Chef Mohammed Aqlan, along with his grandmother’s recipes and infectious smile, is bringing a taste of Yemeni culture to Philadelphia. And no one seems more surprised by this than the chef himself.

“I’m a cook, not a chef,” he insists. Mohammed might be the perfect example of a person’s destiny finding them, rather than the other way around. He came from Yemen to the U.S. in 2014 to study aviation
engineering in New York City but quickly realized that the cost of university and living in the city was more than he was able to afford. So he reached out to his cousin also living in the U.S., who set him up with a serving job at a restaurant in Boston.

One fateful day, the restaurant’s chef didn’t show up, and his cousin, knowing Mohammed could cook, suggested he take over. He stepped in and successfully completed the kitchen shift, though admittedly it made for a rough evening as a server. This experience tapped into a real passion he’d always carried for kitchen life. He says that in his home country of Yemen, traditional gender roles often prevail, and it’s uncommon for men to cook. But even as a child, Mohammed was drawn to cooking, whether it was helping his grandmother prepare meals or channel surfing in search of cooking shows.

He decided to go back to New York with the idea that he now had a new career dream and focus. He wanted to cook the cuisine of his home country—this is the food he knew and loved best. Without the funds to open his own restaurant, Chef Aqlan had to start small, cooking out of his own kitchen and delivering food to friends and local Yemeni New Yorkers—mostly bodega workers. “Bodega workers have no time to prepare their own food,” he said, which created a natural demand for his cooking. But he also wanted to reach beyond his own community and share his culture far and wide.

In 2021, Mohammed secured an investor and came to Philadelphia where there was only one other Yemeni restaurant. According to him, his love affair with Philadelphia was instant. Making a move to a new place and striking out on his own to start a business brought its fair share of anxiety and challenges; his struggles were profound in these early days. But his dream never faltered. He met his wife in Philadelphia, started a family, and grew his restaurant, Malooga. “It’s here in America that I really found myself,” he said.

For Mohammed, exploring new people and cultures is the best part about the U.S. “I talk to everyone,” he laughs, “Uber drivers, people on the street, guests in the restaurant.” The chef is always curious to learn more about the people who make up the city he claims truly feels like home. “Every dish is a memory,” he said of using authentic recipes given to him by his grandmother. He hopes that one day Americans will more deeply associate his native Yemen with their wonderful food. It’s a hope realized easily enough: If you ever find yourself strolling the streets of Old City, don’t pass up an
opportunity to dine at Malooga.