KOTA BHARU: The best things happen unexpectedly, likewise for chef Mahmoun Alghaz, from Damascus, the capital of Syria, who has lived in Malaysia for the past 11 years.
He has more than 35 years of culinary experience and is skilled in middle eastern cuisine, having travelled to most part of the world, including Europe, to earn a living.
However, when Mahmoun, 52, set foot in Malaysia in 2010 for a holiday and to spend a few weeks with friends in Kuala Lumpur, it never occurred to him that he would remain in the country for so long, and now become his home.
His life changed when he accepted a job offer and served about five years as a personal chef to the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V.
"It was an honour and a great experience for me to serve Tuanku as a personal chef. Alhamdulillah, thanks to Tuanku, I have settled down and am now living with my family. 'Ore Kelate' (the Kelantan people) are also my family," said Mahmoun, who now operates a restaurant here.
The restaurant, "JustDoner", is located next to the Kelantan Public Library here.
Recalling his arrival in Malaysia in 2010, Mahmoun said he came to meet up with friends in Kuala Lumpur.
"Apparently, my friend who owns a restaurant at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, asked me to help one of his regular and best customer, who was then looking for a chef to work at his restaurant, Arabest, in Lundang, near here.
"I agreed to help and one day, after a few months of working at the restaurant, Tuanku, who was then the Crown Prince, came to the premises and ate my food. The next day, Tuanku came again to dine-in and ate the same food.
"Then, one of Tuanku's aides contacted me and told me that Tuanku wanted me to work at Istana Telipot. So, I went to work at Istana Negeri, even after Tuanku was crowned the Sultan of Kelantan," said Mahmoun, who speaks fluent Malay and able to speak the Kelantanese dialect.
Mahmoun said he was the Assistant Food Nutritionist at the palace until 2015 and was closed to Sultan Muhammad, describing the ruler as friendly.
"I have a good relationship with Tuanku. He is a very nice man and a kind person. He even went to the kitchen himself, sometimes.
"He would come to my kitchen station, looked at me and greeted 'Assalamualaikum' then asked me what I was cooking for the day," he said, adding that the sultan's favourite dish is mutton.
Mahmoun said he would always be grateful to Sultan Muhammad V, who was also the person who met him with his soul mate, a Kelantanese woman who is now is his wife.
The couple got married in 2011 and is now blessed with three daughters aged between three and seven years.
"Tuanku suggested the person for me to marry. Tuanku also sponsored everything for my wedding which was held at Istana Kota Lama because I had no house then," he added.
Mahmoun, who now lives with his family in Taman Uda, Pengkalan Chepa, said his income working in the palace kitchen was lucrative, but he decided to quit the job and opened his own restaurant to share his dishes with the public.
JustDoner, which serves a variety of Saudi Arabian and Turkish dishes, opens its doors more than a year ago. Among the popular dishes at the restaurant is "nasi mandy" and kebab.
"I want to connect with people. I want to make something special that is affordable for everyone, like RM5 for mutton kebab and RM4 for chicken kebab.
"In a way, I can bring the 'whole world' at one table," he added.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Mar 17 2021
![Holiday in Malaysia brings luck to Syrian chef Mahmoun Holiday in Malaysia brings luck to Syrian chef Mahmoun](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-03/71615961635_ChefMahmounAlghaz.jpg)
Mahmoun's restaurant, "JustDoner", is located next to the Kelantan Public Library. BERNAMApic
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan berikutan komitmen peribadi
Pengurus pasukan kebangsaan Malaysia, Kim Pan-gon menyatakan perletakan jawatan tersebut kerana komitmen peribadi.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
![Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721102997_SimposiumDronKeban.jpg)
Penggunaan dron tingkat keberkesanan pemantauan pencemaran - Nik Nazmi
Penggunaan dron membolehkan pemantauan pencemaran alam sekitar dan hidupan liar serta pencerobohan hutan dilaksanakan dengan lebih berkesan.
![Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71718142997_KimPanGon.jpg)
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan ketua jurulatih Harimau Malaya
Kim Pan-gon, bakal menjadi satu-satunya individu yang bakal meninggalkan pasukan manakala Pau Marti bersama staf sokongan yang lain kekal di Kelana Jaya.
![Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721109015_bekaspengawalperib.jpg)
Bekas pengawal peribadi Wan Azizah cedera kemalangan
Bekas anggota polis wanita yang kini bekerja sebagai pengawal peribadi cedera setelah motosikal ditunggangnya melanggar sebuah SUV di lebuh raya PLUS.
![Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719996195_MKulasegaran.jpg)
Rang Undang-undang Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentang akhir tahun ini - Kulasegaran
RUU Kebebasan Maklumat dijangka dibentangkan di Parlimen pada akhir tahun ini selepas cadangan ketetapan bagi penggubalan Akta Kebebasan Maklumat dibawa ke Jemaah Menteri untuk kelulusan.
![Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108438_azizi.jpg)
Azizi dilantik Ketua Polis Perak baharu
Timbalan Ketua Polis Perak Datuk Azizi Mat Aris dilantik sebagai Ketua Polis Perak yang baharu hari ini.
![ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721108165_ADUNRembiaPN.jpg)
ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, tak 'lompat parti' - Takiyuddin
Menurut Takiyuddin, keahlian Muhamad Jailani yang juga wakil rakyat UMNO diterima pada 10 Jun tahun lalu, namun diumumkan secara rasmi hari ini.
Kita perlu belajar hidup dengan COVID-19 - Pakar
Itu kata Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam, Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit, Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM), Dr Aznida Mohamad Zaki yang berkata pihaknya akan berusaha semampu mungkin dalam menggalakkan praktis kendiri dikalangan orang awam bagi mencegah penularan wabak seperti mana yang pernah dilakukan sebelum ini.
LHDN lulus 141,406 permohonan PKPS 2.0
Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) telah meluluskan sebanyak 141,406 permohonan program khas pengakuan sukarela (PKPS) 2.0 yang melibatkan 102,572 bilangan kes pembayar cukai individu, 27,707 bilangan kes syarikat dan selebihnya melibatkan lain kategori seperti pertubuhan.
![Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721017239_TBFADILLAH.jpg)
Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah
Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, tingkatkan liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah