Olympics star Yusra Mardini talks future plans after ‘The Swimmers’ BAFTA nomination

'The Swimmers,' based Yusra Mardini (pictured), was nominated for a BAFTA award in February. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 28 February 2023
Follow

Olympics star Yusra Mardini talks future plans after ‘The Swimmers’ BAFTA nomination

LOS ANGELES: After sharing her story with the world in the BAFTA-nominated Netflix documentary “The Swimmers,” Syrian Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini is turning her focus to her non-profit work, as well as other endeavours.  

Having competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics as part of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team, Yusra is turning her focus to developing a foundation to facilitate education and sports opportunities for refugees, she said in an interview with Arab News. The sporting star is also starting her own journey as a filmmaker. 

“I am also studying in a university here in California called University of Southern California and I am studying film and production,” she said. “I am doing a lot of activities in the fashion domain and I have a non-profit organization and I am doing something with the UNHCR and I am also studying, so generally I am happy with my life.” 

Yursra and her sister Sarah’s journey from Syrian war refugees swimming for three hours to the Greek island of Lesbos to Olympic athletes has been chronicled in the BAFTA-nominated film “The Swimmers.” 

During the interview, Yusra revealed whether everything portrayed in the film is true.  

“I’ll say that 90 percent of what happens in the movie is real,” she said. “There are things that might not be real in the sense that it did not happen to me, but it happened to other refugees and that was the important thing, that even if something didn’t happen to me, it did happen to many refugees in the world.” 

During auditions, Yusra said a lot of Syrian girls sent her direct messages on social media telling her that they applied for her role.  

“Manal (Issa) applied for the role and she got Sarah’s role and then she told the director that she has a younger sister and then they auditioned together and Sally, the director, loved them a lot,” Yusra said. 

While the COVID-19 protocols during filming prevented Yusra from being on set, she stayed in regular communication with Welsh Egyptian filmmaker Sally El-Hosaini and British writer Jack Thorne who she trusted to guide Lebanese actress sisters Nathalie and Manal in portraying her and Sarah’s story. 

The film premiered on Netflix on Nov. 23 and screened at the 47th annual Toronto Film Festival in September. 


Saudi luxury brand Lavish Concepts opens London atelier 

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Saudi luxury brand Lavish Concepts opens London atelier 

LONDON: On June 26, the luxury lifestyle brand Lavish Concepts, founded by Saudi businesswomen Nada Altobaishi and Hala Al-Sharekh, opened an atelier in Chiswick, London.  

Described as “a slow, salon-style shopping experience,” the atelier showcases a carefully curated selection of fashion, jewelry and objets d’art that blend artisanal skill, cultural heritage and contemporary design. It is the first permanent home for Lavish Concepts, which has previously only staged temporary pop-ups in the UK capital. 

“We wanted to reframe how people experience luxury: less noise, more nuance,” Altobaishi tells Arab News. “The Chiswick Atelier captures that in every detail. It’s not about volume; it’s about storytelling and voice.” 

 Lavish Concepts' co-founders Nada Altobaishi and Hala Al-Sharekh in their new London atelier on its launch night. (Supplied)

Nine Saudi brands are featured, including Dalsh Designs, Herfah, Yarakech, and Qormuz. The wider lineup also includes products from brands originating in the UK, US, UAE, Oman, Morocco and Jordan. 

“Each selection is deeply intentional. With the Saudi brands, we looked for designers who are redefining heritage — not discarding it — and reworking it into something unapologetically current and wearable,” Al-Sharekh, officially designated as Lavish Concepts’ “brand visionary,” says. 

Positioning Lavish Atelier as a “slow, salon-style” space rather than a conventional boutique was a deliberate decision on the part of its founders. 

“The stories behind these pieces and our partner brands deserve more than a passing glance,” says Altobaishi. “We wanted a space that encourages pause; a place where conversation and great craftsmanship are given equal weight.” 

The pair’s Saudi identity shapes every element of the atelier, says Al-Sharekh. “From the aesthetics to the hospitality, the way we curate is always filtered through a very Saudi sense of meaning and memory.” 

So far, Lavish Concepts has yet to stage an event in Saudi Arabia, but plans are in place to do so within the next 18 months, the founders say. 

