My Iraq: TV chef

Firas's long-term ambition is to open a steak restaurant

Iraqis may view the future with pessimism and fear because of the increasing violence, but life of a sort goes on. As part of a BBC News series on ordinary lives, Firas, the resident chef for the daily television show Good Morning Iraq, tells his story.

I started working on this programme just over a month ago.

I make a different dish each day, five days a week. Today it's a Turkish dish: shashlik guzaban [a chicken and vegetable kebab]. But it could easily be an Iraqi dish. I'm particularly good at preparing French and Chinese food.

I get about 20 minutes to prepare the dish, after I have been introduced by the presenters.

I have been told this programme is very popular both inside Iraq and in other Arab countries. Iraqis abroad like watching it.

The programme is targeted at a very important part of Iraqi society: housewives. We get lots of e-mails asking us to extend the kitchen slot or urging us to dedicate an entire programme to cookery.

The secret of my success is that I enjoy my job.

Before 2003, my work was restricted to hotels or tourist spots

I prepare simple meals that are cheap and easy.

Before this, I worked for many years as a chef, running kitchens for international companies, both inside Iraq and abroad. I'm currently also working as a chef in a five-star hotel in Baghdad.

I was trained by world-famous Western chefs and by the best chefs in the Arab world.

Before 2003, my work was restricted to hotels or tourist spots. There were only six or seven first-class hotels in Baghdad that we could work in.

TV fame

Now, satellite channels have started to interview chefs and to hire them for their professional skills - I've been able to share my ability and experience with the audience.

I still work in the same field, just now I'm on TV and I'm well-known by people as Firas - the Iraqi chef. This is what has changed for me.

Firas prepares a Turkish dish of chicken and vegetables

Nowadays, there are more ingredients available to us and we can make different dishes. Before, certain things weren't imported.

The biggest challenge is the security. I miss the safety.

If we had security, we could move freely and go to work. We could organise a food fair so people could come and see the food we prepare, and we could swap ideas.

I work with Iraqia TV, despite the difficult security situation. However, there is nowhere in Iraq that is completely free from violence.

So, it is in God's hands.

Saddam Hussein was removed and another government came. Many things changed. For me it doesn't matter.

What I'm concerned about is how to improve myself, how to develop my professional skills.

My dream is to own a restaurant that specialises in fillet steak - all kinds of fillet steak with salad and sauce.