Tala Bashmi
Fusions by Tala
Bahraini kitchen
Tala Bashmi is a Bahrain-born and Swiss-trained Chef, known as the voice of modern Bahraini cuisine at her restaurant, Fusions by Tala. She fell in love with Middle Eastern cuisine and ingredients as a child. Since 2017, she shares her passions with a fine-dining environment offering modern takes on traditional dishes. One of her most famous dishes is bamia, a traditional okra and meat stew, using wagyu beef cheek instead of meat offcuts, with crispy okra glass and tomato broth rice.
Tala Bashmi began her career through a home venture called Baked by T. The Chef’s desserts became especially famous in Bahrain, garnering her numerous fans. Following this initial success, Bashmi joined the Culinary Arts Academy in Lucerne, Switzerland, where she gained a Masters in International Business in Culinary Management. During her time in Europe, she held roles at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois and Michelin-starred restaurant Prisma. There, she learned how to run restaurant as well as how to work in fast-paced kitchen environments.
Overcoming gender barriers
Bashmi has shown considerable culinary expertise in reinventing her country’s cuisine, despite meeting resistance from traditional purists. An empowered woman who has overcome gender barriers in the restaurant world, including at culinary school – she serves as a role model for a generation of young female cooks.
Her love affair with Bahraini dishes started when she was six. She would accompany her father to local markets and listen as he taught her the secrets of cooking. Today, she carries on this tradition, venturing out to local farmer’s markets, hand selecting seasonal ingredients and capturing the ever-changing flavours unique to Bahrain.
Fusion’s by Tala is a synergy of Middle Eastern cuisine and fine dining. Here, the local cooking techniques and ingredients meet at the horizon of a culinary renaissance.
Instagram: @tala.bashmi @fusionsbytala
Restaurant web site: https://www.gulfhotelbahrain.com/Fusions%20by%20Tala
Restaurant address: The Gulf Hotel Bahrain, Manama 3021 Bahrain
