Mohamed Cheikh. (Credit: C.H./OLJ)
“With a name like mine and the way I look, it wasn’t easy,” says Mohamed Cheikh, almost without resentment. The winner of the second season of Top Chef France recalls how, growing up, his options seemed limited. “Where I come from, I could have been a plumber, a mechanic, or had a manual job.”But with determination, raw talent, and what he calls a “thirst to win,” Cheikh carved out an entirely different future for himself— in the kitchen.During his first visit to Beirut, wandering through Ain al-Mreisseh with a tourist’s wide-eyed curiosity, he could almost blend in — until his accent and camera-ready presence gave him away. Since his 2021 win on the popular cooking competition, Cheikh has remained grounded and grateful. “I’m the same, but more calm, more focused — victories will do that,” he says.Wearing his signature backwards cap and...
“With a name like mine and the way I look, it wasn’t easy,” says Mohamed Cheikh, almost without resentment. The winner of the second season of Top Chef France recalls how, growing up, his options seemed limited. “Where I come from, I could have been a plumber, a mechanic, or had a manual job.”But with determination, raw talent, and what he calls a “thirst to win,” Cheikh carved out...
