Omar Sartawi
Guest Chef at Restaurant Tapahtumakeittiö / Event Kitchen
Omar Sartawi is a Dubai-based chef, creative director molecular gastronomy chef and internationally acclaimed food artist from Jordan. Educated in food science at Harvard, Sartawi is renowned for his innovative approach to haute gastronomy, bridging culinary innovation, design and Middle Eastern heritage. From his signature Jameed Truffle to pioneering sustainable food design, his work pushes culinary frontiers and transforms food into performance and storytelling. His work has been featured at major international and cultural events, including Expo and Dubai Design Week, as well as across luxury hotels and international expos.
Nordic x Arabic
Menu
An intricate eight-course tasting menu created collaboratively by Nordic chef Kristian Karnell and Middle Eastern chef Omar Sartawi. Fresh Nordic ingredients blend with Middle Eastern spices and avant-garde techniques. Each course is paired with a musical piece, creating a carefully crafted interplay between flavour and sound.
Why do you work in the culinary industry?
I’m a food artist from Arabia, and I love showcasing my culture and merging it with other cultures to create a melange of not only flavour but also a cultural experience.
What sparks your passion for creating and collaborating on culinary experiences?
The only constant thing in life is change. And cultures in today’s world must come together to create a new tomorrow, where ingredients, techniques and flavours combine to create new dimensions of storytelling.
What matters most to you when it comes to dining?
Storytelling… I always want to be seduced by culture. I always want to be educated and surprised by the simplicity of making the familiar exotic to me. Show me a new way to look at a tomato or an onion. I want to taste your culture and then hear about the rationale.
Your food philosophy:
Culture is the real ingredient, and a good storyteller is someone who can simplify it to make it relevant to other cultures.
Your favourite drink in the evening or when going out to relax:
Rosé.
Your favourite pizza:
Just a simple sourdough bread with some good olive oil and finishing salt. Cheese and butter on the side, maybe. This isn’t a pizza per se, but it has all the elements of pizza. But if you insist on a pizza, I’d say the simplest one: tomato sauce and some buffalo cheese, with chilli oil on the side, maybe.
Restaurant
Tapahtumakeittiö / Event Kitchen
Event Kitchen is an immersive dining and event venue in the heart of Turku, located on the fifth floor of Art House Turku. Here, we bring together food lovers, artists, curious minds and epicures of all kinds. During the Food & Fun Festival, Event Kitchen invites you to a unique pop-up event where Nordic and Middle Eastern cultures meet through two powerful forms of expression: food and music.
