We speak to the Syrian chef about how he grew Leens into a neighbourhood favourite and his hopes for the future
When one thinks of hearty, comfort food and big flavours, the mind always turns to Leens Middle East Kitchen. Nestled in the heart of TTDI, and now with its new sister restaurant Saj Bistronomy below, it is common to find the Syrian restaurant packed with groups of friends and families during opening hours in the evening.
This is more than justified—from the smoked hummus with Arabic bread and the signature crispy Syrian rice with chicken to the selections of tangy salads and flavourful kebabs, it is hard not to fall in love with the expertly executed dishes.
Read more: The best chicken rice in Malaysia, according to chefs
However, becoming a chef was not always on the cards for Alzalek, who was born in Damascus, the capital of Syria. “I suppose the kitchen chose me,” the friendly chef chuckles, telling me he actually started his career as an accountant. “The general climate in Syria was not conducive to finding a job, so I decided to move to Malaysia,” he explains.
He worked around cafés, restaurants, and hotels around the country, from Penang to Langkawi, before working at Ember under Gary Anwar. “It was a great opportunity to learn from him, and I learnt a lot of my skills from working there,” Alzalek recalls.