Experience
2022 - 2022
Consultant
L'Oreal (Restaurant Associates, Hospitality Excellence, Premier Clients)New York, NY
2020 - 2021
Chef / Co-Owner
MOMO CaterBrooklyn, NY
2019 - Present
Chef / Owner
Tripoli Events, LLC.Brooklyn, NY
2011 - 2012
Line Cook
Tony's PizzaBrooklyn, NY
2008 - 2010
Pastry Line Cook
Zahrat Al HadaekTripoli, Libya
Education
2011
Certificate in Culinary Studies
2007
Bachelor of Science in E-Commerce
Nasir University
Tripoli, LibyaAdvice from Mohamed Wahiba
Quotes about career path, skills, and teamwork from an industry leader.
Food brings back a bunch of fond memories for me because when I was younger, around the age of 12, I used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking along with my grandmother.
She
made cooking fun and forced me to tap into the creative side of my personality. Every Friday I would help my grandma cook thousands of Rishtat Burma (traditional Libyan pasta) because
she loved to cook and feed everyone in the family and neighborhood. She taught me the happiness one can receive by feeding others and this motivated me and made me realize that I
found happiness in feeding and cooking for other people. Hence I became a chef.
I started my career as a line cook which helped me learn the basics in the kitchen.
Working with some great restaurants as sous chef as well as chef de cuisine helped me gain expertise on
handling huge volumes and handling stress under different circumstances in FOH and BOH processes.
The hospitality industry is one of the very few industries that allows a person to give back to the community.
I love the fact that I have the chance every day to bring a smile on
my customers' faces by being able to offer them great food.
I started my own business which forced me to learn the business and strategic side in addition to owning the kitchen.
The recognition I have received over the years gives me motivation and drives me to be more creative and do better each and every day.
Being able to create magic with various
ingredients of food to create a recipe or a dish is what encourages me everyday to go to work
and do better.
Over the years I have gained knowledge about not just how to give customers the best food, but also focus on the kind of food the customers prefer and want.
I have hired, trained and worked with various people under different roles which has taught me the importance of how to manage and grow with people on your team.
Having a hardworking individual who has a creative mind is always a great asset on the team.
Teaching someone to cook is only a part of hiring the right individual, it is extremely important to have a team player who is willing to work effectively and efficiently with all other members.
The hospitality industry took a massive hit during the pandemic in 2020.
I had to find a way to reboot my career. During this hardship I focused all my energy and time into my company, Tripoli Events. I was catering around the New York metropolitan area. This was a blessing in disguise since considering the industry I am in, having time for family has always been scarce. During the pandemic I was not only able to run my own business, but also was able to spend time with my
wife, Emily, who collaborated with me towards Tripoli Events success.
Being respectful and having a professional attitude shows me that the individual values his role and job assigned.
Considering being in the kitchen is all about managing demands and time,
these attributes are critical as well. Technical aspects such as knife handling and temperature management are also essential in the kitchen.
In 2020, I met Chef Roble Ali at a pop-up in Brooklyn who came there as a customer.
He saw me working the pizza oven and was impressed by my skill. We decided to go into business together
since we saw tremendous potential in our collaboration, so we started MOMO Cater. Chef Roble had the experience and knew potential clients in addition to being a great chef himself. On the
other hand I brought in the skill and newness to the concept of our business. We worked the company together as a team and I don't think we could have grown the company at the pace we
did without each other's support.
I regularly go for morning runs around my neighborhood.
It helps me start my day right and puts me in a good mood while being able to maintain my physical health. I also enjoy listening to
motivational audio books while I am on a run. This helps me be mentally prepared for the challenges that I may face during my day ahead with a go-getter attitude.
The hospitality industry is one of the world's fastest growing industries.
Besides it being a lucrative market, I feel it is also the only industry where real talent and skill is appreciated and can succeed.
Roles in Culinary
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