French style cooking and making it big in NYC

Fatima Ali talks about living her dream.

KARACHI:

Here’s a story about a 23-year-old girl, who followed a passion that was born in her grandmother’s kitchen. She travelled to the Big Apple to fulfill her life-long dream, only to realise that she could make it all happen.

After her A’ Levels, Fatima Ali landed directly into the New York-based Culinary Institute of America. Her big break came, however, when she appeared on popular American TV show “Chopped”. It was in the third episode of season 12 that she was crowned the winner. Ali initially worked at the At-Vermilion Restaurant in New York, where she cooked fusion Indian-American food, blending it with more spice and giving it a modern touch. Currently, she works at Café Centro in Manhattan, an eatery famous for its classic French food. “I think my cooking is different because I use a variation of techniques,” says Ali. “I do a bit of both, I make traditional food with a modern twist, there is a fusion of sorts,” she adds. At Centro, Ali says she loves to cook Lamb Tagine, a Moroccan dish with a lot of spices. She says, “Making this dish brings me close to home. It is delicious, a traditional Moroccan dish that people love and enjoy.”

Fatima Ali impresses with her French style cooking. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Ali tells The Express Tribune what inspired her to go to culinary school. “My whole life in Pakistan, I was interested in cooking. I literally grew up in my grandmother’s kitchen, so I had a passion for it,” she says. “When I used to cook, family members and friends would really appreciate my cooking. So I took it a step further and went to culinary school,” she adds. But despite living the dream in New York, Ali confesses that she misses Pakistan.  “I am a biryani freak! Nobody can make it better than my grandmother!” she exclaims.  “Pakistani food is still my working project [something I need to work on]. The food is still something that I miss about Pakistan,” she adds. She says that while she isn’t a big fan of desserts, she misses typically desi kheer (rice pudding). At the end, Ali says she hopes to return to Pakistan eventually. “My dream is to open a Pakistani restaurant in my home country,” she says. Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2012. Like Life & Style on Facebook and follow at @ETLifeandStyle for the latest in fashion, gossip, entertainment