The five things travel taught me: Chef Greg Malouf

RITES OF PASSAGE

Greg Malouf, acclaimed chef of Middle Eastern cuisine, restaurateur, author

APPETITE

As a chef, my travels are nearly always determined by the hunt for new food experiences. This focus on one's tummy sounds rather self-indulgent, but a lesson I've learnt time and again is that food is one of the best ways into a country and its culture. I think it's something I first truly understood on a trip to Turkey researching my book, Turquoise. I didn't speak one word of Turkish but I was still able to make myself understood when talking to farmers, producers, chefs and home cooks. A shared delight in food – cooking and eating it – will always forge common ground.

EXPERIENCES

On a trip to Iran a few years ago, I got stranded after nightfall on Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf. The only option was to hire a small motor boat (and driver) to take me back to the mainland. I couldn't have been further out of my comfort zone as we sped over the waves crossing one of the world's busiest and most dangerous waterways, with oil tankers and small smuggling boats whizzing all around us. But it was utterly exhilarating and reinforced my belief that the best moments come when you open yourself up to new experiences. I've had 30-odd years stuffed full of travel adventures, and these are worth more than any material treasures I might buy as souvenirs.

TOLERANCE

On another trip to Iran, I was invited to a spur-of-the-moment lunch by a pistachio farmer. Over delicious food (eaten, local-style, on the floor) he expressed delight at my Lebanese heritage and boasted that he frequently sent money there to fund Hezbollah. Suppressing my own distaste at his views wasn't just about manners, but about understanding that everyone's circumstances are different and moral codes are complicated. Later, I noticed his wife taking out food to a couple of dodgy-looking men. I learnt that they were itinerant beggars and that providing food and shelter was the norm. The lesson? People are multifaceted and are all worthy of respect.