Moroccan-Basque Chef Najat Kaanache Shares Global Culinary Journey in New Memoir

The autobiographical book, Najat, highlights the strong personality of the chef. It contains recipes, stories from her rich career, and fascinating photographs... The author introduces the reader to her creative culinary universe and describes Fez as a city that "seems to come out of Star Wars." "Cooking is an artistic way to create peace. No matter if you have lentils or a jar of Nutella," explains Najat Kaanache, for whom "it is important to visualize the natural colors of the earth."

After traveling through many countries such as Spain, Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Mexico, where she worked in 3-star restaurants such as El Bulli (Girona), Noma (Copenhagen), French Laundry (California), Per Se (New York) and Alinea (Chicago), Najat settled in Morocco in 2016, more precisely in the medina of Fez. She opened her restaurant, Nur (light in Arabic), now recognized as one of the best Moroccan restaurants in Africa and the world. "I went to Fez with two suitcases. I bought the space from Stephen di Renza, creative director of Yves Saint-Laurent. After three difficult months, the tables were filled thanks to Tock, the reservation platform," she says.

Considered today as one of the best chefs in the world, Najat Kaanache, a combative and tireless woman, also recounts how she started her career. "When the great François Geurds, Heston Blumenthal’s right-hand man, opened his restaurant in Rotterdam, I would go see him every Friday so he would hire me. Each time, he told me that his staff was complete. I insisted for two months, and he finally hired me," she describes.

During this health crisis period when her restaurant is closed, Najat keeps busy. She gives cooking classes in a space set up upstairs in the restaurant.