Cooking for my mother, who lived with diabetes, was my first lesson in creativity and balance. Every meal was a careful negotiation between joy and care. I learned early that food could heal without sacrificing delight, and that every ingredient, every choice, every moment in the kitchen mattered far beyond the plate.
That lesson became the foundation for my journey from home chef and nutritionist to foodservice designer and hospitality consultant. I came to understand that a beautiful dish is only the final act of a much larger story. Its success depends on invisible support systems, it’s the kitchen that empowers the chef, the equipment that preserves freshness, and the dining space that welcomes every guest. My work is dedicated to shaping those systems where technical precision meets human warmth and every element serves both function and experience.
Technical fluency meets creative ambition
During my master’s program I had the privilege of completing two formative internships in Paris that shaped both my technical fluency and my creative ambition in hospitality design. At Alma Consulting I supported technical consulting assignments across commercial and catering, contributing to projects that spanned feasibility studies through to construction. There I drafted equipment schedules and translated operational briefs into 2D plans for a university canteen, cafeterias, companies restaurants – optimising zones for cooking, plating and cleaning to reliably handle high-service volumes. Also, regular meetings with chefs and facility managers that I had during my final bachelor year sharpened my ability to incorporate client feedback and align design solutions with brand expectations while progressing through programming, space planning and budget phases.
My final-year internship at AC2R was also a great scale with the 3D plans learning. Working on a complete kitchen redesign for a restaurant, I modeled workflows in Revit, placing ovens, refrigeration and worktables for ergonomic efficiency and safety, and collaborated with other agencies to ensure the back-of-house supported the front-of-house rhythm. I researched and proposed sustainable equipment solutions, blast chillers, energy-efficient combi ovens and waste-management systems then translated those choices into coordinated documentation. Both internships taught me how technical precision and creative vision must be fused to produce warm, operationally sound dining environments.
Operationally rigorous, emotionally resonant
Looking forward I aspire to be a hospitality experience curator, designing integrated BOH/FOH systems and luxury service events that are equal parts operationally rigorous and emotionally resonant. I seek roles that combine creativity, mobility and high standards, working on elegant dining concepts and event design in innovation hubs such as Dubai or Singapore, buzzing areas where I can blend technical expertise, storytelling and multicultural collaboration to craft memorable, scalable hospitality experiences.
Attending FCSI conferences has been pivotal in shaping my perspective. In Zurich, at the FCSI EAME 2024 Conference, I explored hotels and layouts that blended luxury with operational intelligence. Preparing for the Student Challenge competition kept me busy, yet the conversations with consultants and the design of the spaces taught me lessons no presentation could. Later, at the FCSI Asia Pacific 2025 Conference in Hoi An, I felt overwhelmed at first, but soon discovery replaced fear. Live cooking demonstrations, equipment showcases, and candid exchanges with professionals from around the world confirmed my passion; I love redesigning spaces and want to master every aspect of F&B, branding, hospitalité de luxe and scaling ideas into unforgettable guest experiences.
Principles in action
I see these principles in action worldwide, Asia’s steady hotel growth, Europe’s circular kitchens and waste-reduction initiatives, and the Middle East’s bold new hospitality models. The industry is not in decline, it is evolving. Its future belongs to those who can bridge visionary design, operational pragmatism, and strategic storytelling. Thoughtful design, I have learned, transforms not just spaces but the experiences and memories of those who inhabit them. This is the role my generation is called to play: we are the integrators, weaving technical intelligence, sustainable innovation, and human warmth into cohesive solutions. Our goal is no longer only to design kitchens that function flawlessly, but to create spaces that tell a story, spaces that honor the community, celebrate the craft of the chef, and spark a sense of belonging for every guest.
The vision that began at my family’s table remains my compass. It reminds me that behind every system we draft and every space we shape, the ultimate measure of success is the human experience it enables. I aspire to leave a legacy where hospitality design elevates everyday moments into something extraordinary, where each space resonates with care, innovation, and shared humanity.
Nada Fati is a student member of FCSI France. Contact her at nada.fati.work@gmail.com.
