Meet the chef who’s creating Med and Middle Eastern magic at Koukash Liverpool Bar & Grill

Nestled within the Grade II-listed building which is home to DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool, Koukash Bar & Grill stands as one of the city’s most elegant dining destinations.

Bringing together and developing its unique fusion of Mediterranean cuisine and international flavours at Koukash Bar & Grill to make it a ‘go-to’ one is Executive Chef Lourans Al Najjad.

Syrian-born Lourans, 45, is celebrating a year at the restaurant, during which he’s spearheaded changes to the menu to offer its unique collection of dishes and experiences, and with ‘perfection’ at its heart – and his – it’s constantly evolving.

He said:

“Having worked in Dubai where there are often chefs from three or four nationalities in the kitchen, I have learned and developed new techniques and cooking skills which I can add to my own,”

“It makes you more confident and flexible as a chef and allows you to develop widely different tastes and dishes.”

Lourans’ love of food began when he was a teenager, having worked in his cousin’s butchers shop from the age of 14.

Not only did it teach him about the best cuts of meat and how to source the most premium products, it inspired and encouraged his heartfelt passion for creative cuisine.

After training in hospitality and cooking, Lourans has worked his way up the culinary ladder to his innovative current role.

His experience took him from Syria to Dubai where – as well as owning his own butchery shop – he worked in some of the most elite food venues. He led the kitchens at Galleries Lafayette and honed his skills at Madinat Jumeirah, before becoming executive sous chef at DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai; executive chef at DoubleTree by Hilton JBR, Dubai; executive chef at Vida Emirates Hills, and executive chef at DoubleTree by Hilton Al Barsha, Dubai.

His mission in Liverpool is to continue to excel here as he has in the Middle East and combine its diverse culinary cultures with his native Eastern Mediterranean influences.

“The inspiration for my dishes comes from my travels, particularly in the Middle East where dishes are slow-cooked over several hours so they become more fragrant and flavoursome as the meat and vegetables infuse with the aromatic spices, and from Syria (although it’s hard not to be inspired by dishes from all over the world),” says Lourans.

“It also comes from the beautiful restaurant and the atmosphere we have here.”

The freshest ingredients and Lourans’ attention to detail mean that he never wants to see anything leave the kitchens which isn’t 100% – ‘it has to be perfect’ – and he has created an exquisite and carefully crafted menu of small plates and main courses which promises surprises as well as the best of flavours.

Highlights include his Kebah Arancini which blends Italian and Middle Eastern flavours, rice balls stuffed with spiced mince lamb and sundried tomato chutney; the Pistachio-Crusted Ocean Treasure with a tender salmon fillet crusted with pistachios and paired with herb-grilled fennel, rainbow carrots, and leek-bacon confit, finished with a silky lemon butter sauce for a decadent experience, and Vodka Blush Rigatoni, a house favourite. With roots in Italian-American cuisine, it boasts a creamy vodka-infused pomodoro sauce and can be served with chicken or salmon.

He adds:

“But that attention extends to even the simplest of dishes, like our hummus, People travel a lot to the Middle East and want to taste the flavours back here, but you can go around the city and you won’t find a recipe that’s fully Middle Eastern. Authenticity is key.”

“The aim is to keep it interesting and to update, so we present ourselves as a modern restaurant.

“We are getting more and more guests coming from outside the hotel, for dinner and for the wonderful and varied breakfast we serve, and I would like to see that continue.

“We do offer fine dining, but we are a family restaurant too and what I can promise is exceptional food, and every dish as good as it can possibly be.”