Abdel Alaoui’s plan to open 30 Moroccan restaurants in France

Chef and entrepreneur, the man has already set up two Parisian locations of his concept. In order to multiply this presence, he has raised more than 5 million euros with the aim of opening thirty restaurants. His stated ambition, confided to the newspaper Le Parisien, is to become the absolute reference for couscous in France.

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Arrived in France in 1982, he grew up in the Paris region by immersing himself in the know-how of his mother. At Choukran, his menu combines tradition and modernity with fritters inspired by the markouda and a steamed lightened semolina, an innovative technique expressly "validated by his mother".

The restaurateur fiercely defends the superiority of Moroccan cuisine over other North African cuisines. "It is more refined, more worked, let’s say: it is better!" he cuts, evoking his visceral attachment to sweet-and-sour blends and the rich tables of shared starters.

Trained with great French chefs, this passionate man who dreamed of being Maïté during his childhood also savors the classic French repertoire. He also believes that the plate brings people together, recalling that the joint heritage of the Jewish, Berber and Arab communities has deeply shaped the current Moroccan recipes.

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When asked about his ultimate preferences, he unhesitatingly designates his mother’s couscous with onion confit as his true Proust’s madeleine. Conversely, his deep aversion to bitterness leads him to categorically flee endives, which he finds much too watery, whether served raw or cooked.