Meanwhile, they hope that visitors to this new permanent home in London will walk away with a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship and cultural richness behind each piece. 

“This isn’t just an event, it’s an invitation to participate in the Lavish lifestyle. We hope people leave feeling like they’ve stepped into a slower, more considered rhythm, one that stays with them well beyond the double doors,” Altobaishi concludes. 


Recipes for Success: Dubai’s Dragonfly Head Chef Biman Rai talks clarity and craftsmanship 

Updated 55 min 28 sec ago
Follow

Recipes for Success: Dubai’s Dragonfly Head Chef Biman Rai talks clarity and craftsmanship 

DUBAI: For Sri Lankan chef Biman Rai, the kitchen has always been more than a workplace — it’s where memory, culture, and tradition come together. In his childhood home, he says, food was “both ritual and a form of storytelling.” His earliest inspiration came from his grandmother, whose sunrise spice-grinding sessions laid the foundation for his culinary career. 

Inspired by the women in his family, Rai set out to become a professional cook. He has worked in kitchens across the Middle East, and says he was particularly influenced by Japanese and pan-Asian cuisines. “The respect for detail, for balance… it aligned perfectly with how I saw the world,” Rai tells Arab News. 

Now, as head chef at pan-Asian restaurant Dragonfly in Dubai, Rai is bringing that vision to life.  

“What makes us unique isn’t just the food, it’s the feeling. We honor the spirit of Japanese and pan-Asian cuisine while giving it a bold, modern twist,” he says. “There’s finesse, but also a quiet rebellion in the flavors and plating. It’s about creating impact through precision and personality.” 

When you started out professionally, what was the most common mistake you made? 
Trying to do too much. I believed more was more — more components, more garnishes, more flair. I’ve learned that restraint is power. Now, I focus on clarity and intention in every dish. 

 

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs at home? 
Taste as you go — and trust your palate. Recipes are guides, but your instinct is the real compass. Also, don’t underestimate the power of acid. A squeeze of citrus can bring a dish to life. 

 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish — and why? 
Yuzu. It’s electric. Just a few drops can brighten a dish, elevate aroma, and add that perfect high note without overpowering the core flavors. It’s subtle, but transformative. 

 

When you dine out, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  
It’s second nature, yes. But not in a negative way; I pay attention.  

 

What’s the most common issue you notice? 

Lack of harmony — flavors fighting each other instead of working together. Also, when the service doesn’t match the ambition of the kitchen, the experience falls flat. Great dining is holistic. 

 

What’s your favorite cuisine to eat? 
Italian and Japanese. They both celebrate ingredients, not just technique. A perfect bowl of ramen or a plate of cacio e pepe — both are about balance, soul, and simplicity done well. 

 

What’s your go-to 20-minute meal to cook at home? 
A miso-marinated salmon with steamed rice and quick-pickled cucumbers. It’s comforting, fast, and packed with umami. Plus, it gives you that sense of a complete meal without needing much time or effort. 

 

What customer request most annoys you? 
When guests try to reinvent the dish at the table with endless modifications. I fully respect dietary needs, but there’s a difference between adjusting and redesigning. Every dish is built to tell a story; the best experience comes when you trust that process. 

 

What’s your favorite dish to cook? 
Nigiri sushi. It’s pure craftsmanship. You’re working with just a few elements — rice, fish, soy, wasabi — but every detail matters. It’s the kind of dish that keeps you humble and sharp, no matter how long you’ve been cooking. 

 

What’s the hardest dish to perfect? 
Ramen. It’s deceptively hard. The broth alone is a science — depth, clarity, timing. Then you have the noodles, the toppings, the balance of fat and acid. One small misstep and the entire bowl is off. 

 

What kind of head chef are you? Strict? Calm? Loud? 
Calm, always. Precision doesn’t require shouting. I lead by consistency, clarity, and presence. I believe a composed kitchen is a creative kitchen. My team knows I expect high standards, but also that I support them fully in achieving it. 

 

RECIPE: Assorted vegetable stir-fry noodle

INGREDIENTS

Any long noodle 100g

Olive oil 15ml

Finely chopped garlic 5g

Black pepper powder 1g

Thinly-sliced mix vegetables 60-70g

Tonaktsu sauce 20g

Light soy sauce 40g

INSTRUCTIONS

Boil water in a pot and cook 100g of any child noodle until just done (follow package instructions for time. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside with a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking.

