Latest news with #Takya
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Reviving roots: How Saudi chefs are redefining heritage cuisine
Haneeth is a popular dish in Saudi Food driven by landscapes and hyperlocal ingredients A golden, crisp sphere arrives at the table, visually unassuming until the first bite. The shell shatters to reveal a warm, tender centre. It evokes arancini, but this isn't Italian. The grains are broken durum wheat and smoked rice; the coating,crumbs—bread steeped in a stew of vegetables and meat, carrying layers of flavour. Deep-fried and served in a single mouthful, it's a riff on, a traditional, three-layered Saudi feast. At Takya in Riyadh, a restaurant dedicated to preserving ancestral recipes, heritage comes reimagined as haute are many more like Takya. Saudi Arabia's culinary scene is evolving as swiftly as its tourism vision. Once known for its modest kasbah-style eateries, the dining landscape of Riyadh and Jeddah now hosts global fine-dining icons, such as Yauatcha, Nobu, and Roka. A wave of restaurants across the country is now looking inward, using regional ingredients and culinary heritage to reimagine traditional flavours through a contemporary shift is part of a larger transformation. Since 2016, the Middle Eastern country has been steadily pivoting from a fuel-focused economy to one powered by tourism, in alignment with its ambitious Vision 2030 agenda. Massive investments are driving this change, including three giga projects: the multi-billion-dollar Red Sea Project, the futuristic smart city of Neom, and the restoration of cultural heritage hubs like Diriyah and plays a key role in this vision—not just as a trade ally but also as a key tourism market. In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed around 1.5 million Indian visitors, a 50% jump from the previous year. The country is strengthening flight connectivity and easing visa access, as it aims to attract 7.5 million Indian tourists annually by 2030.'Saudi Arabia is deeply rooted in tradition, but at the same time, the country is rapidly evolving. In a way, the culinary scene reflects that,' says executive chef Daniele Polito of The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, one of the five resorts that are currently operational as part of the Takya, the menu spans the kingdom. From the north, there's red—broken durum wheat simmered in tomatoes and local spices. From the east, a lamb shank slow-cooked with, a red wild rice indigenous to the region, cooked with date molasses and crispy onions. From the west,, a creamy rice dish made with milk, broth, and chicken. From the central region,—a warm whole-wheat bread pudding made withdates and ghee. And from the south,, slow-cooked lamb chops smoked with herbs and served over rice.'Saudi Arabia's landscapes are incredibly diverse, and every region is known for different ingredients. The east is known for its seafood due to its proximity to the Gulf, whereas the west, a pilgrimage hub, has culinary influences from travellers around the world. We wanted to capture the diversity of the food from the region,' says Hadeel Al Motawa, Co-founder of religious and trade travel have long been integral to Saudi culture, leisure travel within the country has gained popularity post-2016. 'Before, most people knew the food in their own region,' says Al Motawa, who has journeyed across the country to gather recipes for Riyadh, chefs in Saudi's emerging tourism destinations are tapping into age-old methods of cooking. At Nesma, the Arabic restaurant with Turkish influences at The St. Regis Red Sea, chief Polito channels the cooking methods of nomadic Bedouin tribes, who slow-cooked meat underground to retain moisture and flavour. His version—lamb shank cooked sous vide until fall-off-the-bone tender—is served atop aromaticrice, studded with toasted the coast in the Alnesai Desert, at the Six Senses Red Southern Dunes, a taste of traditional Saudi dishes begins right from breakfast, with dishes like, lamb stir-fried in Arabic spices, and, goat liver sautéed with tomatoes. At the hotel's Arabic restaurant, Bariya,is elevated with duck instead of chicken, and dates are celebrated in playful as boats for quinoa salads with lemon and tahini, while, a dish of chicken and rice with nuts, gets its umaminess from a home-madedate syrup. 'A lot of the pulp goes to waste while making date syrup, so we use it in jams and chutneys that end up in dishes like hummus,' explains executive chef Nelson the desert oasis of AlUla, the local bounty finds pride of place on plates. At Banyan Tree AlUla's all-day restaurant Harrat, unripedates—yellow-hued with a honey-like sweetness—are used to glaze meats and in dressings. At Tamas, the restaurant at Our Habitas AlUla, global dishes are created with hyperlocal ingredients: salads with cactus greens, moringa flowers, kumquats, and beef paired with cactus chimichurri.'Though a desert, AlUla is incredibly fertile,' says executive chef Gerardo Corona Alarcón. 'We use local mandarins, mingans, and blood oranges in salads, moringa in drinks, and cactus in our spice rubs. The landscape drives the menu.'As tourism grows and Saudi Arabia continues to evolve, chefs are racing to keep their culinary heritage alive. 'It's not about changing tradition,' says chef Polito. 'We want to educate tourists and future generations with a spark of innovation and intrigue. The ingredients, stories, and history remain intact, but the lens is new.'
