Tara Khattar (; born 1992)
is a Lebanese
chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
, who was the first person from a Middle Eastern country to compete on ''
Top Chef France.'' She also won the competition
''Chopped'' on
Food Network on two occasions.
Career
Born in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
, Khattar's grandmothers taught her how to cook as a child. One grandmother was from
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
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, the other one from
Achrafieh; they were both differently influenced by the cuisines of their home regions. She studied for a BA in International Management of Culinary Arts at the Institut
Paul Bocuse, graduating in 2013. She subsequently worked at
l’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Saint-Germain in Paris.
She then moved to New York to study for an MA in Food Studies at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
.
In 2018 she was the first person from the Middle East to participate in the television programme ''
Top Chef France,'' when she joined the show.
This led to her describing her style of cookery as 'progressive Lebanese'.
She subsequently won the competition ''
Chopped Chopped can have the following meanings:
* Chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a music genre and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and deejaying. It ...
'' on ''
Food Network'' twice.
In 2020 her first book, ''Liban,'' was published in French and Arabic.
Books
* ''Liban: Une histoire de cuisine familiale, d'amour et de partage'' (Hachette Practique 2020)
References
External links
Official Instagram
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khattar, Tara
1993 births
Living people
Lebanese chefs
Women chefs
Lebanese writers
Women food writers