Afnan Al Zayani facts for kids

Afnan Rashid Al Zayani (Arabic: أفنان راشد الزياني) is a famous chef from Bahrain. She made history by publishing Bahrain's very first cookbook in 1983. She also hosted the country's first cooking TV show, called السفرة الخليجية ("Gulf Dining"), which started in 1986. In 2004, a magazine named Hayatouki called her the top businesswoman in the Middle East. She was one of 100 people who helped women become stronger in business.

Growing Up and Learning

Afnan Al Zayani was born in Manama, Bahrain. She grew up in a traditional family that was very close. She went to Texas Tech University and finished her studies in 1976. There, she learned about Food Processing Technology.

Her Amazing Career

Afnan Al Zayani joined her family's business. She took on important leadership roles. In 1999, she even bought one of the family companies. She became active in groups for businesswomen. From 2002 to 2004, she led the Bahrain Businesswomen's Association.

She had big plans for the Association. She helped businesswomen learn about the Bahrain–United States Free Trade Agreement. She also supported small and medium-sized businesses. In 2006, she started the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen's Network. This was a group of similar organizations in the region. The United States Department of State helped her create it.

Afnan Al Zayani owns Al Zayani Commercial Services. This company sells office equipment. She is still on the Businesswomen's Association Board. From 2005 to 2013, she was the leader of the Businesswomen's Committee. This committee was part of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She is also a very well-known author and TV personality in cooking.

Helping Women in Work

Afnan Al Zayani was interested in women working outside the home from early on. She worked to make this happen. She talked to community groups and the government. She helped bring about important changes, like the first family law.

Cooking for Everyone

Afnan Al Zayani loves to cook. She has shared her passion through many books and TV shows. This includes special iftar shows during Ramadan. She focuses on healthy food and great taste. In 2009, she won a prize for "Best Arabic Cookbook." This was at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Her book, Afnaniyat, had 60 recipes in Arabic and English. It was the only book from the Gulf states to win. Later, she also started writing cookbooks for children.

Sharing Her Knowledge

Afnan Al Zayani has been to many book fairs. She has also done live cooking shows with famous chefs. She uses these chances to promote her books. She helps get her recipes translated into other languages.

Becoming a TV Star

Afnan Al Zayani first appeared on TV in 1986. Her show was called السفرة الخليجية. After that, she had many other programs. One show in English was called Gulf Delights. In 1988, she published A Taste of the Arabian Gulf. This was the first Gulf cuisine cookbook in English.

In 1992, she won the National Merit Award. This was for her work to save Bahrain's cooking traditions. In 1994, she published ما لذ وطاب ("What Is Good"). Then came TV shows like الأكل بذكاء ("Smart Eating Show," 1996). Another show was طيبات ("Good Things," 1997). In 2004, she published لذائذ أفنان ("So This Is Afnan"). This book had recipes from her show لذائذ 5,4,3,2,1.

In 2007, she presented أطيب من ("My Best"). This was a special iftar show for MBC. She has hosted several shows on Qatar Television. These include وعوافي ("Emotions," 2005) and صحة وعافية ("Health and Wellness," 2006). In 2008, she had a TV show based on her book Afnaniyat. In 2012, she started hosting يلا نطبخ مع أفنان ("Let’s Cook with Afnan"). This show is on Bahrain Television.

Her Book, Eish wa Malh

On June 25, 2014, Afnan Al Zayani released her sixth cookbook. It was called Eish wa Malh, which means "Bread and Salt" in Arabic. This book had 75 recipes over 205 pages. It was written in both Arabic and English.

She explained that the title came from two things. First, many recipes use salt. Second, "bread and salt" is an Egyptian Arabic saying. It describes good times shared with family and friends. She said it took two years to edit, photograph, and choose the recipes.

Healthy New Recipes

Her latest book, Eish wa Malh, added new things. It included nutritional facts. It also had meals for health issues. These included high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Her previous book, Afnaniyat, was praised for connecting cultures. It used a simple and clear style. She entered the competition again in 2014.

Judging Cooking Contests

Afnan Al Zayani judges many cooking competitions in Bahrain. These often happen at food festivals. These festivals are supported by community groups. She led a special group about women leaders in restaurants and cafes. This group looked at their challenges and how to keep them going. The Supreme Council for Women sponsored this group.

Global Recognition

Afnan Al Zayani is well-known around the world. In 2005, Forbes Middle East named her one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in the Middle East." In 2007, Arabian Business put her on their Power 100 list.

In 2010, she received the "Leadership in Public Life" Prize. The Vital Voices Foundation gave her this award. It was for her work in helping women become leaders. This was in the Middle East and North Africa region. She was also the first president of the Middle East and North Africa Businesswomen's Network.