Economic Times
a day ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Reviving roots: How Saudi chefs are redefining heritage cuisine
Mathlouta is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish A golden, crisp sphere arrives at the table, visually unassuming until the first bite. The shell shatters to reveal a warm, tender centre. It evokes arancini, but this isn't Italian. The grains are broken durum wheat and smoked rice; the coating, grsan crumbs—bread steeped in a stew of vegetables and meat, carrying layers of flavour. Deep-fried and served in a single mouthful, it's a riff on mathlouta, a traditional, three-layered Saudi feast. At Takya in Riyadh, a restaurant dedicated to preserving ancestral recipes, heritage comes reimagined as haute are many more like Takya. Saudi Arabia's culinary scene is evolving as swiftly as its tourism vision. Once known for its modest kasbah-style eateries, the dining landscape of Riyadh and Jeddah now hosts global fine-dining icons, such as Yauatcha, Nobu, and Roka. A wave of restaurants across the country is now looking inward, using regional ingredients and culinary heritage to reimagine traditional flavours through a contemporary shift is part of a larger transformation. Since 2016, the Middle Eastern country has been steadily pivoting from a fuel-focused economy to one powered by tourism, in alignment with its ambitious Vision 2030 agenda. Massive investments are driving this change, including three giga projects: the multi-billion-dollar Red Sea Project, the futuristic smart city of Neom, and the restoration of cultural heritage hubs like Diriyah and plays a key role in this vision—not just as a trade ally but also as a key tourism market. In 2023, Saudi Arabia welcomed around 1.5 million Indian visitors, a 50% jump from the previous year. The country is strengthening flight connectivity and easing visa access, as it aims to attract 7.5 million Indian tourists annually by 2030.'Saudi Arabia is deeply rooted in tradition, but at the same time, the country is rapidly evolving. In a way, the culinary scene reflects that,' says executive chef Daniele Polito of The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, one of the five resorts that are currently operational as part of the project. At Takya, the menu spans the kingdom. From the north, there's red jareesh—broken durum wheat simmered in tomatoes and local spices. From the east, a lamb shank slow-cooked with hassawi, a red wild rice indigenous to the region, cooked with date molasses and crispy onions. From the west, saleeg, a creamy rice dish made with milk, broth, and chicken. From the central region, hanini—a warm whole-wheat bread pudding made with Sukari dates and ghee. And from the south, haneeth, slow-cooked lamb chops smoked with herbs and served over rice.'Saudi Arabia's landscapes are incredibly diverse, and every region is known for different ingredients. The east is known for its seafood due to its proximity to the Gulf, whereas the west, a pilgrimage hub, has culinary influences from travellers around the world. We wanted to capture the diversity of the food from the region,' says Hadeel Al Motawa, Co-founder of religious and trade travel have long been integral to Saudi culture, leisure travel within the country has gained popularity post-2016. 'Before, most people knew the food in their own region,' says Al Motawa, who has journeyed across the country to gather recipes for Takya. Beyond Riyadh, chefs in Saudi's emerging tourism destinations are tapping into age-old methods of cooking. At Nesma, the Arabic restaurant with Turkish influences at The St. Regis Red Sea, chief Polito channels the cooking methods of nomadic Bedouin tribes, who slow-cooked meat underground to retain moisture and flavour. His version—lamb shank cooked sous vide until fall-off-the-bone tender—is served atop aromatic ouzi rice, studded with toasted nuts. Across the coast in the Alnesai Desert, at the Six Senses Red Southern Dunes, a taste of traditional Saudi dishes begins right from breakfast, with dishes like mugalgal, lamb stir-fried in Arabic spices, and kebda, goat liver sautéed with tomatoes. At the hotel's Arabic restaurant, Bariya, saleeg is elevated with duck instead of chicken, and dates are celebrated in playful ways. Medjool comes as boats for quinoa salads with lemon and tahini, while mandi, a dish of chicken and rice with nuts, gets its umaminess from a home-made Sukari date syrup. 'A lot of the pulp goes to waste while making date syrup, so we use it in jams and chutneys that end up in dishes like hummus,' explains executive chef Nelson Amorim. In the desert oasis of AlUla, the local bounty finds pride of place on plates. At Banyan Tree AlUla's all-day restaurant Harrat, unripe Sukari dates—yellow-hued with a honey-like sweetness—are used to glaze meats and in dressings. At Tamas, the restaurant at Our Habitas AlUla, global dishes are created with hyperlocal ingredients: salads with cactus greens, moringa flowers, kumquats, and beef paired with cactus chimichurri. 'Though a desert, AlUla is incredibly fertile,' says executive chef Gerardo Corona Alarcón. 'We use local mandarins, mingans, and blood oranges in salads, moringa in drinks, and cactus in our spice rubs. The landscape drives the menu.'As tourism grows and Saudi Arabia continues to evolve, chefs are racing to keep their culinary heritage alive. 'It's not about changing tradition,' says chef Polito. 'We want to educate tourists and future generations with a spark of innovation and intrigue. The ingredients, stories, and history remain intact, but the lens is new.'
