Saudi food blogger famously ‘nourished’ by fusion of Middle Eastern and Asian dishes

Jeddah – Yasmine El Tohamy – RIYADH: Saudi Arabian food blogger Emad Ramen recently attended Geekcon in Kuwait as a guest alongside other culinary celebrities, where he was able to talk to other chefs about his increasingly popular fusion of Middle Eastern and Asian dishes.

“It’s so nice to be invited to such an event, especially since my mother is Kuwaiti and this was our first time going,” said Emad, who prefers to use the social media handle “Emad Ramen.”

Ahead of the event, he said he was looking forward to learning more about “Kuwaiti cuisine and meeting chefs from that country.”

Geekcon was founded in 2023 to celebrate “all things geek, from anime and comics to comic books, video games, movies and more,” according to its website.

At 32, Emad is making waves in the culinary world with his unique blend of Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Emad’s passion for cooking was first sparked by the vibrant flavours of Indonesian cuisine.

“It made me want to try other Asian and international cuisines,” Emad says. “And some of the dishes I wanted to try in animated movies and cartoons, like katsu curry and ramen.”

His approach to cooking, he says, is about “continuity and moving away from the familiar, trying new and inspiring dishes to share.”

Emad’s culinary journey is fueled by a deep curiosity and a willingness to experiment. He finds inspiration in a variety of sources, including YouTube cooking channels and cooking films.

He also draws ideas from his interactions with his online following, which currently numbers 1.2 million on TikTok.

“As someone who loves cooking-related movies, my spirit is always nourished and there are many sources of inspiration, such as friends and followers, when they share their amazing recipes with me,” he said.

When asked what cooking tricks he learned while trying new recipes, he said, “One of the secrets I learned is to add soy sauce and vinegar to the chicken after cutting it during the marinating step, which allows the chicken to absorb the spices more easily and enhances the flavor even more.”

To make his dishes more accessible to his Arab audience, Emad has added his own twist to the way he presents his culinary adventures. “By Arabizing, I replace the names of Japanese and Korean dishes with Arabic names without changing the recipe itself,” he explains.

He said he mixes “Indian cuisine with different international cuisines” to help bridge the gaps between cultures.

Emad added: “I preserve the traditions of the original dish, but I develop it and present it in a new or trendy way that attracts followers and helps spread the video.”

When it comes to exploring Eastern cuisines, Emad’s advice is simple: “Asian dishes are very diverse, so find what suits you and try it.

“Don’t do anything you don’t like. I know some Asian dishes that are very spicy or very salty. They may not be to the liking of some people.”

Emad’s willingness to step out of his comfort zone has led people from other nations to ask him to try new recipes.

“For example, a Moroccan asked me to mix a Saudi Arabian dish with a Moroccan dish, and the rest of the followers then got excited to participate,” he said.

For the future, Emad has ambitious goals: “I aspire to have a TV show, to travel around the world and meet different chefs, to try new dishes and transfer them to the Arab world.”