UAE: Saudi pilot turned chef after eating brother bland food
Young Abdulrahman Alsowailem chose to create delicious meals because he became frustrated with his brother's healthy yet tasteless cooking during his aviation studies in Canada. His initiative to 'create tasty food' ultimately resulted in the foundation of Riyadh's 'Best Steakhouse'.
His brother prepared protein-focused meals that lacked flavor which caused him frustration because he only cared about their healthiness. He began his restaurant journey with a burgers and steaks pop-up stand at his school in April 2018.
The year 2014 marked my entry into burger making and led me to begin purchasing entire pieces of meat while studying various cuts. During his tenure as an Airbus 320 pilot for Flynas Alsowailem explored global cuisines to gain inspiration for his culinary work.
My piloting career spanned three years. I wanted to explore global cuisines through travel by trying different dishes since food preparation varies from place to place.
Alsowailem combined his pilot career with culinary pursuits across India, Europe and the US before launching his food business while actively flying.
Alsowailem used his time as a pilot flying across US cities to seek out the best restaurants in each location while experiencing a wide range of culinary delights. My good fortune brought me into contact with kind chefs who supplied necessary culinary knowledge and directed me to their local best spices.
He started his chef career in 2018 during an event organized by his previous school Al-Rowad International. His burgers and steak dishes quickly gained popularity after he started operating from a compact wooden stall. His second pop-up event at a winter festival along with twenty additional local events led to widespread recognition of his delicious culinary creations.
His popular dishes led to the opening of Marble in 2019 as a joint venture with Meshal Alakeel to represent high-quality dining. He described the restaurant's name as a symbol of quality both through marble furniture and the marbling in meat which produces enhanced flavor and tenderness.
The restaurant Marble received the Best Steakhouse title from the Fact Dining Awards Riyadh and achieved recognition as one of the top 50 restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa for three successive years. The restaurant achieved a ranking of number 30 in 2022 before rising to 23rd position in 2023 and advancing further to 22nd place in the following year.
In an interview with Khaleej Times before the 2025 awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi he mentioned his strategy of introducing specialized seasonal menus each year to advance Marble's ranking.
Our winter menu this year showcased new cooking techniques and recipes that featured various meats but reduced waste levels. We use excess meat from trimming to prepare additional dishes rather than throwing it away.
Alsowailem's culinary innovations drew inspiration from his cultural background. A date pudding with tempura fried dates at a local Saudi restaurant inspired him to develop his Arabic coffee gelato with crispy dates dessert.
He explained that people in Saudi Arabia commonly drink coffee with dates on Fridays which led him to develop a coffee gelato dessert featuring tempura dates instead of the traditional pairing.
As a full-time chef and business owner he reveals that his favorite memory from being a pilot was "flying for food".
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