Recipes for success: Chef Clet Laborde offers advice and a tasty cheese balls recipe

French-Brazilian chef Clet Laborde discovered his passion for cooking while preparing snacks and sandwiches for events during his hospitality studies. (Supplied)
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Updated 05 December 2024
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Recipes for success: Chef Clet Laborde offers advice and a tasty cheese balls recipe

  • The executive chef of Sushi Samba Riyadh offers advice and a tasty cheese balls recipe  

DUBAI: French-Brazilian chef Clet Laborde discovered his passion for cooking while preparing snacks and sandwiches for events during his hospitality studies. “I enjoyed learning the ways that we do things and how we work in the kitchen that is very different from hospitality, from being a bartender or a server or a waiter,” he told Arab News.  

Encouraged by a mentor who recognized his potential during a culinary competition in Brazil, Laborde pursued formal training at the renowned Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France. He went on to work with legendary chefs Yannick Alléno and Alain Ducasse in France, before expanding his horizons in Brazil and Peru. 

In January 2023, the chef moved to Saudi Arabia. “I really love this country. It is very nice. It is a safe place. It is a very good country to live in with the family and kids. So I am very happy to be here,” he said. He is now the executive chef of Sushi Samba Riyadh, where he crafts dishes that blend Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian flavors. 

Here, the chef discusses mistakes, his favorite cuisines, and offers tips for amateur chefs. 

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?  

Organization is the most important thing in the kitchen. A very big mistake that is common in the beginning is that you don’t have everything ready to make the dish. We call it the “mise en place.” So, you don’t need to run around or be desperate to cook something very quick because you forgot something.  

Seasoning is another thing that comes with time. Every person — and every country — has a different palette. I’ve had the opportunity to work in Europe, Brazil, Peru and Saudi Arabia, and the palette of each country is completely different. So, you need to adapt the seasoning. A common mistake in the beginning is that we tend to put too much salt, or not enough. 

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?  

The best tip that I can give is don’t get stressed out. If you make a mistake, you can always change and adapt the dish without destroying the idea behind it. For example, when you put too much salt in something, the most effective thing to kill the salt is to put a raw potato in the dish. Let’s say you are doing a stew, and you put too much salt, just put a raw potato inside. The raw potato is going to absorb all the excess salt, so your dish is going to be perfect again. Everything can be solved, everything can be adapted. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? 

I have two. The first is soy sauce — a good quality soy sauce can improve a dish a lot. The flavor helps you not use salt, and it can give flavor to the dishes very subtly. The other ingredient is mushrooms. They are very earthy products, but the mushroom has umami — a flavor that comes from the earth that is something very delicate in the palette.  

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

I'm very critical and my wife — who’s also a chef — is too. So when we go out to eat, we see all the details in every dish. I think everybody that has this career will be the same. We are always looking to learn — even if that’s learning what not to do. 

What’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants? 

The seasoning. Like I said before, it’s something very personal — some people like to eat food that is more salty, less salty, more sweet, more spicy… But, in the kitchen, we always need to have a base flavor. When we add salt, it’s not necessarily to make the food more salty, but to increase the flavor of the product. So, if we don’t put enough salt, like on a steak or on a fish, the fish is going to be bland, so we’re going to lose this good flavor of the product.  

What’s your favorite cuisine? 

Peruvian. I lived in Peru for 12 years. The cuisine has a mix of cultures and flavors that you’re not going to find anywhere else. My favorite dishes would be ceviche and pollo a la brasa. We have both on our menu here. La brasa is a very traditional dish that the Peruvians eat normally every Sunday — like how the Italians sit together to eat pasta on Sunday, in Peru they eat chicken la brasa with fries and salad. It’s very traditional and it’s delicious.  

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

Stroganoff. It’s an Eastern European dish. It is very quick. You can do it with salmon, you can do it with chicken, you can do it with steak. It’s very versatile. You can do it with just vegetables too. All you need is paprika, ketchup, cream and the protein that you want. Everything sauteed together, and you serve it with rice. In 20 minutes, you have the dish done.  