Stir-fry the vegetables:

Heat 15ml olive oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 5g finely chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 15–20    seconds). Add white onion julienne and stir for 1 minute until slightly soft. Add 60–70g of mixed vegetables (can include carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, zucchini, broccoli, etc. whatever available

Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are cooked but still crisp.

Season and Combine Add 1g black pepper powder and toss to coat.

Add cooked noodles to the pan and stir well. Add Sauce and Finish

Pour in the noodle sauce mixture:  and add 20g Tonkatsu sauce

40g Light soy sauce Toss everything together over high heat until noodles are fully coated and heated through (1–2 minutes).

Adjust seasoning if needed.


Artists push the boundaries of technology in new media arts residency in Riyadh

Updated 03 July 2025
Follow

Artists push the boundaries of technology in new media arts residency in Riyadh

  • Residency displays futuristic artwork inspired by the natural landscape and culture of the Kingdom
  • Diriyah Art Futures brings together artists from around the world, combining art, science and technology

RIYADH: Diriyah Art Futures opened a new residency displaying cutting-edge artwork in Riyadh on Wednesday evening.

The Mazra’ah Media Art Residency spring/summer 2025 open studio displays work that combines art, science and technology.

It is a three-month program designed for artists and scholars working across new media and digital art.

The theme, “High-Resolution Dreams of Sand,” explored the evolving relationships between humans, nature and technology in rapidly changing environments, informed by the distinctive contexts of Diriyah and Riyadh.

The evening’s open studio offered a behind-the-scenes look at work in progress from the spring/summer 2025 residents, alongside talks and studio discussions.

In the studios, Arab News met with various artists including Saudi Arwa Al-Neami whose creations explore themes of acceptance, identity and societal transformation.

During the residency, she undertook an artistic investigation of Saudi Arabia’s landscapes, collecting sand samples from various regions across the Kingdom.

Through nano microscopy and advanced imaging techniques, she created an immersive sensory experience that transforms microscopic grains of sand into pieces of art in the form of films, virtual reality and 3D-printed sculptures.

She told Arab News: “I am currently researching seven different areas in the Kingdom, where I’m exploring the sound of the sun using specialized sensors during sunrise and sunset. The resulting sound waves are translated into frequencies that create audible sounds.

“By analyzing the sound of the sun and the atomic structure of sands, I produce artwork that highlights the differences across various regions of Saudi Arabia.”

For 90 days, artist Dr. Stanza has been creating a whole body of work based on Saudi Arabia using real-time data including weather forecasts, pollution stats and news feeds.

Using an AI prompt, he created the series “Sons of Time” — an interactive Internet installation inspired by cybernetics and the future.

His other work, “Machine Cities,” connects 90 cities and towns across the Kingdom and tracks them in real time, presenting a visualization that the public can engage with.

The London-based artist has exhibited worldwide and earned numerous awards for his use of the Internet as an art medium.

“While I’ve been here, what I’ve really learned about Saudi Arabia is it’s a very warm and inclusive country that’s moving forward toward 2030.

“There’s a whole series of ideas about AI and agency that (are) also incorporated within my artworks. I look forward to presenting some of these works here in the future,” he told Arab News.

Indian artist Harshit Agrawal has taken his time at the residency to contemplate the juxtaposition of Diriyah’s rich heritage with its exponential development in the past few years.

Set against Diriyah’s historic farms and Riyadh’s evolving environment, the participants were encouraged to consider the impact of technology on natural and constructed landscapes.

“While I was here, I was quite fascinated, in my early days by the cultural richness, the different practices of culture, but also Diriyah as a city in transition in this beautiful time where it’s developing into something else with all these constructions and all these new things that are happening,” Agrawal told Arab News.

In “Machinic Meditations,” the artist was particularly fascinated with subhas, or prayer beads, that are commonly used in Saudi Arabia.

This prompted his research, where he also found electronic subhas. “It’s quite fascinating to move from this kind of manual device to an electronic version of it,” he said.

“I started thinking — because I work a lot with machine learning, AI data— what is the extreme scenario of that? So, I created these devices, which are motorized systems that rotate these beads autonomously, and they keep doing that continuously.

