31st July,2014; New Delhi: The aroma of freshly baked Manoushe, the mist of shisha’s, the feet tapping numbers of Zeid Hamdan, the delightful dancing, the wines and the mesmerising Nay performance by Bashir Saade; at Zorba in Delhi on the 31st of July had completely transformed into a place so beautiful. The festivities were designed to give the Indian guests a feel of Lebanon for the official launch of one of the most anticipated Fast Casual Food Chainsin India – Zizo – the authentic Lebanese cuisine food Chain with the moder twist. It was well attended and guests rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of Delhi and the hosts including Zizo’s CEO/ Co PartnerFouad Abdel Malak and the specialist in culinary development, Chef Maroun Chedid, alongwithcelebrity author Barbara Abdeni Massad and Zeid Hamdan made sure that the evening will be well remembered laced with Lebanese flavours.
Zeid Hamdan (the Jazz sensation from Lebanon) presented some of his best renditions for his Indian fans and the guests at the Launch. His hinglish version of Zizo theme completely stole the hearts of all who attended and none could stop humming the tune. He was distinguished by CNN as being one of the 8 leading light of Lebanese Culture and now he has Indian fans wanting for more.
The lavish spread prepared under Chef Maroun Chedid’s careful direction had everyone craving more. The guests were drooling on the Shawarmas, Falafels, Hummus with Tahini, Spicy Moutabal, Fatoush, Halawas and many sinful indulgences that were on the spread, like a Lebanese village during festivities.Many guests were trying to bake their own Manoushe under guidance of Chef Maroun and Chef Dani Al Souri, Resident Executive Chef of Zizo. Chef Maroun Chedid, the man behind the culinary development of Zizo said “Traditional Lebanese food is one of the most popular cuisines globally and we wanted to add a modern twist for our Indian friends. Zizo brings the experience of traditional Lebanese food with authentic ingredients to give the Indian palate an experience that they would like to repeat quite often.”
The first Zizo outlet situated in Connaught Place, Delhi will be opening its doors to the Indian Food Connoisseurs on the 2nd of August. Fouad Abdel Malak, CEO of Zizo said; “Traditionally, Zizo (a pet beetle) means a lot to every Lebanese child and it always makes us crave to go back to the days where food was always an organic delight but yet flavourful. It is our promise that we at Zizo will be serving the best localy sourced product with the best imported grade A and organic produce from lebanon like olives, zataar, pomegranate mollases and among many others. Food tastes much better when it is served with the original ingredients, and lots of love.”
Zizo – the Fast Casual Lebanese Food Chain, is named after a green beetle which used to be a common feature of Lebanese countryside and represent a bite of simple life. These beetleswere the favourite playmates of many a Lebanese child which takeseven grown-ups down the fond childhood memory lanes.Zizo is a brainchild of the CEO/ Co Partner Fouad Abdel Malak and his four partners who wanted to fill a yawning gap to the Indian Food market. The team wants to have 7 outlets within two year in Delhi NCR and would want to include Mumbai, Bangalore before touching international centres like Singapore, Dubai, UK and the USA.
ABOUT ZIZO
Zizo is a fast food casual joint with the tag line, authentic Lebanese with a twist. By using grade A and organic produce like herbs and natural oils, Zizo promotes a healthy eating experience on the go, and natural ingredients are used to add an authentic kick of flavour.
Zizo starts with its first joint in Connaught Place and in two year’s time it will have seven other outlets in Delhi NCR area. The outlet then will expand to Mumbai, Bangalore and then to Singapore, Dubai, UK and USA with its authentic and healthy Lebanese cuisine.
ABOUT FOUAD ABDEL MALAK
Fouad Malak has a strong foundation in leading some of the region’s brightest and best creative teams, within the rigors of a strategic planning process. In 15 years tenure of heading the creative departments of some of the Dubai’s multinational agencies, bring to the work a deeper understanding of the market dynamics and unique cultural nuances that set the scene for break through brands. His passion for building successful brands goes well beyond the world of advertising as he now embarks on his latest and most exciting venture in india
ABOUT CHEF MAROUND CHEDID
Awarded in 2013 the prestigious title of ‘Chef de L’Année a L’International’ by the Toques Blanches du Monde, he is the first Lebanese Chef to be recognized for the active role he plays in developing and spreading the Lebanese Mediterranean gastronomy throughout the world.
His cuisine recognizes the authenticity of Lebanese food and its traditions and enriches it with spices and surprising combinations that are demanded by today’s modern Palate. To this end, his cuisine has always been around the idea of respecting the product, its texture and flavor. He is a firm believer that tradition can evolve, but the fundamentals stay the same.
An ever-curious gourmet chef, Maroun is invested in exploring the world for inspiration to develop a scientific approach to his culinary expertise. He continually develops new methods and works closely with laboratories to study the composition of each product he uses and its properties. Such knowledge gives him a unique edge and allows him to perfect every detail that goes into his art: from the presentation to the flavor and the texture, all is in perfect harmony.