What customer behavior most frustrates you? 

Fake allergies. It is very common. I understand that some people have very specific allergies, like nuts, peanuts, seafood or shellfish. But now, you have people saying I’m allergic to mango, I’m allergic to kiwi. I prefer them to be honest, and say, “I don’t like mango. Can you do the dish without mango?” We either say, “Sorry, we cannot,” or we can give you another option, and we can work with it. But don’t try to give allergies that don’t exist. It’s something that’s very stressful in the kitchen — to try to adapt to allergies that you know don’t exist. But you cannot say no to the customer.  

What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?  

There’s a dish I always make at home for my kids and my wife. They love it. It’s a flavor that can bring us back to Peru. It takes time, but it’s not complicated. You need to marinate your chicken for 24 hours minimum, and after that, you put your chicken in the oven, and it’s done. So it’s very easy to do, but it takes time. But it’s very easy and very tasty. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?  

A traditional French dish — fish in puff pastry. The whole fish is cooked inside the puff pastry. So to have the perfect cook of the fish, to not be dry, or raw, with the puff pastry cooked perfectly, is very difficult. It’s a dish that needs a lot of attention to detail and decoration.  

Are you a disciplinarian? Do you shout a lot? Or are you more laidback? 

I’m not laidback, but I don’t shout. I think the image that a lot of people have about me because I am French, is that I will shout. Some French chefs are very nasty with the employees. I’m the opposite of that. I lived this environment when I was in France. I know how it is to work for a person that screams at you, hits you or denigrates you in the kitchen in front of everybody. That’s something that I am against. I always try to have a healthy environment for my chef and for my team. Here in Sushi Samba, I have 56 cooks under my responsibility. I know all of them. I tell everyone, when you arrive in the kitchen, you need to say hi to everybody. This is what makes the bond within the team — everybody cares about everybody. My team knows that my door is always open to them. And if I have any issue with a cook or any problem in the kitchen, I never call the person out in front of anybody. I take the person out of the kitchen, we go to the office, we sit down, we talk and we try to solve the problem instantly.  

Chef Clet’s Brazilian cheese balls (Pão de queijo) recipe  

INGREDIENTS: 

Tapioca flour: 500g 

Water: 100ml 

Sunflower oil: 80ml 

Milk: 180ml 

Salt: 2g 

Eggs: 2  

Parmesan cheese: 250g 

INSTRUCTIONS:  

In a bowl, mix the tapioca flour, salt, and grated parmesan cheese. 

In a separate container, combine the warm water, milk, and sunflower oil. 

Gradually add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing well. 

Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous. 

Form small balls of approximately 30g each and place them on a baking tray. 

Bake at 180°C for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Enjoy with salted butter or cream cheese. 

 


Christie’s London to feature retrospective on Syrian artist Marwan

Updated 23 sec ago
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Christie’s London to feature retrospective on Syrian artist Marwan

DUBAI: Christie’s is poised to host a non-selling exhibition of work by late Syrian artist Marwan Kassab-Bachi, titled “Marwan: A Soul in Exile.”

Taking place from July 16-22, the show was curated by Ridha Moumni, chairman of Christie’s Middle East & Africa.

This retrospective exhibition will display more than 150 works on loan from museums, institutions and private collections in Europe and the Middle East. The exhibition traces the artist’s career, from his artistic beginnings in Syria to his prolific output in Germany, his adopted homeland, where he spent six decades of his life.

“I wanted to highlight the essential threads running through his career: from his iconic ‘Face Landscapes’ to the celebrated ‘Heads,’ his journey from Damascus to Germany, and the pivotal moments that shaped his legacy — including his major 1976 retrospective at Charlottenburg Schloss, which established his place in the German art scene,” Moumni told Arab News.

