Why a French chef with 21 Michelin stars is betting on the Middle East

Business Insider

French culinary legend Alain Ducasse has opened two restaurants in Doha and one of them, IDAM, just earned Qatar’s first Michelin star. We take a look at how he's bringing fine dining to the desert.

Transcript

00:00These are some of the culinary creations that have earned French chef Alain Ducasse his latest

00:09Michelin star. He has racked up 21 over his lifetime, but it's the first one for the tiny

00:16nation of Qatar. For decades, the Michelin Guide focused mostly on Europe and a few cities in the

00:23U.S. Famous chefs are said to have sleepless nights just before its publication. But they're trying to

00:30diversify, as more and more people are turning to food influencers for recommendations. Ooh, wow, this is not

00:38a conventional baklava. The recent recognition has inspired local Qatari chefs to aim for the stars too.

00:46My dream to get the Michelin star, I hope. But running upscale restaurants in the middle of the

00:53desert, where almost nothing grows, is expensive and a hard sell. So, how do you build a culinary

01:02powerhouse in a harsh climate? And what does it take to earn a star?

01:13Here at Idam, chef Fabrice Rousseau leads the kitchen, bringing Ducasse's vision to life.

01:19Today, Fabrice is preparing his favorite dish, a sardine tartare. He seasons it with piment d'espaulette

01:26and adds a smoked mackerel vinaigrette. Next, he tops it with a generous amount of caviar and garnishes it with lemon gel.

01:33Fabrice is preparing his favorite dish, a sardine tartare.

01:40He seasons it with piment d'espoulette and adds a smoked mackerel vinaigrette.

01:48Next, he tops it with a generous amount of caviar and garnishes it with lemon gel.

01:54It brings some kick, it brings some freshness.

01:57To finish, he adds a little touch of luxury, a gold leaf.

02:03Presentation has its importance, but I believe the flavors are much more important, actually.

02:07So the first, when you eat a dish, you eat it with the ice.

02:10By the end, the taste will win on that.

02:13Idam offers two menus, including a prefix experience menu for just over $200.

02:20It changes seasonally and includes dishes like lightly cooked carabineros from Spain

02:25with crystal caviar topped with a bisque.

02:28Dukas spent two years researching Qatar's culinary roots, sharing meals with home cooks and learning

02:36nomadic traditions to develop a menu that is a balancing act between two cuisines.

02:41This kind of innovative cooking is what caught the attention of Michelin.

02:58Michelin, a French tire company, started handing out red booklets to drivers

03:12with tips on where to refuel, fix a tire or grab a decent roadside meal.

03:17Then, in 1926, it began raiding restaurants across the country.

03:24Five years later, the current system was launched.

03:27One star meant worth a stop.

03:29Two meant worth a detour.

03:31And three, worth a special journey.

03:34Famous chefs are said to have sleepless nights just before its publication, in case they lose

03:40one of their coveted stars.

03:43A network of Michelin inspectors dine anonymously and judge restaurants on five universal criteria.

03:49The quality of the products, the master of cooking techniques, the balance and harmony in flavors,

03:57the personality as expressed on the plates, and last but not least, the consistency.

04:04But critics of the guide argued that the recommendations were too high-end.

04:08So, in 1997, Michelin launched the Beep Gourmand category.

04:14It highlights affordable dining options, like family-run joints and modern bistros,

04:19where guests can enjoy a three-course meal at a reasonable price.

04:24But it took Michelin nearly a century to expand beyond Europe.

04:29The guide started covering New York City in 2005.

04:32And two years later, it reached Asia, featuring restaurants in Tokyo.

04:37Today, it rates more than 30,000 establishments in 50 countries.

04:44Before adding a city, inspectors spend years mapping the culinary scene.

04:49They consider a new location based on factors like creativity, emerging talent, and international interest.

04:57Today, more and more people do consider that good food is the first reason to travel for.

05:05Sometimes, before, you know, culture and even nature.

05:10While Michelin stars are still considered the most prestigious award by chefs,

05:15the guide's relevance is being challenged in a world of TikTok taste tests and influencer-driven reviews.

05:22Hey, besties, we are still on the hunt for the best tacos in Philadelphia.

05:25And shows like The Bear have shown just how hard it is to run a fine dining establishment, especially in this economy.

05:33The average restaurant in the U.S. has seen a 35% increase in both food and labor costs since 2020.

05:42As a result, eating out has become more expensive, with average menu prices rising by 31% between February 2020 to April 2025.

05:55Now, chefs are seeing fewer reservations, whether it's for mom-and-pop joints or Michelin star eateries.

06:02And the competition has become more intense.

06:06The consumer who comes to us, before he knows how to inform him.

06:10He's capricious, he's unfidely, he's afraid, he's crazy, blah, blah, blah.

06:15And he's still excited.

06:16That's our job, in fact.

06:17It's to try to be a little in advance.

06:20That's why Dukas launched a second restaurant in Doha, G1, that's less fancy than Edam, but still pretty luxurious.

06:36I think I'll go with the G1 menu.

06:39Ambience plays a big part in the restaurant's appeal.

06:43Its decor is meant to evoke the meeting of the desert and the sea.

06:46The interior is adorned with 4 million Swarovski beads.

06:52A nod to the nation's main industry before the oil boom of the 70s and 80s.

06:58Okay, let's go with the red snapper, please.

07:02Inside the kitchen, 15 cooks from different countries prepare elaborate dishes like this starter with a local fish called hamur.

07:11The menu is a collaboration between a team of chefs and Dukas.

07:19The dishes here are served family style, like the nomadic meals shared in the Qatari desert.

07:25It's a typical Qatari dish.

07:27It's made with wheat, cooked with chicken, so they smudge it all together.

