What is Chef Richard’s secret?

BEIRUT: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” Hippocrates said.

Not only is food vital for survival, but it also has its own way of giving life a taste of pleasure. Some people’s love for food reaches a creative level and inspires them to turn food into art. These people often become chefs, and Chef Richard is undoubtedly one of the most passionate.

One day, the eight-year-old Richard Khoury came back home from school and was excited to help his mother cook a Christmas dinner. That night, he realized that his was dream was to become a chef. At that moment, his mother smiled and watched her son plant the first seeds of his dream.

Watering these seeds, the grown up Richard studied Hotel Management in the Hotel Management Institute of Dekwaneh in Lebanon. He further pursued his education in Toulouse France. Then, he later came back to his hometown and started working at several restaurants and hotels in Ashrafieh.

His charismatic personality caught the attention of many directors who chose him as the face of many commercials and hosted him in several shows, some of which are “Anadil Beirut," hosted by Nichan, “Alwadi,” featuring Haifa Wehbe, and “Sabah el Kheir Ya Arab.”

Now, people can watch Chef Richard on his daily TV Show called “Wala Atyab” on New TV, where he hosts guests cooks for an on camera look at meals and deserts.

Chef Richard noted his key to success.

“As a chef, my passion for this business and the way I dealt with my customers in a humorous but caring way are what helped me relate and be under the spotlight,” he said, adding that his mother used to be skeptical about telling people her son’s profession, but now she is proud.

Chef Richard’s entrepreneurial ambitions led him to open two restaurants, “Liwan” in Ashrafieh and “Laylak” in Tripoli. His plan is to open a restaurant in Iskandariya.

Not only will people taste his delicious food when visiting, but they’ll be welcomed by his wide smile and down-to-earth personality, as Mary Ghanem, one of the visitors, told Annahar.

Ghanem also mentioned that she was shocked when she saw Chef Richard riding a motorcycle for transportation.

Christophe El Khoury, Chef Richard’s son, said that enjoying his father’s meals is not the only pleasure behind having an expert cook as a father.

“My father is almost everybody’s best friend; he has a great sense of humor, and he’s very smart and creative. He offers people a good laugh and good food. He showed people that by not giving up one can succeed whether in cooking or in life in general,” El Khoury said.

Chef Richard is investing his experience and knowledge in upcoming chefs by teaching and giving lectures in the Beirut Arab University.

Signature recipe | Crevette a La Richard

Ingredients:

200 g of chopped tomatoes

100g of mushrooms

100g of leek

100g of celery

100g of onions

4 garlic gloves

Half a bunch of chopped cilantro

1 liter tomato paste

Quarter bunch of chopped parsley

25 grams of butter

Quarter cup of vegetable oil

Salt

Black pepper

2 chicken cubes

1 kg of shrimps

6 chopped basil leaves

Directions:

Heat the butter and the oil in a pan and gradually add the leek, celery, onions, garlic and cilantro. Then add the tomatoes and the mushrooms along with the shrimps. Stir constantly. Afterwards, add the tomato paste and mix the ingredients together. Sprinkle pepper, salt, oregano and add two chicken cubes. Finally, for a refreshing scent, add the chopped basil.

Serve on a hot plate and enjoy!

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