Ammar Alhasan: When Bahrain and Italy Meet at the Table
From a career in the corporate world to professional cooking, Ammar Alhasan has chosen to transform a deep passion into a universal language.
Through the La Burccia project, the chef explores the meeting of two cultures that are seemingly distant yet united by common values: family, tradition, hospitality, and respect for ingredients.
Let me introduce you to Ammar Alhasan
His path to the kitchen wasn’t a traditional one. How did it all begin?
My journey to becoming a chef was anything but straightforward. Before stepping into a professional kitchen, I spent more than ten years in the corporate world, working in business development, operations, finance, and leadership roles. It was a solid career, successful in many ways. Yet I felt something was missing.
When did you realize that “something” was food?
Food has always been a constant presence in my life. I grew up in Bahrain, and some of my strongest memories are tied to the table. Food was never just nourishment: it was family, culture, hospitality, storytelling. Every dish had a story, every spice a meaning, every gathering revolved around sharing a meal. I believe that seed remained inside me for years, until I finally had the courage to truly listen to it.
Was leaving the corporate world to enroll in culinary school a risky decision?
For many, yes. For me, it was a necessary choice. I left a safe path to venture into uncharted territory, but in reality, it felt like coming home. For the first time, my profession aligned with my passion.
What does cooking mean to you today?
Cooking is a bridge between cultures. The more I traveled, studied, and cooked, the more I realized that we often focus on what makes cuisines different, forgetting what unites them. Food has this extraordinary power: it tells a story of identity, but at the same time it creates connections.
La Burccia was born from this vision. What exactly is it?
La Burccia was born from a simple question: what would happen if Bahraini and Italian cuisine sat down at the same table and began to converse? I didn’t want to create a forced fusion or something new just to impress. I wanted to find common ground between two cultures that place enormous value on family, tradition, craftsmanship, and hospitality.
Where did you find the strongest similarities between Bahrain and Italy?
In both cuisines, there is a deep respect for simple ingredients. Both preserve recipes passed down from generation to generation. And both know that the most memorable dishes don’t necessarily come from complexity, but from patience, technique, and respect for tradition.
You speak of “culinary translation” rather than fusion. What do you mean?
Fusion often risks simply combining ingredients just to create something new. I wanted to do something different: translate Bahraini stories through the language of Italian cuisine. For example, the Bahraini dish Bacha has become a rich pappardelle dish. Traditional flavors have found a new form through Italian techniques. Familiar ingredients have been presented in a new, yet recognizable way.
So the goal isn’t to “Italianize” Bahraini cuisine?
Exactly. I don’t want to turn Bahraini food into Italian food, nor Italian food into Bahraini food. I want to create a dialogue between the two worlds. A cuisine that doesn’t erase identities, but lets them speak.
What inspires you most about Italian cuisine?
Italy has always inspired me because it shows just how powerful simplicity can be. A few excellent ingredients, treated with respect, can create something extraordinary. Bahraini cuisine also shares this philosophy, even though it has different ingredients, aromas, and traditions.
Is La Burccia therefore also a project about identity?
Yes, absolutely. It’s a tribute to my Bahraini roots and, at the same time, a love letter to Italian culinary culture. It’s my way of celebrating both worlds.
What is your mission as a chef today?
To tell stories through food. Whether I’m serving an award-winning bao bun, teaching traditional Bahraini cuisine, or creating a new dining experience, I want every dish to have meaning. It shouldn’t just taste good—it should convey something.
What would you like guests to take away from a culinary experience with you?
I’d like them to take away a memory. Because food, at its very core, is a universal language. It connects people, preserves culture, and creates memories that last long after the meal is over.
Ultimately, what does La Burccia demonstrate?
It demonstrates that even two cuisines separated by thousands of miles can find a common language. E That language, often, is born right at the table.
