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Georges Mokbel's Culinary Method Catches On
Georges Mokbel, a chef in Bloomfield Hills, says his childhood in Beirut — as Lebanon’s civil war raged — is what led him to a career in the culinary arts.
The war, between about 1975 and 1990, kept Mokbel’s extended family of uncles, aunts and grandparents inside for extended periods of time.
“The only thing we could have done at that time was entertain, and just have dinner and cook together,” said Mokbel, now 28, who recalls the utilities going out on a regular basis in his family’s home in Beirut.
“I remember this one time … there was a huge battle, and all we had was tomatoes. We had to be very creative,” he said. “We did them roasted, we did them fried. We made purees out of them. We made salads out of them.”
Mokbel’s family left Beirut when he was 8, and Mokbel went on to study the culinary arts in France.
He eventually started a consulting business and works with new restaurants and hotels in metro Detroit. He also started his own catering business, which Mokbel has halted to write a cookbook.
Mokbel’s book uses a cooking strategy he calls Everyday to Gourmet.
Mokbel teaches basic, easy-to-prepare meals that one can turn into a gourmet dish for special occasions.
For instance, Mokbel suggested dressing up a pot roast by covering it with a flaky, golden puff pastry, turning into a pot roast Wellington.
Life is moving quickly for Mokbel. This month, he jets to Los Angeles to star in a pilot of a cooking show based on his Everyday to Gourmet method. He also is working on the cookbook, slated to be released in June. And he has appeared on WDIV-TV (Local 4).
Meanwhile, Mokbel also sells sponsorships to his favorite cooking brands by agreeing to mention those brands in his upcoming cookbook and on his Web site. He also consults with restaurant owners.
Despite his roots in Middle East ingredients, Mokbel left much of that behind as his family moved through Europe and he attended culinary school.
It wasn’t until a trip to Lebanon four years ago that Mokbel started to incorporate the tastes of his hometown into his cooking in dishes like rack of lamb and a hummus parfait.
Jewel Gopwani
Detroit Free Press
Picture caption:
Georges Mokbel, 28, of Bloomfield Hills is a French-trained chef who is launching a new brand, Everyday to Gourmet. He runs a restaurant consulting business, and is working on a book. He’s shown with Mushroom and Chicken Savory Crepe, left, and Chicken with Mushrooms and Ale Sauce.
Photo by Patricia Beck/Detroit Free Press