Self-Belief and Passion are Recipe for Success, Says Emirati Chef

Bader Najeeb Al Awadhi faced so much prejudice when he discovered his love of cooking that he almost gave up.

“At first, people were very against the idea of an Emirati man being in the kitchen,” said Bader, a business student at Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). “I’d go online and see people making fun and saying ‘he shouldn’t be in the kitchen, it’s a woman’s domain.’

Fortunately, with a little encouragement from friends and a lot of self-belief, the 18-year-old Emirati rose above the critics, followed his dreams and is now proving a huge hit with television audiences.

“I felt I wanted to give up but a close friend told me I should be the first to do it, and open up doors for others. That was good advice.

“When I started doing some interviews about my cooking, people started to be more supportive and even some of the haters changed their minds!

Bader’s culinary passion began one day in his early teens when he decided to help his mother bake a cake. Having already tried out various hobbies including horse-riding and swimming, he felt an immediate connection with cooking, and it wasn’t long before his natural flair was noticed.

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Self-Belief and Passion are Recipe for Success, Says Emirati Chef