How to Love Your Job and Keep Your Dreams Alive

Redouane’s love for his work permeates the small Moroccan restaurant in Byward Market in Ottawa’s city center. I stumbled across Casablanca by accident as I was on my way to a breakfast diner. I veered off course to shop for sourvenirs and was further led astray by the promising smells of something delicious. I’m glad I followed my nose.

I’ve never experienced Moroccan cuisine so as I read the menu with uncertainty, Redouane asked me if I needed help. I was relieved to leave it up to an expert. He chose lamb, root vegetables and coucous. It was significantly off the mark of the intended omelette I had originally set out to find, but I sat down in the cozy eatery with a plate of comfort food and took my first bite.

Do you know that moment when your taste buds collectively agree that you’ve discovered something amazing? The food was impeccable and although I’m not a foodie, I don’t watch the Food Channel, and I don’t know many famous chefs, I know good food when I taste it. I come from the farm in Canada where vegetables are freshly picked from backyard gardens and the meat on our plate is homegrown or freshly caught. I’ve also had the opportunity to live in Japan where great food is plentiful and presentation is exquisite so I knew this was exceptional food made with care and attention to detail both in presentation and flavour.

Coincidentally, I was in Ottawa for Cannexus, a three day international conference for Career Professionals so I had the topic of careers on my mind and, as I ate in silent joy, the career coach in me had a pile of questions. Was Redouane the owner of the restaurant? How did he learn how to cook like this? Does he love his job? Because it sure tasted like he did.

All of my question sparked the beginning of an inspiring career story starting in a home in Marrekesh, Morocco.

“I discovered my vocation for cooking at the heart of my small family who had a great mastery of typical Moroccan dishes,” Redouane kindly shared with me. “Then, in 2001, when I was 21, I joined the professional world of gastronomy as a kitchen clerk.” It was there that Redouane’s career would grow and lead him to the opening of the first Japanese restaurant called Kiotori in Fes in 2007. This is where our worlds slightly collide as we discuss the magical cuisine of a country that is very committed to exceptional food. As we compare our love of Japanese food, Redouane brings out his phone and begins to show me photos from his social media accounts of beautifully presented Japanese dishes. He then shows me a video of him on a radio show and then another video of him on The Master Chef Morocco. “You were on The Master Chef?” I blurt. Even I know that show. “Seriously?” He grins, nods and points to himself in the video walking onto the set of the show to teach a culinary class. I say to him, “What are you doing in Canada?” He laughs and jokingly says, “I don’t know.”

Teaching a class on the Master Chef Morocco

Redouane with the contestants on the Master Chef Morocco

Redouane is modest about his accomplishments but passionate about his work. I’m intrigued by how someone with his credentials isn’t working in one of the top restaurants in Ottawa and I want to know more. After I convince him that I like to write career stories of people who love what they do, he agrees to an interview and his career story further unfolds.

His culinary experiences are impressive. In 2008, a new opportunity would begin for him in the city of Casablanca at the Spasso restaurant. “I had the opportunity to touch on the management side of the restaurant business in addition to the kitchen. This is how the cooking profession instilled in me a managerial spirit. I was curious and passionate so I took up the challenge to manage the restaurant. It was during the festive summer season on a private beach in the North of Morocco with days of serving up to 1000 seats.” He did this work for four consecutive seasons. As I try to work out in my mind serving 1000 seats a day, he continues with his story.

In 2016, Redouane received yet another amazing opportunity. “I was chosen to take part in catering for COP22 which served about 15 thousand dishes a day.” COP22, a Sustainable Innovation Forum, held in Marrakech, was a global conference dedicated to climate action where countries converge to learn more about innovation, sustainable development and the green economy. In terms of catering to such a large, prestigious event, Redouane says, “I worked with the Rahal Group which is a large catering company in Africa. I have fond memories of this journey.”

As he shows me more pictures from his phone and social media accounts of his expansive and impressive career in Morocco, he tells me that he is new to Canada, having arrived in Ottawa in 2017 with the intention of working internationally. Redouane gives me the impression that his work goes beyond being a job. It’s like he was born to do what he is doing and the contagious passion that he has for his work transcends the trials of starting over in a new country.

COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco with Chef Rachid Maftouh

Just prior to coming to Canada, he had the opportunity in 2016 and 2017, to work on the Master Chef show with Chef Rachid Maftouh who he worked with at COP22. This is where collaboration and building relationships continued to bring him new opportunity. From his photos, I can also see that he brought to the show his former skill and knowledge from Kiotori in Fes as he teaches the contestants how to prepare Japanese cuisine.

Over the last two years, Redouane has learned that moving to a new country often means starting from the ground up. I empathize with this part of his story, having grown my career from scratch in Japan many years ago, I can relate to both the excitement of living in a new country and the challenge of starting over. He manages this transition by going back to Morocco to visit his family and friends. At the heart of his culture is the importance of staying well connected to family. Plus, his friends are always very happy to see him and learn about his Canadian adventures.

As we delve further into his plans for his future, Redouane tells me he is committed to building a career in Canada, but he has learned that there are required steps to get moving towards his goals. He consistently reminds himself there is a process. “I know I have to start step by step here. At this time, I’m waiting for my permanent residency card,” he tells me. In the meantime, he works hard in his friend’s restaurant, and also enjoys his life in Ottawa. He golfs, rides a Harley Davidson, and takes time to experience the city’s cuisine. “This is a beautiful city,” he says as he shares with me his hopes and dreams for his future. “And, I have to be patient to build my career here.”

As he shows me the picture of his Harley Davidson in Canada and the picture of him riding a camel in Morocco, I’m left with the juxtaposition of these two images. He gives the impression that he can effortlessly cross cultures. I realize that not only does he have a passion and love for what he does, he possesses that unique recipe of personality and soft skills necessary to succeed in a new culture: two cups of strong cultural adaptation skills, a cup of fearless but tactful communication skills, one spirit of adventure, and a heaping scoop of tenacity and determination. It’s a recipe for success in whatever he chooses to do.

It’s not a Harley Davidson but…it’s still pretty cool!