Agadir – As part of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) events, Moroccan chef Bouchra Chouai, who heads the International Souss Gastro Festival, is joining the International Argan Tree Fair.
The fair is organized by the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Areas and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA). For Chef Bouchra, the event is an opportunity to use food to show Morocco’s culinary and cultural traditions.
Speaking to Morocco World News, she said the idea came from the fair’s organizers, who wanted a special Moroccan food showcase for visitors during the tournament.
The Moroccan chef aims to introduce both Moroccan and international guests to traditional dishes made with argan oil.
“Our festival has always focused on argan and the argan tree,” Chef Bouchra said. “Argan products should have a place on our table and in our dishes. Through this fair, we want visitors to discover argan oil and understand its role in Moroccan cuisine.”
During the International Argan Tree Fair, Chef Bouchra and her team are preparing traditional Moroccan dishes using argan oil, including chicken tagine with onions and raisins, and harira.
She stressed that the menu is intentionally traditional. “We do not add modern elements,” she said. “Our objective is to preserve and revive Morocco’s traditional food heritage.”
Chef Bouchra noted that many visitors, including Moroccans, are rediscovering dishes and flavors they may have forgotten. “Some people are surprised and say they didn’t know these dishes could be prepared this way,” she said. “When visitors taste our food, they are impressed, because Moroccan cuisine speaks for itself.”
Beyond the exhibition, Chef Bouchra is an internationally active culinary figure. She has represented Morocco in several international events and competitions and has served as a jury member in culinary contests in Turkiye, Russia, and Egypt. She said these experiences strengthen her commitment to promoting Moroccan cuisine abroad.
“The first goal of this initiative is to introduce Moroccan food heritage,” she said. “But it is also about underlining argan oil as a key ingredient in our cuisine. Argan is not just a product; it is an essential element in our dishes and part of our identity,” the chef concluded.