpected - like revisiting a place and seeing it anew.'
Every detail is deliberate. From the ingredients to the ceramics and linens, each element is handpicked to curate a scenography. The result is cinematic. Moments of quiet introspection are succeeded with bursts of joy, and perhaps even melancholy.
People who come to Avec Karim don't want a meal - they want meaning.
'They might be adventurers, artists, or simply curious souls, but they share a hunger for authenticity. Above all, they understand that dining can be a portal - not just to a culture, but to themselves.'
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