Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVII

1 1 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Name three basic ingredients we would always find in your kitchen. Cherry tomatoes, basil & extra virgin olive oil. There’s another one but you can’t buy it: passion! How do the front-of-house and back-of-house support each other? We do work very closely and have regular briefing meetings together to ensure consistency in quality and service Are there any culinary trends you’re seeing across the world that you integrate into your own menu? I’m not someone who usually follows fashions or trends. I really prefer to be original and do not copy what other restaurants are doing. But I’m always aware about what’s happening around in the culinary world and I try to be up-to-date for my own curiosity, especially when we are talking about new techniques. What advice would you give young chefs entering the industry? If they wish to reach high positions in this industry they need to be ready to sacrifice other interests. This job will take most of your time and you will find yourself with limited time to dedicate to your family, your hobbies and your friends! Mostly your life will be in the kitchen. So go forward only if you have a real passion. If you can put in the long hours and cooking for people and still enjoy it on a daily basis, you will surely make it through. What are your thoughts on the food & beverage scene in the UAE? It’s a new and growing economy and F&B is a part of that. There are very few places with a proven track history of over ten years. Any idea could potentially work, and so you see a lot of different strategies. So much is happening and there’s a lot of rising competition as well, meaning that in the long run we will see better distribution and only the good and strong operations will survive. In Europe, there are centuries of history involved; we are used to seeing a family