From Jordan’s warehouses to Europe’s Michelin starred kitchens, Chef Mousa Alsharief tells the story of a young man who carried passion on his shoulders and walked a path paved only with determination.
His journey didn’t begin with culinary tools or in classrooms, but in the heart of real life forced from a young age to work in butcher shops, clean, wash dishes, and carry heavy bags to support his family.
Despite the harshness of the days, his passion never faded. He would return to his small kitchen to experiment, film, fail, and learn. Cooking wasn’t a hobby it was his window to dream, his weapon in the battle of life.
His first real steps began in Jordan, through participation in the Leader Chef TV program, followed by competitions at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts under the guidance of renowned chefs such as Ghada El Tally and Ahmad Sammour. There, he began to realize that his passion carried the mark of true talent.
Then came Turkey his first gateway to professionalism. He studied, trained, and worked under the supervision of skilled Turkish chefs, learning discipline, attention to detail, and the importance of substance over appearance. One of the most memorable phrases a Turkish chef told him was:
"We don’t need language… we understand each other through cooking.”
At first, he worked for free. He fought the language barrier and proved himself in the kitchen. Every day behind the stove taught him new meanings of patience and brought him one step closer to his dream.
Next was Germany, where he worked at 3 AM and trained under top chefs from Italy and Spain—learning discipline and resilience in an environment where only excellence survives.
In Portugal, he met global culinary cultures and worked under Michelin starred chefs like Heinz Beck and Libério Bounjour. As the only Arab, with no references or EU citizenship, he stood out as the smartest, fastest, and hungriest to succeed.
Denmark followed where in Copenhagen, he discovered a school of strict discipline and constant innovation. Today, he works with veteran chefs in kitchens where nothing short of perfection is accepted.
Mousa Alsharief doesn’t see himself as a star or a symbol but as a young man who started from nothing and carved his path through patience and sweat. He now sends a message to everyone who shares his background:
"Don’t wait for someone to tell you you’re capable. Prove it. Build your own path. Life doesn’t spare the hesitant.”
He ends with a German phrase that captures his philosophy on success:
"Erfolg ist kein Glück” Success is not luck, but the result of hard work and many steps on solid ground.