She worked in auditing in France; she now cooks for Dubai’s professionals

Born in Casablanca, Hanane Ouaddahou left Morocco at 17 to study in France. She specialized in auditing and management control, then worked notably as a business intelligence consultant. Outside the office, she continued cooking the dishes she had learned from her mother and grandmother.

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At 29, while expecting a child, she decided to change careers. She opened La Marocaine in the Paris region. “I was the manager, the waitress and the chef. I did everything,” she told The National in 2018. Her son was only six months old when it opened.

In Dubai, she started again with classes at home

After two years, Hanane Ouaddahou sold the restaurant when her husband obtained a position in Dubai. The sale cost her money, but she was determined to continue in cooking. In the Emirates, she began by giving classes at home and preparing meals for clients of different nationalities.

Television then opened up another path for her. After meeting a producer and trying out in front of the camera, she hosted cooking programs devoted in particular to Moroccan cuisine. Her objective, she explained at the time, was to introduce people to dishes other than couscous and tagines.

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Thirteen years after arriving in Dubai, her career has evolved again. In an interview published on September 17 by Dubai Madame, she explains that she advises food-service professionals on creating concepts, developing menus and recipes, and training teams.

She is also developing Hanouna’s Taste, a range of spice blends, harissa and preserved lemons inspired by Moroccan cuisine. Her former career still serves her well: she says she retained from auditing the rigor, analytical skills and enjoyment of building projects. This time, the projects take shape in the kitchen.