Chef Agustin Shomali
A World Master Chef
I am a Palestinian-Spanish chef. My career in the gastronomy industry started upon my graduation from Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center. I then went on to spread my passion for cooking through hosting several radio and television cooking shows at local Palestinian media outlets, while I was also teaching the art of cooking at various schools and universities. I took my passion for cooking to work at several restaurants and institutions in Palestine and the Canary Islands, my mother’s homeland. I am currently the food and beverage manager and executive chef at Ararat Hotel in Bethlehem.
My diverse background led me to integrate this East-West diversity into my cuisine and into the techniques that I use, which include a fusion of traditional Palestinian cuisine with various global techniques and flavors. My food palette has been greatly enhanced by the cooking courses that I took in countries such as Italy and France that added an international twist.
The highlights of my career include cooking for many high-profile people, such as Pope Francis and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. And I am humbled to be the first Palestinian member of the World Master Chefs Society.
Through my work in the gastronomy industry, I aspire to spread awareness of the richness of Palestinian cuisine throughout the world while also playing a role in enhancing the standards of the cuisine globally.
