Najat Kaanache

Wall Street Journal photo of Najat Kaanache plating her "Genius Apple" dish at the 2013 World Science Festival in NYC

Chef Najat Kaanache with White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses lecturing at Harvard University

Najat Kaanache is the host of AMC Networks' cooking series "Cocina Marroqui" which airs on Canal Cocina throughout Spain.^[1] Kaanache was born and raised in San Sebastián of Spain's Basque Country. She gained fame as a lead actress on Spanish daytime television series "Goenkale" and then traveled throughout the Middle East and South America working in philanthropy to empower women and street kids. She later attended culinary school and gained fame as "The Pilgrim Chef" by blogging throughout her four years training with the world's top chefs: Ferran Adria, Rene Redzepi, Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Heston Blumenthal and Martín Berasategui.

After spending two years working as an apprentice in the kitchens at Chicago's Alinea, Napa's The French Laundry, New York's Per Se (restaurant), and Copenhagen's Noma (restaurant) Kaanache went on to achieve the auspicious Executive and Creative Haute Cuisine Certification after completing her apprenticeship during the final two historic years at Spain's elBulli. Ferran Adria stated to the Maghreb Arabe Presse that "Najat Kaanache represents the soul of Morocco through the language of the kitchen. Her passion for creativity and innovation are an exemplary reference for the whole country."^[2][3] At a Basque Culinary Center International Advisory Council summit on September 23, 2013 held in Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture at Blue Hill, Adria commented "Chef Najat Kaanache is four times better than I was when I became the chef at El Bulli."

After El Bulli's historic closure, Kaanache traveled extensively to instruct chefs across the globe ^[4] in the latest gastronomic techniques and taught and lectured alongside White House Executive Pastry Chef, Bill Yosses on the science of cooking at Harvard University (pictured), New York University and at the 2013 World Science Festival in NYC (pictured) and 2013 Beijing Science Festival in China.

She was the opening chef partner of Souk Restaurant in Dallas, TX.^[5] She was the opening chef partner of Piripi Restaurant in the Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables, FL;^[6]

References

External links

• "Milenio Magazine". Milenio. Retrieved 4 October 2015. 
• "D Magazine". SideDish. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• "Miami New Times". Miami New Times. Retrieved 9 October 2015. 
• "Najat Kaanache". World Science Festival. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• "SideDish". D Magazine. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• "Wall Street Journal". WSJ.com. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• "World Association Chefs Society". Retrieved 1 September 2013. 
• "CNN". CNN.com. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• Paula Forbes. "Eater". Eater. Retrieved 29 September 2015. 
• Brooke Burton. "LA Weekly". Retrieved 6 November 2016.