Reda Faris, Executive Sous Chef, Gleneagles CC
Reda Faris, Executive Sous Chef of Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, says his lamb tagine, featuring couscous and seasonal vegetables, reminds him of his childhood and time spent in the kitchen with his mother.
“My mother back in Egypt used to make a lot of dishes that required steaming flour like pasta or couscous, but her version of it,” Faris says, “and that smell takes me back to when I was child helping her in the kitchen and eating directly from her pans and pots.”
Faris describes the lamb tagine dish as warm and satisfying, with an abundance of spices and rich flavor.
While he attributes the overall success of the dish to the two different ways of cooking lamb, he says he’s most proud of the process of preparing the couscous.
“Making those grains of couscous between the palm of your hand—at that moment, you know [the dish is] special,” he says.
“More chefs now are looking for peace of mind while cooking and creating dishes from scratch,” Faris adds. “It’s not easy to make in a busy cooking line, but at a wine dinner or small group, people will enjoy it.”