“Equally important is his enduring connection to Syria and the Arab world,” he added.

With paintings, works on paper, and editions from 1953 until 2014, this exhibition offers audiences in London the chance to explore the artist’s multi-disciplinary approach.  

“Over the past two years, our aim has been to introduce artists and artistic scenes to London that people here don’t often get to see. One of our deepest commitments is to highlight the richness of artists from the Arab world or of Arab heritage. Marwan embodies this mission beautifully: a towering figure from the Syrian diaspora, who built an extraordinary career in Germany, and had a big impact on modern portraiture,” Moumni said of Christie’s decision to spotlight the artist this summer.

In 1957, Marwan moved to Berlin and attended the Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste, graduating in 1963. The artist, who is referred to by his first name, joined a group of German expressionist painters that included Georg Baselitz and Eugen Schonebeck, but he retained his Syrian identity and engaged with social and political issues of the Middle East through his work. 

“For those who already know his work, I hope they uncover new depths — its poetic power, its meditations on exile, identity, and belonging. Above all, I hope visitors feel a true connection to Marwan’s work,” Moumni said.

 


Artist Dan Pearce explores kinetic energy in Doha artwork

Updated 12 July 2025
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Artist Dan Pearce explores kinetic energy in Doha artwork

  • Steel sculpture captures water dropping onto a surface
  • Doha peninsula was inspiration, Pearce tells Arab News

DUBAI: Internationally-acclaimed London-based artist Dan Pearce has revealed the inspiration for his work to mark the 20th anniversary of the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, titled “Kinetic Drop.”

Known for commissions from French football icon Paul Pogba, other celebrities and global exhibitions, the artist’s bespoke sculpture is crafted from stainless steel.

“I titled this sculpture ‘Kinetic Drop’ because it captures that precise moment when a water droplet collides with a surface, that split second when kinetic energy disperses in all directions,” Pearce told Arab News recently.

“With all my work, I aim to trigger one of three responses: to make viewers think ‘how did he do that?’ to inspire them to touch the artwork, or to encourage movement around the piece for different perspectives,” he added.

The artist, who was born in Australia, is known for his pop culture-inspired work and often turns to DC Comics, musicians and street art for source material.

Taking inspiration from the hotel and its surroundings in Doha may have been a welcome departure for the artist. “The sculpture is mounted on a map of Qatar.

“Geographically, Qatar is also surrounded by water as a peninsula while Four Seasons Doha is situated on the Arabian Gulf where I could see endless views of the shimmering waters from our room — this was also part of the inspiration behind the piece,” he explained.

As for the location of the artwork, the artist said it “could create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, encouraging visitors and guests to interact and connect with it on a social level and experience it before it’s gone.”

Pearce’s work has captured the attention of celebrities and worldwide brands, with commissioned pieces for boxing champion Anthony Joshua, Grammy nominee Rag’n’Bone Man, and hip-hop star 50 Cent, to name a few.

Ensuring his work can be understood across cultures is something that was particularly important to Pearce in the run-up to his showcase in Doha.

“With the concept of the sculpture being water, this makes it universally significant across all cultures. Water represents life, renewal, and connection which are key elements that can transcend cultural boundaries,” he said.


Superman fans claim film is critical of Israel

Updated 12 July 2025
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Superman fans claim film is critical of Israel

DUBAI: James Gunn’s new “Superman” film is drawing attention online for what many viewers interpret as a pointed political message. 

A scene showing a heavily armed military force attacking civilians across a border, where children’s lives are at risk, has sparked comparisons to the Israel-Gaza war.

While neither Gunn nor the cast have stated the film references Israel or Palestine, early audiences have drawn their own conclusions, suggesting the conflict serves as an allegorical backdrop.

One user wrote on X: “Y’all were not kidding about how anti-Israel and pro-Palestine that superman movie was, and they were not slick with it AT ALL,” while another said: “Superman was so openly anti-Israel and god it was so good.” 

