Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Who is Chef Fady, and what first drew you into the world of food?
My name is Fady Alaoui. I was born in Morocco, have lived in ten countries, and spent much of my career in finance before following my lifelong passion for food. Growing up in a family of chefs, I learned that cooking is far more than a meal—it's how we celebrate, connect, and show love.
Q: tukoné is a name that immediately sparks curiosity. What inspired it, and what meaning does it hold for you?
"Tu connais" is French slang for "you know," a phrase I used often while living in Paris. It perfectly reflects my cooking philosophy: taking dishes people think they know and reimagining them through my Moroccan roots, global travels, and personal memories into something entirely unexpected.
Q: If someone experienced tukoné for the very first time, what would you hope surprised them the most?
I hope they're surprised by the level of care behind every dish. Each plate starts with a memory, an ingredient, or an experience from my travels before being refined into something that feels familiar, yet completely new.
Q: Looking back, what's one meal or food memory that has stayed with you since childhood?
One memory I'll always return to is my mother's Moroccan tagine with green peas, beef, artichokes, and preserved lemon. It's a simple everyday dish in Morocco, but for me it represents home, family, and the warmth of growing up by the sea in Rabat.
Q: If you could invite any three people to your supper club table, who would they be and why?
I'd invite my grandmother, who inspired generations of cooks in my family; Chef Gaggan Anand, whose progressive approach to traditional cuisine deeply resonates with me; and the artist Tems, whose music has been the soundtrack to countless hours in my kitchen. Each of them has shaped the way I think about creativity in their own way.
Q: If you had to describe your cooking style to someone who's never experienced it before, what would you say?
I'd describe my cooking as delicate, thoughtful, and surprising. It's rooted in Moroccan tradition but constantly shaped by travel, memory, and emotion, always balancing refinement with warmth and approachability.
Q: Outside of the kitchen, what are some of your favourite hobbies or things that inspire your creativity?
The sea has always been my greatest source of inspiration. Growing up surfing on Morocco's Atlantic coast taught me to appreciate both its power and its calm, a balance I try to bring into every dish I create.
Q: If you could only cook with one ingredient for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rather than a single ingredient, I'd choose ravioli. Every culture has its own version, and the endless possibilities—from the dough and filling to the cooking method and sauce—make it one of the most creative formats to work with.
Q: What's one dish on your menu that you feel best represents you as a chef, and why?
My Moroccan lamb tagine reimagined as a rose-shaped gyoza best represents my cooking. It honours a traditional Moroccan recipe while expressing it through Asian technique, blending heritage, storytelling, and creativity into a single bite.
Q: Finally, what's next for tukoné? What can guests look forward to in the coming months?
The next step for tukoné is expanding through more intimate chef's tables, where guests can fully experience the stories behind each dish. Long term, my dream is to open a restaurant in Dubai that brings together my Moroccan roots, global travels, and progressive approach to cooking.
