THE world couldn’t get enough of something green. Pistachios are currently the most sought-after nut in the global market, with demand skyrocketing and an official shortage now in place. From Dubai to the Philippines, the pistachio craze is taking over dessert menus, powered by viral TikTok clips and sweet-toothed curiosity.
At the heart of it all is the now-iconic “Dubai chocolate bar,” a decadent combination of pistachio cream, kataifi pastry and milk chocolate crafted by boutique Emirati chocolatier FIX. One TikTok video alone in December 2023 has amassed over 120 million views.
But here’s what many don’t realize: the chef behind the dessert that sparked a global pistachio panic is Filipino.
Filipino chef
Trust a Filipino to create a dessert that would shake the world’s nut supply. Chef Nouel Catis Omamalin, a UAE-based pastry consultant, co-created the viral FIX chocolate bar that has since inspired sweet shops and pushed pistachio demand into overdrive.
Khaleej Times, a leading English-language news outlet in the UAE, profiled Chef Nouel in 2024, recognizing his role in the viral sensation. “Chef Nouel began his journey in high-end hospitality, working as the first Filipino pastry chef in the prestigious Burj Al Arab back in 2004,” the article noted.
After building a global career, crafting gourmet meals for luxury hotels and Etihad Airways, Chef Nouel’s culinary reputation eventually led him to a creative partnership with entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda. Their initial collaboration during the pandemic started with a grazing board concept.
From there, FIX Dessert Chocolatier was born, a fusion of Sarah’s UK-inspired branding and Chef Nouel’s signature Arabic dessert style. She believed in his style, so he focused on the desserts while she handled the marketing.
Pistachio perfection
Creating the now-iconic bar wasn’t easy. Chef Nouel shared to Khaleej Times that he began by crafting just 25 bars a day by hand which was a labor-intensive process. “Eventually, we invested in a machine to streamline the process. It was a necessary step because my health had taken a toll during the pandemic, and the physical demands of manual production were unsustainable.”
Neither he nor Sarah expected the chocolate to explode in popularity — especially not beyond Dubai. But as ASMR creators began biting into the flaky, creamy bars online, curiosity snowballed.
Pistachio kernels, a crucial ingredient for the viral chocolate bars, have become increasingly scarce, with prices soaring from $7.65 to $10.30 per pound over the past year, shared by Giles Hacking of CG Hacking, a prominent nut trader as reported by Financial Times in an April 2025 article. A poor harvest in the US last year, combined with a higher-than-usual quality of the crop, has further contributed to the shortage.
“When today’s 10-year-olds grow up, they’ll remember this chocolate fondly as a symbol of their childhood. It’s been heartwarming to see families and kids embrace it,” shared the Filipino chef to Khaleej Times.
Hidden name
Despite being the co-founder and culinary mind behind the bar, Chef Nouel’s name is often left out of the spotlight.
“Maybe it’s an Asian thing in general. We’re raised to be humble, to work hard behind the scenes. But I’ve learned that while humility is important, it’s equally crucial to take ownership of your work,” he said.
With knockoffs flooding the market and the pistachio supply under pressure, it’s about time the world recognizes who truly shaped this global trend. More people are now beginning to seek out his story — and rightfully so.
Chef Nouel is a shining example of Filipino excellence and creativity that is quietly reshaping dessert culture on a global scale.