Another user said: “Not going to lie I really like the anti-Israel sentiment from superman and now I know James Gunn is always standing on business.” 

Though the film never names specific nations, Gunn has said in interviews that it tackles themes of “politics” and “morality,” and positions Superman as an immigrant, comments that have also sparked backlash from some US conservatives.

The film is a reboot of the DC franchise and marks the beginning of Gunn’s new DC Universe. It stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. The cast also includes Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl.

The movie was released in Saudi Arabia on July 10. 


Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection

Updated 11 July 2025
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Syrian Rami Al-Ali makes Paris haute couture history with debut collection

DUBAI: Syrian designer Rami Al-Ali made history this week as the first couturier from his country to take part in the official Paris calendar, choking back tears at the end of his show of exquisitely tailored pieces.

Working within a palette of soft neutrals, icy pastels and muted metallics, the designer explored volume, texture and structure with a distinct architectural approach.

There were structured silhouettes featuring sharp tailoring and asymmetric cuts, softened by draped elements or delicate embellishments. 

 

 

Floor-grazing gowns crafted from layers of organza and chiffon created a sense of fluidity, with subtle transparency lending an ethereal quality. Hand embroidery, pleated tulle and intricate smocking added depth and visual interest across the collection.

Several looks featured woven or lattice-like details, both in full panels and as accents, emphasizing artisanal technique. 

Other standout designs played with sculptural forms; one gown unfurled into fan-like pleats, while another used cascading layers.

Al-Ali’s inclusion in the Paris calendar marks a major milestone, signaling his entry into fashion’s most elite circle. To qualify for the official haute couture, or “high fashion,” designation, fashion houses meet rigorous standards, and the title is legally protected under French law.

It is a “historical milestone, celebrating a lifelong devotion to craftsmanship, culture, and creative expression, rooted in heritage and elevated by vision,” the fashion house posted on Instagram when it was first announced that Al-Ali would join the calendar.

Originally from Damascus, Al-Ali honed his fashion skills in Dubai and Beirut before founding his label, Rami Al-Ali Couture, in 2001.

His creations have been worn by a variety of celebrities, including Amal Clooney, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Chastain.

Al-Ali’s work has been praised for seamlessly blending his Middle Eastern heritage with Western sensibilities. He is known for designing flowing silhouettes adorned with intricate, playful embellishments — creations that are both timeless and runway-worthy.

Al-Ali was one of a handful of Arab designers on the official haute couture calendar. The lineup also included Lebanese designers Georges Hobeika, Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad, as well as Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi.  


An anthem for unspoken love: Zeyne discusses her latest release, ‘Hilwa’ 

Updated 11 July 2025
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An anthem for unspoken love: Zeyne discusses her latest release, ‘Hilwa’ 

  • The Palestinian-Jordanian artist on her new single, released by MDLBEAST Records 

DHAHRAN: Palestinian-Jordanian artist Zeyne is here for her close-up — and she’s bringing the inspirational women in her family along. 

Zeyne’s latest single “Hilwa” dropped this week and the artwork — shot by Zaid Allozi — shows three women interlocked by their braided hair. 

“The image shows three generations — me, my mother, and my grandmother — all connected by one continuous braid. It’s a symbol of inheritance; the quiet strength and love passed from one woman to the next,” Zeyne tells Arab News. “The braid holds the kind of love that isn’t always spoken, but is deeply felt and remembered.” 

The 27-year-old is using her music to reclaim narrative, identity and joy — singing of Arab womanhood in its most defiant, soulful and cinematic form. 

“We shot (the artwork) in a handmade mudbrick house in the Jordan Valley, built using traditional Levantine methods. These homes — found across Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon — aren’t just sustainable, they carry memory. They connect us to land, to lineage, and to something deeper,” Zeyne says.  

