A culinary masterpiece in three courses “Chef of the Year”: Entihal Khatib impresses with top performance
Berlin, November 14, 2023 - Entihal Khatib from Leonardo Royal Nuremberg impressively proves that top gastronomy is no longer a male domain. On her way to the possible title of “Chef of the Year”, the 35-year-old was the only woman to make it to the final in May with five remaining competitors and only narrowly missed out on winning the final on November 13. The live competition is one of the most prestigious culinary championships for professional chefs from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol. A total of 200 candidates competed this year. In the final round at the Kameha Grand in Bonn, all finalists created a three-course menu for top-class international judges. Entihal and her fellow contestants only had five hours to prepare the nine-course menu, and the main course was particularly challenging this time. As a first for “Chef of the Year”, the finalists were only given a shopping basket for all the ingredients the evening before. This meant that, unlike in previous competitions, there was no need for weeks of trial cooking and testing.
Entihal Khatib may not have been able to beat her five competitors in the final, but her top performance was still remarkable, as she was the only woman to reach the final. “That makes me 'Chef of the Year' after all,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. “I'm delighted to have made it to the final of this exciting competition, because as a woman, that's still something special even today.” In addition to her talent, the appreciation and recognition for her work carried her through to the final. “I am extremely grateful for that!” Christoph Ehler, Sous Chef at the Leonardo Royal Nuremberg, assisted her along the way.
As Demi Chef de Partie, the mother of three has benefited from the ideal working environment at the Leonardo Royal Nuremberg since December 2021. Here, the Israeli-born chef looks beyond many gastronomic plate edges, cleverly combines the cuisine of her home country with French culinary art and is happy to be able to combine this with her life as a mother. Work, career and family care do not have to be mutually exclusive, but can complement each other well in a suitable working environment. “My passion for cooking and my everyday family life have come together perfectly here,” says Entihal Khatib.