My name is Chef François El Aaraj, a corporate chef and culinary consultant with more than 30 years of professional experience in restaurants, kitchen management, and restaurant openings across Lebanon and the Arab world.
A Childhood Shaped by War and Pastry
Food has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My journey into the culinary world did not begin in a luxury kitchen or a culinary school. It began during difficult times, in the middle of war, when my family and I were forced to leave our hometown and move to Beirut.
During that period, I spent a lot of time at my uncle’s pastry shop. He used to let me help him with small tasks around the kitchen and pastry station. Even as a child, I was fascinated by the atmosphere, the smells, the movement, and the joy that food could bring to people. Watching dough transform into beautiful pastries felt almost magical to me. Without realizing it, those moments planted the first seeds of my passion for cooking.
I still remember the smell of fresh butter, warm dough, and sugar filling the small pastry shop early in the morning. As a child, standing there and watching trays of pastries come out of the oven felt magical to me.
The Summer Job That Changed My Life
Years later, during my teenage years, I worked a summer job at a restaurant in my hometown. Once again, I found myself deeply connected to the kitchen environment. I loved the energy, the teamwork, the creativity, and the challenge behind every dish.
That experience confirmed something important to me: cooking was not simply a temporary job. It was the path I wanted to follow for the rest of my life.
At the end of long summer shifts, I used to go home exhausted but excited to return the next day. Even at a young age, I loved the fast rhythm of the kitchen and the feeling of creating something people enjoyed eating.
Choosing Culinary Arts
Soon after, I decided to begin a technical education in culinary arts. Although pastry remained close to my heart because of my childhood memories, I chose kitchen arts instead. I felt that the culinary world offered wider possibilities and endless creativity.
Cooking allowed me to explore flavors, cultures, techniques, and personal expression in a way that fascinated me even more.
I was always curious in the kitchen. I loved experimenting with flavors, observing chefs work under pressure, and discovering how small details could completely change a dish.
Starting Young and Growing Fast
I started working professionally at the age of 16, and since then, I have never truly left the kitchen. While studying, I continued working long hours, learning from every chef, every restaurant, and every challenge that came my way.
From a very young age, I was extremely ambitious. I was never afraid to try new things, take risks, or step into difficult situations inside the kitchen. Of course, mistakes were made — many mistakes. However, those mistakes taught me lessons that no school could ever teach. I truly believe that we learn the most by failing, improving, and trying again. There were nights when I worked until very late and still woke up early for classes the next morning. It was exhausting at times, but my passion for cooking always pushed me forward.
During those early years, I had the opportunity to work under renowned chefs who shared with me valuable knowledge, discipline, and professional techniques that helped shape my career. I also worked in several important restaurants across Lebanon while I was still very young, which gave me experience far beyond my age at the time.
After returning from Saudi Arabia for the first time, I became a corporate chef for a well-known restaurant company in Lebanon. This role opened new doors for me and allowed me to participate in restaurant openings across Lebanon and several Arab countries. It was an intense and rewarding period of my life, filled with growth, responsibility, and unforgettable professional experiences.
Then came 2021 and the economic crisis that deeply affected Lebanon and so many Lebanese families. At that moment, I was forced to make one of the hardest decisions of my life. I had to leave my daughters and return to Saudi Arabia in order to secure them a decent and stable life.
It was not an easy choice. In fact, it was one of the most painful decisions I ever had to make as a father. But with time, I realized it was the right decision, one made out of love, responsibility, and hope for a better future for my family.
Between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia
My professional journey has been divided between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, two places that shaped both my career and my personality.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, became much more than a workplace for me. Over the years, it became my second country, a place filled with memories, experiences, friendships, and growth. Today, I am once again based there, continuing my culinary journey with gratitude and passion.
From time to time, I also travel to other countries for quick culinary consultancy projects and professional kitchen support. These experiences allow me to discover different food cultures, exchange knowledge, and continue learning throughout my career.
No matter where work takes me, Lebanon always remains close to my heart. I regularly return to visit my family and spend precious time with my two beautiful daughters, who are among the greatest joys and inspirations in my life.
No matter how busy life becomes, the moments I spend back in Lebanon with my daughters and family remain the most meaningful moments to me.
Finally Sharing My Knowledge Online
For many years, I focused entirely on working behind the scenes in restaurants and kitchens. Sharing my knowledge online was never part of my plans. In fact, starting a channel was actually my partner’s idea. She kept encouraging me for years to share my experience, recipes, and cooking tips with people online.
Honestly, it took me a very long time to accept the idea.
This year, however, I finally decided to step in front of the camera and start filming short recipe videos to share with all of you. Together, we created this website as a place where I can offer more than just recipes.
Why I Created This Website
My goal with this website is to share practical cooking knowledge, professional tips, real kitchen experience, and simple techniques that can help anyone cook with more confidence and joy.
Whether you are a beginner learning your first recipe or someone with years of cooking experience, I hope you find inspiration here. Cooking is not only about food. It is about memories, emotions, culture, creativity, and bringing people together around the table.
Thank you for being here and for being part of this journey with me.
What I Share Today
Today, through this website and my videos, I share the knowledge and experience I gathered throughout decades of working in professional kitchens across Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
My goal is simple: to make cooking easier, more enjoyable, and more accessible for everyone. Here, you will find recipes inspired by Lebanese cuisine, international flavors, restaurant techniques, and everyday home cooking. I also share practical cooking tips, kitchen secrets, ingredient knowledge, and simple methods that can help both beginners and experienced cooks improve their skills with confidence.
Some recipes come from my childhood memories, others were created during years of restaurant work, and many were inspired by the different cultures and kitchens I experienced throughout my journey.
More than anything, I hope this website becomes a place where people can learn, experiment, and rediscover the joy of cooking. Because for me, food has always been more than a profession. It is a way to create memories, bring people together, and share happiness around the table.
📬 Stay Connected
I invite you to explore my recipes, try them at home, and become part of my growing community.
If you have any questions or collaboration ideas, feel free to reach out through the Contact page.