“Hilwa” is an uplifting anthem released via Saudi-based MDLBEAST Records, in partnership with Zeyne’s own label, Scarab Records.  

Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Omar Rezgani)

“When we saw the vision Zeyne and her team had, it was a no brainer, we were ready to jump right in and help amplify what was already there and build together towards a sustainable, long-running, global project stemming from the heart of the MENA region,” Talal Albahiti, COO and head of talent at MDLBEAST, tells Arab News. “MDLBEAST Records always champions the upcoming hard workers and visionaries, and Zeyne exemplifies these qualities perfectly.”  

Following Zeyne’s 2024 hit “Asli Ana,” which reimagined Arab rhythmic traditions through a futuristic lens, “Hilwa” pays homage to her mother and grandmother, whose love and wisdom deeply shaped her sense of identity. “While ‘Asli Ana’ was about resistance, ‘Hilwa’ is softer,” she says.  

Through Zeyne’s reflective lyrics and emotional vocal delivery, “Hilwa” explores how beauty and self-worth are inherited — not just genetically, but through stories, memories, and values passed down by generations of Arab women. “You’re so beautiful and no one can say otherwise,” she sings at one point. 

Zeyne in the studio during the recording sessions for 'Hilwa.' (Zaid Allozi)

Born Zein Sajdi in Amman in 1997, Zeyne was raised in a household where music and culture were key. Her father was a record collector, her mother led a dabke troupe, and her sister trained as a classical pianist. Zeyne began performing aged five and was already writing her own lyrics in her teens. 

She studied sociology and media communications at the University of Sussex in the UK, but the COVID-19 pandemic redirected her path. Returning to Amman in 2020, she turned her full attention to music — writing, recording and developing her distinct sound. 

Since the release of her 2021 debut single, “Minni Ana,” Zeyne has carved a singular lane in Arab pop — merging traditional Arabic sounds with modern, genre-defying production. Since then, she has released several acclaimed singles, collaborated with artists including Palestinian singer-songwriter Saint Levant, and written for fellow Jordanian-Palestinian musician Issam Alnajjar, Lebanese-Canadian singer-songwriter Massari, and the acclaimed Chilean-Palestinian star Elyanna.  

Zeyne performing at Offlimits Festival in Abu Dhabi in April. (Marwan Abouzeid and Zahra Hasby)

With more than 46 million streams across various platforms, Zeyne’s music has become a touchstone for Arab youth globally, offering a sound that is intimate, cinematic and emotionally resonant. Her boundary-pushing sound and evocative vocals have established her as one of the region’s most important cultural voices.  

Earlier this year, she launched a three-stop regional mini tour, “The Golden-Hour Run,” that included a landmark performance at the OffLimits Festival in the UAE and stadium appearances as a special guest on Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour in Qatar and Bahrain, where she performed to over 65,000 people.  

She became the first female artist from the Levant to appear on the globally renowned music platform COLORS with her song “Ma Bansak,” and a viral performance in collaboration with Bottega Veneta blurred the lines between fashion, music, and Palestinian resistance. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by zeyne | زين (@zeyne)

But Zeyne’s influence stretches far beyond music.  

As an EQUAL Arabia ambassador, she lit up Times Square in New York City, solidifying her status as an emerging symbol of contemporary Arab identity and woman empowerment. Her inclusion in the DAZED Global 100 further cemented her status as a fearless voice reshaping representation and storytelling in and beyond the region. 

“Hilwa” captures all of that—vulnerability, defiance, and a deep sense of generational continuity. On Instagram, she wrote that the song stems from an assembly line of greatness, and is “a love letter to all the women in my life — my mother, my grandmother and even my younger self — you are beautiful, and no words can say otherwise.” 

This summer, Zeyne brings that message to the stage. She will perform in London on July 19 and 20, Paris on July 22, and Jerash on July 28, before heading to Saudi Arabia for back-to-back concerts in Riyadh on Aug. 7 and Jeddah on Aug. 8.