[Image: CEO and founder of Chez Charles, Charles Boghos.]
By Hershey Pascual
Charles Boghos is from Lebanon, he’s the enigmatic force behind the concept Chez Charles a company that started off as an online shop for a hand-picked selection of meat, fish and vegetables, alongside a variety of gourmet products from the very best markets and food sources around the world. The key to their success is undoubtedly quality. They believe in the best quality possible in terms of produce and staff.
I interviewed the man himself at his catering space in Business Bay, Dubai. He is an astute man, smart and humble. You could see he cares for simplicity; he has simple joys and his passion shone through when he spoke about his love for quality food. When I asked him what his favourite dish was, he replied: “It depends on my mood, and where I am, but if I had to choose it would be a simple egg and truffle dish. Just a boiled egg with truffle shavings. I like simple food I don’t like it when it get complicated and you have to struggle with what you are eating. All you need is simple ingredients, top quality food and you are a happy person.”
They say you are what you eat. He best described himself in three words: natural, real and authentic. I think that just about explains his concept for his food. The company started when founder and CEO Charles followed his passion sourcing top quality food. In fact, his background is in corporate business so he wasn’t even involved in the F&B market. Previously, he worked for ad agencies and British American Tobacco.
Boghos said: “I had a passion for food and specifically quality ingredients, which pushed me into the business basically. I saw a demand in the market for high quality ingredients and catering. So after a lot of intensive research I went for it.” In 2012 Chez Charles opened its doors. He added: “I always wanted to work with F&B and the first thing that came to mind back then was to open a restaurant, but I was not ready for one so instead I entered the online world. We later moved to private chefs and catering facilities.”
The 38-year-old has lived in Dubai for a long time so he introduced his novel concept to the Dubai social scene with fancy yet convivial barbecues and functions ‘à la provençale’. With Michelin star recruits, Chez Charles also expanded the kitchen for a wider catering scope. Yet the cuisine itself is hard to label. There is a strong belief in the purity of ingredients; it is French in its know-how, Mediterranean in its approach, simply tasteful in its essence and beautiful in its appearance.
[Image: A Chez Charles scallop dish with vegetables.]
What is your first food memory?
It was with my grandma and she was cooking chicken on the barbecue. I was about three years old at the time. I loved it so much that I stayed next to her whilst she cooked. Food is part of me. I love everything that has to do with nature and senses. Food is all about senses and the pleasure that it gives you. The touch, sight, smell and taste are all beautiful experiences. My family have always cooked a lot. I leaned to cook in university. My cousins and I would go to the market and select produce, go back and cook dinner.
How important is healthy eating?
The concept of healthy for me is eating good food. Eating butter is fine but control the portions. My philosophy is eat good quality food and control your portions and exercise too.
Organic hasn’t been that important to me growing up. I’m after quality produce. If it is certified organic then that is a plus but if it is not then that is fine as log as the quality is there. I’m 38 years old and I’ve not been raised on organic produce, quinoa or kale. If I’ve managed half my life without it I think the next half will be ok.
What inspires you?
Passion inspires me and the pleasure seeing people happy when they eat something that’s good. I love to feed people. I like to feed people more than cook for myself.
Where do you source things?
It’s complicated as we are very picky. We travel a lot. For instance our olive oil – I know how the oil is produced as it’s from the land of one of my best friend’s father. I know it inside out. It’s from Puglia in Italy. The tomatoes are from Sicily, the courgettes are from Provence, beef from Australia, cod from Iceland and salmon from Scotland. We only go to the best. It’s been this way from day one.
[Image: A private lunch with Chez Charles catering.]
What’s your motto?
Reach for the starts but leave your feet on the ground. It’s important to be pragmatic. If I were to give someone business advise it would be that patience is a virtue and if you want to build a big brand you need to have a lot of patience. Many people open a business and expect to make revenues and returns on their investment straight away, in their first year; but three years down on and the business doesn’t exist anymore. My advice: care for the brand and not for the money; the money will come.
Are there any food trends at the moment?
I hate to be a trend. By definition that comes and goes but we are here to stay. We are after authentic real people.
How do you think your business makes a difference to the region?
We provide authentic experience with our food and the service. We provide something which does not exist – authenticity.
What is the most successful part of your business?
In 2012 the online part was good then catering and private chefs came along and took over the business. Online is not a driver but a good department. Our winning department is catering. We do private events in peoples homes and we also focus on corporate gatherings: launches, lunches and dinners.
Future plans in 2016 and 2017?
We are building a food group. By November, we will open Chez Charles Restaurant and Bar. We will open in d3, Design District in Dubai. We love the area, the people and the management. It is still early to tell you about the concept but it involves simple food made accessible to everyone. We are focusing on top quality produce at affordable prices.
