Top ⁤Chef Winner’s Culinary ‍Journey Takes Unexpected Turn

Mohamed Cheikh, the 2021 winner of the acclaimed French culinary competition Top Chef, had a ​clear vision: to open his first restaurant in Paris‘s prestigious ⁣”golden triangle.”⁢ His aspirations were ‍ambitious, reflecting the confidence gained from ⁤his competition win. ​ “After Top‍ chef,everything was possible,” he ⁢recalls. ‌”Open a⁣ gourmet restaurant, create an intimate bistro… I had ⁤no career plan, ⁤just ⁤wanted to succeed,” ⁢the 32-year-old chef confides. ⁢Born ‌in ‌Montreuil, France, to⁣ an⁢ Algerian family, Cheikh had one unwavering ​goal: to avoid returning to the suburbs.

initially, an prospect presented ⁢itself in Saint-Ouen, a suburb of Paris.However, Cheikh’s determination to forge a new path ⁤outside his upbringing led him to decline the offer. “When Olivier ‍Bertrand (at ​the ‌head of​ nearly ⁤1,200 establishments around the world) said to​ me: ‘I have​ something for you in Saint-Ouen,’ I refused. No question of returning to 93 where I grew up,” ‍he explains, referring to​ the Seine-saint-Denis department.

Rather,Cheikh embarked on a ⁢series of culinary adventures. He ran⁢ a pop-up restaurant ​in the Jardin⁣ des Plantes, ⁣collaborated with esteemed ‍Parisian establishments like the Pagode de Cos and ​Burger Père &​ Fils, and even hosted ⁤a ⁤dinner cruise⁣ on the ⁢”Blue diamond.” These experiences broadened‌ his ⁣culinary horizons and refined his approach.

Ultimately, ⁤fate, or perhaps a change of heart, led Cheikh back to Saint-Ouen. He established his restaurant ‌in a former libary, ⁢a ⁤location directly ‍across from the town hall and adjacent to the Île-de-France ⁢regional council. This unexpected return to Seine-Saint-Denis ⁢marks ​a meaningful chapter in his culinary journey, demonstrating his adaptability and resilience.

After ⁣winning *Top Chef* in 2021, Mohamed Cheikh dreamed of opening a restaurant ​in paris’s “golden triangle”. [1] He was initially offered a prospect in saint-Ouen, a suburb ⁤of Paris,⁣ but declined becuase he wanted to distance himself from⁢ his upbringing in the suburbs. [1] Instead, he pursued various culinary experiences, including⁢ a⁢ pop-up restaurant, collaborations with established Paris establishments, and ⁣even a dinner cruise. ⁣ [1] ⁣he eventually ⁣achieved his​ dream, opening his restaurant Meïda in Paris. [1]