Mohammad Orfali *

Mohammad Orfali : United By Brotherhood And Passion

 

 

  • Chef of restaurant Orfali Bro’s in Dubai
  • #6 on MENA’S 50 Best #87 on The World’s 50 Best
  • Michelin Bib Gourmand

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Is it possible for one to serve borderless cuisine without losing their cultural identity? At Dubai’s  one star awarded restaurant Orfali Bros, three brothers from Aleppo joined forces to break culinary rules while maintaining their respect for Syrian culture.

Three brothers making their own path and rules in the culinary world. Originally from Syria, Mohammad, Wassim and Omar Orfali now live in Dubai where they opened Orfali Bros Bistro, a modern bistro influenced by their travels, love of art and food experiences all over the world. No, it’s not a fusion restaurant it is a combination of what they love the most, done their way. ‘The two story restaurant’s backbone is an open test kitchen where Mohammad and his team create magie. On the second floor, the two youngest brothers, Wassim and Omar present a colourful desserts display, another part of their signature Bistronomy idea with which they got ranked as No. 6 on MENA’S 50 Best Restaurant List within just a year after opening Orfali Bros. ‘They also got a Michelin Bib Gourmand on the brand new Michelin guide for Dubai and hold the 87th spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

For the three brothers — Mohammad, Wassim and Omar Orfali — behind Bib Gourmand-rated Orfali Bros, the sky is the limit.

Located in Jumeirah’s Wasl 51, the homegrown bistro is an atypical eatery that bends all culinary rules and defies cultural borders. Their aim: to serve unconventional dishes that both capture the cosmopolitan and avant-gardist essence of Dubai while paying homage to the brothers’ Aleppian identity.
Born and raised in Aleppo, the Orfali brothers grew up in one of the Syrian city’s most prominent and influential families, which didn’t really welcome the idea of a chef career. Despite not garnering enough support from friends and family, Mohammad, the eldest brother and most recognised of the three brothers, decided to enrol in a culinary school. “My father’s an engineer. My mom’s a teacher. Most of my family members are into business, and they all have higher degrees. I wasn’t that good in school. I entered the culinary world by chance through the culinary school, but I fell in love with it,” he said.

By pursuing his passion, Mohammad set an example for his younger brothers – and it wasn’t that long before his younger brothers Wassim and Omar found inspiration in what he did and followed suit by building culinary careers around the world. Since then, the Orfali brothers shared a dream: opening a restaurant of their own. “I moved to Kuwait then to Dubai; Waseem went to Moscow, then to Kazakhstan onto Egypt; and Omar stayed in Aleppo then moved to Beirut. I thought for long how I can bring the family together, so I decided to bring my brothers to Dubai. Wassim came to Dubai in 2012, and Omar in 2013. From that time onward, I wanted us to do something together,” Mohammad said

In 2015, the brothers started their first venture together: cooking courses named “The Orfali Bros Masterclass” in 2017. They delivered more than 24 courses by the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The course participants were amazed by the originality of their dishes and pastries, and were constantly encouraging them to open a business of their own.

Driven by their unflinching perseverance to make their dream come true, the brothers opened Orfali Bros in 2021 in the midst of the global pandemic, with Mohammad handling cooking, Wassim developing pastries, and Omar taking care of pastry execution. In 2024, Orfali Bro’s received its first star.

 

 

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