Chef Alia “Lulu” El Askalany is an Egyptian chef, culinary consultant, and olive oil sommelier whose work bridges Mediterranean influence with Egyptian terroir. Fascinated by food from a young age, she pursued formal training at Le Cordon Bleu London in 2014, continuing her hands-on development at London based establishments such as Jamie Oliver’s Recipease & L’Atelier des Chefs. She later refined her craft at the Florence Culinary Art School in 2017 and completed the Cook the Farm agro-culinary program in Sicily in 2020, exploring ethical sourcing, food heritage, and Sicilian traditions.
In 2022, Alia became the first Egyptian female chef certified by ONAOO Scuola in Liguria as a professional olive oil taster—adding a highly specialized sensory dimension to her work. She has collaborated with leading regional brands, designed culinary experiences across Egypt, the Mediterranean and India, and continues to share her philosophy through workshops, tastings, recipe development, and consultancy.