Rick and I were recently introduced to the work of Chef Omar Addihaoui of Opera Cafe, a patisserie and catering service in Kuwait. Omar Addihaoui has been receiving much attention of late due to his absolutely mind-boggling structural cake designs that he creates for royalty in Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi, Cairo, and other cities throughout the region. After our jaws hit the floor in amazement, a discussion ensued. Were the cakes real? We decided that we're pretty certain that none, or only a small portion of the design is actual cake. Structurally it is nearly impossible to make these designs in cake and we think it is most likely styrofoam. Just the fondant alone would be weighty. How much did they cost? Being a curious twosome, we looked on the internet and found an article about Chef Omar in the Al Watan Daily, where he quotes the cakes start at 600 Kuwaiti dinars (roughly $2000) to 3000 ($10,000) Kuwaiti dinars for a replica of Versailles. Those are decent numbers for sure. Then we asked the question 9 out of 10 people ask us. How long does it take Chef Omar to make a cake? We found the answer in the same article:
"Surprisingly, he added: "Cakes can be made in a single day. We are a big team, all of us participating at different levels, and many of our customers are surprised at the pace of our creations at Opera. We can finish a cake in one day. Its not about the size of the cake, it''s about how we are organized"
Asked how much time a customer needs to preŁorder a cake, Addihaoui said: "Usually customers order them a month to fifteen days ahead, but sometimes they order them a week ahead or sometimes the same day."
Whoa! He can finish a cake in one day and customers can order a cake the same day of the event? We're even more sure now that the cakes are all or mostly faux. Other cakers care to chime in? We invite your comments. These awe-inspiring designs are original, to say the least. Artistically they may or may not suit your tastes, but Chef Omar is one of the only people out there doing cakes like this in the world. I wasn't at all surprised when we read in the same article that Chef Omar draws his inspiration from his own imagination. He and his team of cake artists do not copy designs from anyone else. Amazing work and totally original! We love how he stands in front of his cakes with his arms crossed. word. Our hats are off to Chef Omar. His designs are being talked about around the world!
Did anyone else think of Homer Simpson when they saw this cake?
