Produced in collaboration with Rattlestick Playwright's Theater.
November is here. Tis’ the season for food, more good food and even better conversations.
Global Gab hosts Jody Doo and Salma S. Zohdi are self-proclaimed lovers of all things cultural, especially food. They have invited Chris Khalifa (CEO & Founding Partner, Zooba) and Janice Wong (Multi award -winning Chef & Artist, 2am: dessertbar) as our special guests to share with us about their…… (you’ve guessed it) FOOD!
On November 24, 7pm EST, the crew will gather via Zoom to chat about The Art of Food. The conversation, true to Global Gab’s nature, will transcend geographical boundaries. Chris is all ready to share with you Zooba’s journey from Egypt to NYC and how they bring their take of Egyptian street food to the streets of New York. Janice will speak with us from Singapore on 2am: dessertbar’s origins and how they are pivoting their work in Asia during this time. We won’t give too much away right now. But you’re in for a treat!
Panelists:
Chris Khalifa, Zooba’s CEO and founding partner, launched the company in 2011. Zooba is a fast-casual Egyptian street food concept with seven locations in Cairo and one in NYC. Zooba built its unique brand proposition challenging conceptions of the Egyptian “street” eating experience with a mission to represent a fresh taste of contemporary Egyptian street food and culture, neighborhood by neighborhood. Zooba currently serves 4,000 customers daily and employs 260 people. The company aims to put Egyptian street food on the map, with a dream of having a Zooba in every major city in the world.
Chris graduated from Boston University in 2005 with a B.A. in Economics and started his career in Egypt with EFG-Hermes’ Investment Banking Team in the summer of 2006. He spent six years in banking before making the decision to start Zooba.
Janice Wong, Multi award-winning Chef and Artist Janice Wong’s never-ending passion for culinary art has propelled her forward to test the limits of dessert making.
In November 2014, she launched her eponymous sweet concept, JANICE WONG SINGAPORE, and unveiled her new concession stand at the world-renowned Harrods department store in London in 2018. Chef Janice has received worldwide recognition for her cutting-edge creations and is a regular on the global pop-up circuit, having appeared as guest judge in Top Chef USA in 2020 and also as guest judge and chef on MasterChef Australia in 2015 and 2017 respectively. In 2019, she had global notable global collaborations which include Janice Wong in Paradise City Seoul and Busan, Wonderbox in Seoul, and Janice Wong’s first solo exhibition in Huis Ten Bosch Nagasaki featuring her signature edible art works. She has been named Asia’s Best Pastry Chef; for the second year running by the prestigious San Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best for 2013 & 2014. Janice Wong also won the title of Pastry Chef of the Year from the World Gourmet Summit Awards in 2011, 2013 and 2015, including the title of Young Woman of the Year from Her World in 2012.
The native Singaporean is also known for her food installations around the world and her brand JANICE WONG is an undisputed favorite among sweet-toothed Singaporeans. Her dessert restaurant 2am:dessertbar recently celebrated its thirteenth year anniversary, and Janice is constantly redefining the dessert experience and pushing the boundaries between sweet and savory with carefully researched progressive dishes.