WALID MOUZANNAR

A man of various sensibilities, jeweler Walid Mouzannar isn’t just one for the commodities. He’s also a man who entwines the mélange of art, food, family and prayer into one another – the key notes to a tasteful flavorful lifestyle

“When you make a ring, you start with the metal, then comes the polishing and finally you position the stone. You cook up a piece of jewelry, just as you would a recipe,” Walid explains.

A member of the Lebanese Academy of Gastronomy, Mouzannar wrote a book, Récits et Recettes, which won The International Academy of Gastronomy prize for its straight forward recipes and humorous nostalgic illustrations. All of the book’s proceeds go to charity. “They say that men who like to cook are men who like to succeed,” he muses.

On Sunday mornings when his children and grandchildren are over, he recalls, “I cook pasta, because children love it, carbonara, pesto, or aglio, olio, e peperoncino”. But when he has guests, he likes to make a good Bouillabaisse, Paella, Couscous or Choucroute (German Sauerkraut). On Christmas he goes straight for a stuffed Turkey. The major trick, of which he says, is to not use water.

“I never learned how to cook, it was always by tasting. My friends are usually happy to dine at my home, but afraid when I dine at theirs. I either complement their food or I don’t comment. But if they ask me, I can’t lie. However, I would suggest missing ingredients in a constructive manner. Even at work, if a piece of jewelry doesn’t look nice on my client, I tell her,” he says.