Palestinian-American chef Michael Rafidi has dedicated a prestigious American culinary award to Palestinian people “all over the world”.
The owner and chef at Albi restaurant in the US capital Washington received the Outstanding Chef award at the annual James Beard Foundation ceremony in Chicago on Monday night.
Rafidi was recognised for his dedication to the Arabic and Levantine cuisine he serves at his restaurant, which he established in February 2020. He dedicated his win “to Palestine and to all the Palestinian people out there, whether it's here or in Palestine or all over the world”.
The James Beard Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to celebrating and supporting the people behind America’s food culture.
Rafidi has been nominated in the same awards category twice before, as a semi-finalist in 2022 and a finalist in 2023, only to miss out both times. In May 2022, his restaurant Albi was awarded a Michelin star in recognition of Rafidi, who “takes inspiration from his family’s roots in Ramallah”.
Rafidi also helms Yellow, a cafe in Georgetown, which serves Arabic-inspired bites and dishes with a French slant.
The chef, who grew up in Maryland, previously told The National that he had little interest in cooking his ancestral food at the beginning of his career, instead favouring French dishes and modern cuisine. However, after travelling around the Middle East, he changed course.
“I decided I should get back to my roots,” he said. “I thought: ‘I want to open my own restaurant. It should have Palestinian food as the star and it should incorporate everything I've learnt in this business.'”
When he opened Albi – from the Arabic word for “my heart” – in 2020, Rafidi dedicated the restaurant to his grandparents, saying: “I am not trying to do verbatim Palestinian food. I grew up here in DC, so this is an American restaurant, but from a Palestinian view. It's really my interpretation of Palestinian food.”
Rafidi has been vocal about his love for Palestine and is passionate about representing his ancestral homeland through food.
In November 2023, Rafidi announced on social media that Albi had retained its Michelin star rating, writing: “Our journey through Palestinian cuisine has only just begun. We’re honoured that Albi has retained its Michelin star … Some welcome light amid such a dark time for the world.”
He told The National: “It was a huge risk when we opened, and I thought most Arabs would hate what we’re doing. But I think there's a soul to Palestinian food. I really wanted to showcase the food I grew up eating, because it's incredible, and pay a tribute to my grandparents, my family and Palestinians all over the world who eat this food.”
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
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Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
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The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
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THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
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Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
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About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
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Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
