Who’s Anthony Rahayel? I often ask myself that same question. I am a dentist by profession but I am also a hypnotherapist, scout, a photographer, a publisher, a food blogger, an entrepreneur… and the list humbly goes on… Where I am today is due to my passion for rich flavors and its strong link to uniting people and understanding cultures; starting with mine.
My desire for food, which developed with time, experience and extensive traveling, drove me to start NoGarlicNoOnions in 2012, a platform where local and international experiences are shared in words and images. Today the site boast over 5,000 food and travel reviews from Lebanon and across. Each meal is a culinary journey I express as accurately and honestly as I possibly can.
NoGarlicNoOnions became a professional platform people check for reviews, a place where everyone gets to discover new bites and new flavors with me… especially in Lebanon, my country, through visiting different towns and unveiling its hidden gems.
With time and realizing how rich Lebanon is, I started sharing my discoveries with people online and on TV and Youtube, through a show called Mechwar. Taking things a step further, we started what is called a Foodie’s Trail for people to physically discover their own country through professional guided tours to places Mechwar has been to.
While NGNO’s followers enjoy the reviews, a majority of them are unable to try most of the tasty picks, whether for lack of time, or distance to location; that’s how THE BOX was conceived. On a monthly basis, boxes full of treats are dispatched to people’s doorstep.
With everyday that goes by and every discovery made and every new venture developed, the aim is one. My aim is keep people connected to each other and to their roots, to make everyone enjoy and smile when they taste something good and unique, to discover the endless food artisans available across the country… creating a positive and rich environment that allows us all to embrace what we have and embrace life.