Michael Rafidi, a Palestinian-American chef who grew up in Maryland, had little interest in cooking the food of his grandparents for much of his career, leaning more towards classic French and modern cuisine.
But after doing some travelling, including in the Middle East, Mr Rafidi, 38, found a new love for the dishes he ate at home growing up.
“I decided I should get back to my roots,” Mr Rafidi tells The National.
“I thought, 'I want to open my own restaurant, and it should have Palestinian food as the star, and it should incorporate everything I've learnt in this business.'”
In 2020, he opened Albi in Washington as a tribute to his grandparents. But award-winning, upscale Albi is far from a traditional restaurant, and the food he serves is not prepared the way his grandmother – whom he still texts for recipes and advice – would necessarily cook, let alone approve of.
“I am not trying to do verbatim Palestinian food,” Mr Rafidi says. “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.”
At Albi – Arabic for “my heart” – the menu changes frequently and the tasting menu, called the Sofra, or a set table, is “spontaneous”.
Currently on the menu is rockfish wrapped in grape leaves, an appetiser with a locally inspired twist on the traditional dish, which generally uses rice and minced meat.
There is also the Sfiha, a spiced lamb pastry, that is prepared in a rectangular shape and served as a snack, using what Mr Rafidi says is the same blend his grandmother uses, with the same flavour profile.
“Things come and go, there’s a baseline of real traditional dishes that I grew up eating and not all of them made the cut at Albi,” Mr Rafidi says.
“Then there are other dishes that I did an interpretation of, that I modernised.”
In May 2022, Albi received a Michelin star. That same year, Mr Rafidi was a semi-finalist in the James Beard Awards for Best Chef in the Mid Atlantic region. In 2023, he was a finalist in the same category.
“It was incredible and I felt that I got to represent Palestinians as much as I can,” Mr Rafidi says of the experience. Last month, he attended the awards with a keffiyeh wrapped around his shoulders.
Palestinian food, which is similar to other cuisines in the Middle East, includes small, shared plates, as well as heavier dishes that include rice, meat, chicken or fish.
But unlike Lebanese cuisine, for instance, which generations of Levantine immigrants in the US have popularised to great success, Palestinian fine dining is relatively new.
And when Mr Rafidi opened his restaurant at the start of the pandemic, he worried that diners, especially those who were familiar with the traditional flavours and presentation, would not enjoy it.
The issue of infusing Palestinian dishes with non-traditional ingredients is a surprisingly controversial issue, with many believing that it dilutes the authentic flavours and is akin to cultural appropriation.
“It was a huge risk when we opened and I thought that most Arabs would hate what we’re doing,” he says.
Reem Kassis, a Palestinian food writer and author of several books, including The Palestinian Table, says food all throughout history has continuously evolved.
But change is likely happening at a faster pace now, with the near instantaneous exchange of ideas on social media.
“Food continues to evolve, and preserving it is important,” Ms Kassis tells The National.
“Restaurants, pushing the envelope and trying to create something that's more exciting or more visually pleasing, is also great – it doesn't have to be one or the other.”
Ms Kassis says Palestinian food in the US, which had long been eclipsed by the negativity of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, started to gain popularity several years ago, with the rise of cooking and travel television shows, as well as a growing interest in foreign food on social media.
Palestinian cuisine is now headed towards a new milestone, she says, and it could either become more specific, with restaurants serving up regional dishes, or it could become part of mainstream food in the US.
“Palestinian cuisine would no longer be this exotic thing, it would be, ‘Oh, I'm going to go to the supermarket and pick up this Palestinian salad,’” Ms Kassis says.
Mr Rafidi says Albi, as well as Yellow, his casual cafe located in the trendy Georgetown neighbourhood that serves up shawarma and falafel sandwiches as well as pastries – all with a French spin – are deeply meaningful to him.
“I think there's a soul to Palestinian food,” he said.
“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 to eat this food.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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Company%20Profile
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Racecard
7pm: Abu Dhabi - Conditions (PA) Dh 80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.30pm: Dubai - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
8pm: Sharjah - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.30pm: Ajman - Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,200m
9pm: Umm Al Quwain - The Entisar - Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.30pm: Ras Al Khaimah - Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Fujairah - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
FIXTURES
Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Spider-Man%202
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
Results
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m; Winner: Dhafra, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Al Ajayib, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
4pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Ashtr, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Falcon Claws, Szczepan Mazur, Doug Watson
5pm: Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup – Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Al Mufham SB, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Badar Al Hajri
5.30pm: Sharjah Marathon – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,700m; Winner: Asraa Min Al Talqa, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