“And with each rotation, they pick up new human data to meditate on. It’s kind of the machine’s version of meditating, but on human data and climate data.”

In “Data Excavations: The New Soil,” the artist takes inspiration from construction and excavation machinery, using its mobility as a way to write out words in a choreographed manner using light strips.

“It’s been a really exciting time to be here, because it’s a great intersection between deep cultural practices that are here that I can kind of see in the city, but also really cutting-edge studios and facilities that I’ve had and (been) exposed through the material residency,” he said.

The open studio event welcomed a number of artists and prominent figures in the art scene, aiming to introduce them to the findings and research of this year’s cohort around new media arts in the region.

“Having Saudi Arabia attracting so many different cultures right now is a great thing, for artists to meet and research in the new media and technology is a great thing because they can implement their culture’s ideas in so many different ways and that’s what we see here — it’s a great cultural bridge,” visual artist Lulwah AI-Hamoud, who was attending the event, told Arab News.

DAF Director Haytham Nawar and DAF Director of Education Dr. Tegan Bristow delivered opening remarks, followed by talks from Dr. Anett Holzheid, an ZKM science and art researcher and curator, and Mizuho Yamazaki, an independent writer and scholar.

Attendees then enjoyed an open studio preview with Dr. Stanza, before a break for networking and a tour of the fabrication lab, sound lab and prototypes.

The evening concluded with studio discussions featuring Arwa Alneami, Harshit Agrawal and Reem Alnasser, all media artists.


How the Michelin Guide will boost the culinary scene in Saudi Arabia

Updated 03 July 2025
Follow

How the Michelin Guide will boost the culinary scene in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The Michelin Guide — the restaurant industry’s most-respected guidebook — has finally come to Saudi Arabia. In a significant milestone for the Kingdom’s culinary scene, the guide — organized in partnership with the Saudi Culinary Arts Commission — will be released in three stages: on the 15th of each month from October to December this year, it was announced at the launch event last month.

The guide “will focus on the bustling cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, while also beginning to explore the diverse regions of the Kingdom, including Khobar, AlUla, and many more,” Michelin said in a statement, adding that its inspectors — who visit venues anonymously — are “already in the field.”

As it does throughout the world, Michelin will award one star to restaurants providing “high-quality cooking that is worth a stop,” two stars for “excellent cooking that is worth a detour,” and three stars for “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey.”

Alongside the much-coveted star ratings, the selection also includes the popular Bib Gourmand category, a distinction awarded to restaurants that provide good quality food at a moderate price.

The well-known Jeddah-based chef and restauranteur Nihal Felemban says the arrival of the Michelin Guide will raise the bar for chefs and restaurants in Saudi Arabia. 

“It's a dream for most chefs to obtain that star. That will create a very healthy sense of competition,” she tells Arab News.

And Felemban believes the Kingdom’s local and homegrown concepts are more than capable of holding their own against the big-name brands that have been imported in recent years. 

“These concepts deserve to be known. They deserve to be recognized outside the Saudi market,” she says.

“This will give a chance to these homegrown concepts to be on the international culinary map, similarly to what happened in Dubai,” she adds, referring to the 2022 launch of the guide in the UAE. “There were a lot of restaurants we didn't know about (then). The Michelin Guide gave them a voice, gave them a name abroad; it’s a beautiful thing.”

UAE-based Samantha Wood, founder of the impartial restaurant review website FooDiva.net, says the Michelin Guide has had a hugely positive impact on Dubai’s culinary scene.

“Since the launch, the number of independent homegrown concepts has grown every year, with the most recent 2025 guide featuring 29 independent homegrown concepts taking the lion’s share in the top cut of Michelin stars and Bib Gourmand.”

For the Saudi guide, Wood says, “I hope Michelin will prioritise dishing out stars and bibs for the homegrown concepts — like it has done in Dubai. This gives restaurateurs the incentive to develop their own (ideas), rather than rely on importing concepts and franchise agreements.”

Felemban is the founder of one of those homegrown concepts that will be hoping for recognition later this year. Her Jeddah restaurant, The Lucky Lllama, offers Nikkei cuisine, blending Peruvian and Japanese culinary traditions. “I would love to see The Lucky Llama (in the guide), because I believe it can compete on international levels,” she says. 

