World-renowned pastry chef Philippe Khouri, one of the world's leading pastry chefs and former head of the pastry department at the famous London department store 'Harrods', delighted visitors at the Sharjah International Book Fair during a live session as part of the 'Cooking Corner' program. He presented innovative recipes for completely vegan pastries and pies. The Australian chef of Lebanese origin showcased highlights from his books 'A New Way to Bake' and 'Beyond the Bread', which are considered reference works in modern pastry arts. Khouri focuses on redefining baking using natural, plant-based ingredients while preserving the same taste and texture through modern sustainable baking techniques. In the Cooking Corner, Khouri prepared an instant recipe for balls made from a dough of peanut butter, grated chocolate, olive oil, salt, yeast, and water, without any processed or preservative ingredients. As the mixture baked in the oven for 12 minutes, Khouri spoke about his cooking philosophy, which is that 'Baking is not a rigid science, but a language that evolves, like literature, as we add imagination and a new awareness of flavor and source'.
