Emotional intelligence means understanding, recognising and managing our emotions and that of others using a trove of skill sets that enables us to confront life with patience, insight and imagination. Emotional intelligence is a soft skill for the future which will make the existence of one in an organisation irreplaceable and relevant. Chef Faisal Ahmed who is a banker turned chef and now member of the elite ‘World MasterChef Society’ has lived a journey which has been a vast reflection of the relevant skills of emotional intelligence- the resilience and grit of following his passion of cooking and being patient in all situations, infusing creativity in his dishes, being compassionate to the needs of others and therefore sharing his recipes to the world and staying humble even in the face of extreme popularity and therefore Chef Faisal believes and advocates the power and importance of cooking in teaching emotional intelligence to young kids who are the future of this planet.
And, science backs this. There is no shortage of research today documenting the benefits of teaching kids about cooking—from understanding the origins of ingredients to learning. Cooking with kids can play a very important role in the development of their emotional intelligence and helping them make better decisions. Chef Faisal believes that cooking is a very sincere and intimate affair and it helps foster sincerity and understanding.
According to Chef Faisal, “When you teach kids emotional intelligence, how to recognize certain situations- understand their origin and learn how to deal with them, you teach them the most essential skills for their success in life and what better than learning these skills in the kitchen with you by their side?”
Research has shown that young people with high Emotional Intelligence or EQ (Emotional Quotient) earn higher grades, stay in school, make healthier choices and develop good communication skills.
Chef Faisal Ahmed Aldeleigan is a firm believer in empathy– the most important trait of emotional intelligence and with that belief he started his consultation firm ‘Chef Faisal Consultancy’ with the aim of guiding and walking a mile in the shoes of over 100 restaurants in KSA and Bahrain where he understands the story of every restaurant and chefs and tailors an operating style for them. He strongly believes that cooking is a fertile ground for teaching kids patience, creativity, resilience, independence and confidence. It provides an experience that technology might never deliver.
Chef Faisal Ahmed understands the importance of connection and in the recent years he has emerged as a food influencer who is on a quest to drive the love and need of food to budding chefs, parents and food enthusiasts and help them cultivate emotional intelligence via cooking. Instagram @Cheffaisalco