Smiling wistfully as he talks about his homeland, Jordan, Abdul Hashhoush, the executive chef of the exotic Neyla restaurant in Georgetown, talks about his years growing up at his mother’s side in the kitchen. A Lebanese transplant, for Hashhoush’s mom, her kitchen was her life. “She helped out my dad, who was also a chef,” said Hashhoush. “I started work when I was very young, only 9 years old. I was helping in my mom’s kitchen. It’s something I love.” By the time he was 15, he was an army cook. Soon after, Hashhoush worked as a line cook in the Sheraton Hotel in Baghdad, where he also was in charge of the prep kitchen. From there, the young man moved to Dubai, filled with the passion for the kitchen. “I love [cooking],” he says. “It was a good career choice.”
When Hashhoush moved to the United States about 10 years ago, he landed a job with Jose Andres, helping open Andres’ iconic Zaytinya, D.C.’s go-to restaurant for Mediterranean fare. “I made everything from scratch, even the phyllo dough,” he recalled, a thin-as-tissue-paper pastry that defines Hashhoush’s attention to detail and his reverence for traditional cooking techniques.
“[Andres] was crazy about my scratch cooking,” he says. During his tenure at Zaytinya, he explained, Andres showed Hashhoush how to refine his Mediterranean cooking, and, in exchange, Hashhoush shared his knowledge of Middle Eastern cuisine.
| IF YOU GO |
| Neyla |
| » Where: 3206 N St., NW |
| » Info: 202-333-6353 |
| » Hours: 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; Until 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday |
Now at Neyla for the past 5 years, Hashhoush insists that he incorporate only traditional recipes into the menu. “It’s all good food,” he says. “I believe in healthy cooking, and nothing in excess. Quality and flavor are more important that killing flavors with spices.” Hashhoush describes his cooking as Middle Eastern with a European touch. “I am very fussy with vendors, and I will turn back seafood and produce that are not perfect.”
This approach harkens back to what he learned from his dad years ago. “He made a lot from scratch,” he says of his father. “He was very famous back home. My dad’s country, Lebanon, is very famous for its food.”
But Hashhoush recognizes his mom’s influence, which shaped who he is today. “What drove me was what my mom taught me,” he says. “I never went to culinary school…My mom knew that this was my life, and she was very happy with that.”
Q&A
What is your comfort food?
Soup…a lot of warm dishes. Lentil soup.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
Washington, D.C. That’s why I am here for 12 years and I don’t want to move. It’s the heart of the world. It’s almost like a village. You never feel alone here.
Which is your favorite cuisine?
Food has no nationality. I love everything like filet mignon, Indian and Asian spices. All food is the same for me.
What is your signature dish?
Lamb. It is my favorite thing to make.
Which are your favorite restaurants?
Cafe Atlantico and Jaleo.
Recipe
Gambas al Cilantro
Serves 6
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 medium shallots, minced
1 jalape?o pepper, sliced
1 whole lemon, sliced
1 pound medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saut? pan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, shallots, jalape?o and lemon, and cook slowly for 2 minutes until shallots are soft. Add shrimp and cook 4 minutes more, or until done. When shrimp is cooked, add the cilantro and toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper, and serve.
