Known by his initials FZ, Faiçal Zahraoui is a Moroccan chef renowned for his unique reinterpretation of Moroccan Fusion cuisine. Rooted in locally sourced, forgotten ingredients, Zahraoui’s cuisine is an imaginative cross-pollination of ancient cooking techniques, such as fermentation and dehydration, Morocco’s vibrant street art scene and his natural ability to reinvent familiar, fresh produce into unique signature flavors. In 2022, Faiçal Zahraoui represented Team Morocco at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or Africa, where he won the silver medal, qualifying Morocco to the final to be held in Lyon in January 2023.

Zahraoui’s culinary story begins with his mother, who has enkindled his passion for cooking from a young age. He vividly remembers following her for hours from stall to stall at Rabat’s farmers’ markets, as she touched, smelled and picked her ripe tomatoes, fresh mint and mouth-watering sardines. Today he continues these rituals to remind himself of the source of his inspiration.