Rawan Al Wadaa

For as long as I can remember, I spent most of my time in the kitchen watching and learning from my mother, so it goes without saying, I discovered my passion for cooking at an early age. As an awkward teen, I always expressed myself through baking, using it as a medium to reach out and connect with the world. I made lots of friends at school because of my killer double chocolate fudge brownies!! I didn’t pursue a culinary career at first. I went to Art Achool, graduated with a Studio Arts degree and went on to teach art for a year. However, through my journey as an artist and food lover, I later found myself working as the lead cake decorator and fondant sculptor at Secrets, one of the top patisseries in Lebanon. Five years later, my journey brought me to Ottawa where I pursued a Culinary Management Degree from Algonquin College, landed a job as a pastry chef at one of Ottawa’s most renouned fine-dining restaurants Beckta and later as a kitchen manager at award-winning Stella Luna Gelato Cafe. Meanwhile, I gave cooking classes with a main focus on Lebanese cuisine, Vegan cooking and desserts. Finally as I professional chef leading my own venture, I use food as a way of introducing myself and presenting my culture to people anywhere I go in the world.