From posting her kitchen escapades to social media to presenting her culinary creation at Bahrain’s seventh Food is Culture event, Manal Alsaleh talks to Behnaz Sanjana about her journey of deliciously unexpected turns.
With all her energies focused on her full-time job and running a busy household, Manal’s gastronomic pursuits took a back seat, till the global pandemic changed the ways of the world in 2020. “It was stressful to juggle online meetings, homeschooling the kids and all the restrictions that came along with Covid-19,” says Manal. “I found myself running to the kitchen as an escape; it was very therapeutic for me to focus on nothing else but the food in front of me while music played.”
Soon, Manal started to video her preparations and post her kitchen experiments to her personal Instagram account. Her photogenic creations got applause from her social media circle, along with strong suggestions to take it public. “But that was beyond my comfort zone, and I didn’t feel too confident about it,” she remembers.
The final push was when her supportive colleagues declared that they would create a public account for her and post on her behalf. Sitting with her husband and brothers, contemplating whether she should follow this direction, was Manal’s turning point. “We were thinking of names for the social media account, and all of a sudden I came up with Table for Five; which includes my husband and four brothers.”
With ardent fans and vendors trusting Manal’s taste in the kitchen, the success that Table for Five garnered over the months allowed Manal to quit her job and make it her full-time occupation. “I have been lucky to have worked with a phenomenal organisation like the Economic Development Board of Bahrain for 11 years, and am grateful for the experience. But life is short and you need to do things that you really enjoy; that you are really passionate about,” she says.
Manal’s original recipes range from traditional Bahraini dishes that inspire the younger generation to be in touch with their native foods, to other cuisines like Italian, Greek and French, allowing followers to be transported to far-off lands through her creations.
When she got a call to be part of Bahrain’s Food is Culture event, an annual initiative that seeks to amalgamate the fine and culinary arts, Manal felt reassured that she had been doing something right. “I was paired with artist Mohammed Taqi, and luckily we clicked immediately. Sure, it was overwhelming to showcase something on a platform like this, but the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) was with us every step of the way.”
Manal wanted her food to echo the vibrancy, joy and calm that Mohammed’s works exude, while tasting good as well. Profound discussions of their creative perspectives and the synergy that emerged between the two artists resulted in a final presentation that wowed the audience.
The exposure that Manal received with Food is Culture opened up doors previously unthought of, giving her greater leverage to grow and better shape her brand. “The credit for this goes to Baca; it was an honour to work with them. I’m grateful for their focus on and passion for exploring Bahraini talent. I also thank my family and friends, without whose encouragement I would not be where I am today,” Manal says.
From not knowing how to boil an egg, to following recipes for Bahraini comfort food over the telephone with her aunt as a university student, to putting her passion for food out there for all to see, Manal has come a long way, thanks to mustering the courage to do so.
