Hilton launches ‘Cooking with Chris’ culinary travel series in Morocco

International

CEO Chris Nassetta explores local cuisine and traditions starting with Moroccan chicken tagine

Hilton has launched a new video series titled Cooking with Chris, in which President and CEO Chris Nassetta travels to destinations around the world to discover local culinary traditions. The series combines travel, culture and gastronomy, highlighting the chefs, ingredients and techniques that shape memorable dining experiences in different regions.

The first episode takes viewers to Rabat, Morocco, where Nassetta visits the Conrad Rabat Arzana hotel to learn how to prepare one of the country’s most iconic dishes: traditional chicken tagine. Together with Executive Sous Chef Adil Limi, he explores the history and preparation of the dish while sharing personal stories about cooking and family traditions.

A culinary journey rooted in culture

The series focuses on authentic local cuisine and the people behind it. In each destination, Nassetta works alongside Hilton chefs to prepare a signature regional dish and learn about the traditions and ingredients that define it.

In Morocco, the focus is on tagine, a slow-cooked dish that dates back more than 2,000 years. The name refers both to the recipe and to the clay pot used for cooking, whose conical lid helps trap steam and intensify the flavors of the ingredients. Over centuries, the technique has become a central element of Moroccan culinary culture.

At Conrad Rabat Arzana, Chef Adil Limi demonstrates how the dish is prepared using local ingredients and traditional methods. Preserved lemons and Taliouine saffron play a key role in creating the characteristic balance between citrus freshness and aromatic spices.

Local ingredients and traditional techniques

During the cooking session, Nassetta and Limi prepare a free-range chicken tagine seasoned with ginger, turmeric and saffron, slowly simmered with onions, herbs and olive oil. Preserved lemons and olives are added toward the end of the cooking process, creating a rich sauce with a distinctive Moroccan flavor.

The episode highlights how regional ingredients, culinary heritage and modern hospitality come together in the kitchens of Hilton hotels around the world.

Through the new series, Hilton aims to showcase the cultural stories behind food and to illustrate how local cuisine can connect travelers more deeply with the destinations they visit.