CairoScene
a day ago
- CairoScene
Diriyah's Bab Samhan Named Heritage Conservation Project of the Year
Tucked within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, has been awarded Heritage Conservation Project of the Year for its quietly powerful restoration. There's a moment, just as the call to prayer floats over the ochre rooftops of At-Turaif, when Diriyah begins to feel like a memory you've stepped back into. The light softens over the mudbrick walls, the air thickens with the scent of cardamom and dust, and the silence, somehow, starts to speak. It's here, at Bab Samhan — the first hotel to open in this storied district — that I found myself gently unravelled. Diriyah is the birthplace of the Saudi state, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose restored adobe architecture now forms the backdrop of Riyadh's most ambitious cultural renaissance. Once a fortified city on the edge of the Wadi Hanifah valley, its historic At-Turaif district was the stronghold of the Al Saud dynasty in the 18th century. Today, it is being reimagined with almost scholarly reverence: a living, breathing centrepiece of the Kingdom's cultural ambitions. Bab Samhan sits at the very edge of this vision. Built into the bones of a former royal guesthouse, the hotel is made up of a cluster of courtyards and corridors that feel like a rediscovered private home. The kind that belongs to someone who collects stories. There are 134 rooms and suites, including 106 guest rooms and 28 suites, each designed to reflect the rich textures of Najdi heritage. Hand-dyed linens drape low wooden bedframes, ornamental lanterns cast latticework shadows across the walls, and local stone floors hold the day's coolness well into the evening. Carved Najdi motifs appear in subtle, quiet ways - above a doorframe, across a mirror's edge. Some suites open onto shaded terraces. Others frame glimpses of the old wadi, where the land still holds the shape of centuries past. Mornings began with quiet walks through At-Turaif, where curated stillness invites you to notice the small things: the uneven grooves in the plaster, the soft tread of your footsteps against ancient stone. In the afternoons, the hotel's shaded terraces became my anchor. One corner, cooled by a breeze from the valley, seemed made for quiet thinking. Another, closer to the kitchen, always carried a hint of spiced lamb or simmering lentils. The hotel's two dining spaces, Matal and Takya, follow the same philosophy as its design. At Matal, regional ingredients are elevated with subtle precision — date molasses glazed lamb, fresh figs, fragrant rice infused with saffron and rose. Takya, by contrast, leans toward a modern interpretation of traditional Najdi dishes, served in a more intimate, almost home-style setting. Both are led by chefs who understand that memory and not reinvention is the truest luxury. Dishes come without flourish, often served by hosts who will quietly tell you where the za'atar was sourced or which village still pounds the tahini by hand. One evening, I joined a walking tour led by a local guide who'd grown up in the nearby town of Al-Uyaynah. He spoke less someone remembering a childhood spent exploring the ruins before they were restored. 'We used to sneak into At-Turaif through the back,' he laughed. 'Now look at it — the whole world is walking through.' It's no surprise, then, that Bab Samhan has recently been recognised for its role in protecting and celebrating this cultural legacy. The hotel was awarded Heritage Conservation Project of the Year at The Hospitality Awards. That award may sit in a polished frame somewhere near the reception, but its real proof is everywhere, in the worn stone underfoot, in the hand-carved lintels, in the rhythm of storytelling that carries through each space. There is no spectacle. What Bab Samhan offers instead is something increasingly rare: clarity. As I checked out, the concierge handed me a small token — a bundle of frankincense wrapped in cloth, paired with a card inscribed with a line of ancestral poetry. These quiet gestures are threaded throughout a stay at Bab Samhan: subtle, rooted, and unforced. Even the turn-down service includes verses that pay homage to the region's oral traditions, quietly affirming that hospitality here is inherited. I tucked the card into my passport. And for days after, whenever I opened it, I swore I could still smell the wadi air.
