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Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan presents significant challenges for all Muslims, but what if you are working in a restaurant kitchen and surrounded by food all day? We spoke to two chefs at 3Fils, Dubai, winner of MENA's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 to find out what the challenges are and how they meet them.
Adil Faiz, commis chef - sushi bar, 3Fils
Can you describe your workday during the holy month of Ramadan?
Work is quite light during the morning hours, but it starts to get busy during and after iftar, which is a good thing because it means I don’t need to have as much energy while fasting.
What do you eat for suhoor? What are the best foods to get you through the day?
My favourites for suhoor are paratha or roti bread with curry, a cold side of labna, with a warm cup of chai. I also like to have something light like a fruit salad.
Is it a challenge to work with food when you’re fasting?
Yes, when I'm making delicious sushi rolls all afternoon, I start getting hungry, but this is what fasting is all about – it challenges us and we have to keep going.
How do you work around tasting the food you are preparing during fasting?
I’ve been working at 3Fils for a long time, so you get used to the amount of spices or sauce needed in each dish, and know how a sushi roll should feel. Everything is measured, so we can be certain the taste will be delivered as always. If ever needed, we can ask our non-muslim chefs to try it out for us, especially as it’s a new dish.
Do you have a favourite dish for iftar?
I try to eat light at iftar, so a soup and fruit or green salad would do, especially when I’ll be back to work again after iftar. I love watermelons because they are rich in water and sweet, so I usually have this to re-hydrate myself.
How do you keep hydrated while working in the heat of the kitchen?
I don't work with heat as I work in the sushi bar, which has its advantages during Ramadan.
Does fasting for the month of Ramadan change the way you eat when you go back to eating during daylight hours?
I tend to even wake up at midnight for a light snack because we don't eat as much in the morning. I would expect myself to do the same even after Ramadan. Less lunch, more dinners.
Hamid Ali, commis chef - cloud kitchen, 3Fils
Can you describe your work day during the holy month of Ramadan?
The team is helpful, and always considerate that I am fasting during the daytime. I get to take small breaks to cool off and have one for iftar to replenish. The team will also offer to help me in the kitchen if needed.
What do you eat for suhoor? What are the best foods to get you through the day?
Rice, chicken and lots of water. I would not be able to handle the fasting if I didn’t have a sustainable amount of food and water for suhoor.
Is it a challenge to work with food when you’re fasting?
No, it’s not really a challenge anymore, I’ve gotten used to it over the years.
How do you work around tasting the food you are preparing during fasting?
I rely on the help of my colleagues to do the tasting for me during my fasting hours.
Do you have a favourite dish for Iftar?
I prefer just to have dates and water for iftar, because they are light to consume and sweet to give me enough energy to resume my work in the kitchen after iftar.
How do you keep hydrated while working in the heat of the kitchen?
I drink lots of water during suhoor and iftar, and throughout the night to compensate for daytime fasting.
Does fasting for the month of Ramadan change the way you eat when you go back to eating during daylight hours?
It takes around two weeks or so to go back to my normal routine that I had before Ramadan. To begin, I usually skip lunch for a few days and have more dinner meals, but it gets back to normal after a couple of weeks.
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