Chef Nouel Catis: The Story Behind Dubai Chocolate & Life After Going Viral

Chef Nouel Catis, the Filipino pastry chef and culinary innovator behind the original Dubai Chocolate recipe, joins Luca Allam to reveal the story behind the dessert that became a global phenomenon — and what happened after it changed his life.

Nouel shares how the now-famous pistachio and kataifi combination came together, why its simplicity became one of his greatest creative lessons, and how he moved forward after parting ways with FIX Dessert Chocolatier.

Beyond chocolate, Nouel opens up about reinventing himself from pastry chef to entrepreneur and personal brand, building The Sweet Life and SNA’AP, facing stereotypes as a Filipino chef, and learning difficult lessons about trust, business and knowing your worth.

He also discusses turning anger and disappointment into motivation, why talent alone isn’t enough to build a successful brand, how AI is changing creativity, and why staying relevant means constantly reinventing yourself.

A candid conversation about the story behind Dubai Chocolate, life after viral success, entrepreneurship, identity, resilience and building what comes next.