No authentic Lebanese food in India: Chef Maroun Chedid

The exotic sounding manoushes, hummus, fatoush, halawas or even small plates of dips and salads known as meze platter, all common Mediterranean food can be found now in eateries across the country.
However, says Lebanese chef Maroun Chedid most of such eats are just washed out versions of authentic Lebanese cuisine and often don't contain authentic ingredients like, sumac, a traditional cherry coloured spice or zaatar, a thyme-based spice mix.
"Actually I was curious to know the taste of Lebanese food being served across the world. So when I came to India, I teamed up with some friends and went on a all-India expedition for the best Lebanese food. We were shocked that nowhere was it Lebanese, it was not even close to Lebanese," says Chedid.

The chef who was here recently to launch Zizo, a chain of fast casual food chains, points out that most local eateries "charge a lot for the fake Lebanese food."
"Actually they use cheap variants of authentic ingredients sourced from the local markets and somehow manage to cook something and serve it in the name of Lebanese" says Chedid.
The chef, who has won a coveted culinary honour 'Chef of the Year 2013' by the Toques Blanches du Monde in Monaco is also a popular face on TV, with several cooking shows on a number of channels.
Teaming up with his Lebanese friend Fouad Abdel Malek who launched the fast food chain here, Chedid says he is "working hard to bring the real taste of Lebanon" to people.