07:32On the top, we have traditional ghee with the chicken juice.

07:35Ooh, yummy.

07:36All right, thank you so much.

07:37Jiwan can serve up to 120 guests a day, with entrees starting at about $16.

07:44And it's this combination of quality food at an affordable price point that won Jiwan a Bib Gourmand Award this year.

07:55But bringing this kind of cuisine to the desert comes with unique challenges, especially in sourcing local ingredients.

08:03In Doha, outdoor farms are a rarity because the temperature in the summer can reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

08:21And water is scarce.

08:22That means the restaurants need to import some of their ingredients.

08:27We source our ingredients from all over the world because in Qatar there are two seasons, winter and summer.

08:33The winter time is actually the time where we can source the ingredients locally.

08:37Dietary restrictions are another challenge in creating French cuisine.

08:41Islam is the official religion.

08:43So all meat must be halal.

08:46Small farmers in Europe will not make those meats halal.

08:49So we have to find different types of meats.

08:52They are surprised, but they are not surprised by our ability to prepare a French dish with local ingredients.

09:00They are fried, which is the chameau, and in particular the young chameau.

09:04Alcohol is also off the menu because Dukas' restaurants in Qatar are housed inside national museums run by the government.

09:15That has pushed Idam's mixologist Ratan Robi to be creative.

09:23It's not about replacing cocktail.

09:26It's about offering an elevated, flavorful experience that stands on its own.

09:32Each drink is designed to complement and even enhance the flavor of the dishes.

09:38So even though there's no alcohol in Robi's creations, Michelin gave him the exceptional cocktail award.

09:46Back in 2013, when Dukas first opened Idam, Doha wasn't anywhere on the global culinary map.

09:54We were one of the first restaurants for 12 years in this city.

10:00At the time, Qatar's museum authorities invited Dukas to possibly open a restaurant in one of their landmarks,

10:09the Museum of Islamic Art.

10:12I chose to open a restaurant in Doha because of the opportunity to imagine a cuisine that we didn't know, that we didn't know how to do.

10:21So, Dukas applied some of the same rules he has at other restaurants.

10:26We removed the fat, the milk and the milk.

10:29We didn't make any fries.

10:30We removed the milk everywhere.

10:32Our desserts are acid.

10:33I would say that they will be used to this evolution necessary for the health of the planet, but also for the health of consumers.

10:40Now, nearly 12 years after Idam first opened its doors, Dukas' bet paid off when they earned one of the country's first Michelin stars.

10:52And his success is also boosting Doha's culinary identity as the city tries to compete with Dubai across the Persian Gulf.

10:59These days, restaurants from world-famous chefs like Jean-Georges, Gordon Ramsay and Danny Garcia all have locations in Doha.

11:12And the markets are filled with spices from South Asia and delicacies from other countries.

11:18You get just about everything in this market, including, look at all these beautiful spices.

11:22I wish you could smell them.

11:23They smell amazing.

11:34Very savory and buttery.

11:38Now, local chefs are also aiming for global recognition while embracing tradition.

11:44At Bilham Bar, a high-end restaurant, the menu is devoted to contemporary Qatari cuisine.

11:56My name is Muhammad al-Abdullah.

11:59Known in Qatar, Bilhams.

12:01Bilhams, it's meaning with the five fingers.

12:03How you will eat the rice or you will eat anything with the five fingers.

12:06In Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, most of the social media, my name is Bilhams.

12:14He learned to cook from his grandmother while still in school.

12:20One of his signature starters is a fried dumpling.

12:27Qatari people, they like the smell.

12:29They like how it will be like a burn, little bit like caramelized, like that.

12:35Today, Chef Muhammad leads a 75-person team,

12:38including 31 kitchen staff who come from India, Nepal, and the Philippines.

12:44And he's even added some of their flavors to his menu.

12:48The restaurant serves up to 1,200 guests on busy nights.

12:53They say you will be the head chef or executive chef in this restaurant.

12:57You know, I cannot sleep this day.

12:58I came here at 7.30.

13:00I leave from here at 2 o'clock morning.

13:03You know, from morning to morning.

13:05All the main ingredients are sourced locally.

13:09From white truffle found in the Qatari desert to the lamb served here.

13:13Even the oil is rendered in-house.

13:16Just as his grandmother taught him.

13:18The rice is very gold, but the pure oil, the fat oil.

13:23But some high-quality ingredients do have to be imported.

13:27Like basmati rice from India, Himalayan pink salt, and other spices.

13:31His food is served on custom stainless steel trays carved in India.

13:36It's all handmade.

13:38They have a hammer.

13:40They like do with his hammer like that for the tray.

13:44It takes a long time.

13:45Bilhambar has already earned awards for promoting Qatari culture and for its growing popularity.

13:52Put your four fingers like that.

13:55Whoa.

13:56And put it here.

13:57Did you remember the black dry lemon?

13:58Yes.

13:59We will squeeze it, sorry, one of them here.

14:02The Qatari, they like to do like that.

14:08Now, Chef Mohamed has his eyes set on a new goal.

14:12My dream to get the mission started.

14:14I hope.

14:15And what's next for the man who's won it many, many, many times?

14:19So, here we are.

14:20We are always in this quest of permanent evolution.

14:21We always ask ourselves, not to be inscribed in our habits, etc.

14:22It's our job.

14:23It's what we do every day.

14:24We evolve.

14:25We always ask ourselves, not to be inscribed in our habits, etc.

14:29It's our job.

14:30It's what we do every day.

14:31We evolve.

14:32We fail.

14:33We fail.

14:34We fail.

14:35It's what we learn when working.

14:36It's what we do every day.

14:39It actually is unなる.

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