Felemban predicts that the French Riviera-inspired Le Petite Maison — more commonly known as LPM — and top burger spot Marble will earn some recognition, as well as Jeddah’s Korean BBQ joint HWA-RO. 

The guide isn’t just a boon to the restaurant industry either. Michelin-starred restaurants can offer a significant boost to tourism.

“Foodie travellers use these guides to plan holidays, often booking high ranking restaurants first before planning holidays around these reservations,” says Wood.

Lifestyle and food blogger Sarah Taha, who showcases the luxury food industry in Saudi on her page Swirl The Fork, also believes the guide could be a game-changer for tourism in the Saudi capital.

“The arrival of the Michelin Guide has the potential to spotlight both ends of Riyadh’s culinary spectrum — from its most luxurious dining rooms to its beloved casual gems — making it one of the most exciting food cities in the region,” she tells Arab News. 

“Michelin’s presence won’t just put a global spotlight on our chefs and restaurants; it will also raise the bar for quality, creativity, and service across the board. It’s a powerful statement that Saudi is ready to be recognized as a serious player in the world of fine dining,” she continues. 

Riyadh is home to several standout restaurants that Taha believes are strong contenders for Michelin stars. Her predictions include Japanese restaurants Zuma, Myazu, and Nozomi (the latter “remains a benchmark for upscale dining,” she says), and Italian restaurant Mamo Michelangelo.

When it comes to the Bib Gourmand category, which celebrates more affordable yet high-quality dining, Taha highlights Saudi staples like Mama Noura — concepts that “fuse authenticity with consistency and have built loyal followings. They may not be fine dining, but they’re rooted in culinary excellence and local relevance,” she says. 

Like Felemban, Taha is confident the arrival of the Michelin Guide can only be a good thing for the Saudi food scene.

“From what I’ve seen running Swirl the Fork, there’s so much passion and creativity here. This kind of spotlight will not only validate that, but also inspire a new generation to invest — and believe — in local culinary ventures. It’s about putting Saudi flavors and stories on the world stage.”


REVIEW: ‘Ironheart’ — compelling hero let down by shoddy storytelling

Updated 03 July 2025
Follow

REVIEW: ‘Ironheart’ — compelling hero let down by shoddy storytelling

  • New Marvel series doesn’t play to its greatest strengths

LONDON: For a studio so adept at world-changing bombast, Marvel has enjoyed a surprising amount of success with shows working on a smaller scale, with lower stakes, about characters and the places they actually live: “Ms Marvel” and “Daredevil: Born Again,” for example, have fared better than, say, the globe-trotting mess that was “Secret Invasion.”

So while genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) was introduced during the ocean-spanning events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” we really get to know her and her Iron Man-esque suit in “Ironheart,” which sees her return home to Chicago. Without the backing of the Wakandans, or the money of someone like Tony Stark, Riri falls in with a slightly more nefarious crowd in order to make money and keep her suit running. Soon enough she’s pulling off jobs for the shady Hood (Anthony Ramos) and his gang, all while dealing with her overprotective mother, trying to find a way to use her inventions for good, and processing the grief of losing her best friend Natalie in a drive-by shooting.

It's quite a bleak story arc for a Marvel hero — Riri makes some questionable choices and some surprisingly selfish ones too. This could have been mined a little more, perhaps, were “Ironheart” not more concerned with racing through the story at breakneck speed. The six-episode run means there’s not much time for character development — a crying shame when there are hints of some fascinating backstories. It also means, sadly, that not much time or money was given to effects. Some of the CGI is shonky in the extreme, while the armor suit Riri has so lovingly crafted is often relegated to little more than a means by which to arrive. Thorne makes for a charismatic lead, and the supporting cast is great (Alden Ehrenreich’s black market tech dealer Joe especially). The plot, however, feels heavy and cumbersome: shoehorned exposition and one-note villains.

The great stuff here is the little stuff. Riri and Natalie’s relationship, a few snatched glimpses of their life in Chicago, Joe’s backstory — all of these deserve more airtime. Without that attention to detail, “Ironheart” feels flimsy. Fun, but ultimately unsatisfying.