SimplyAbuDhabi XII

3 5 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Izu also gained invaluable experience in Spain, where he decided to go and work for free for nine months at restaurants Arzak, Mugaritz and Akelarre. During this period, Izu also addedmolecular gastronomy to his skillset. However this is a skill he rarely uses, preferring instead to stick to his long-term cookery style of creating clean, fresh and light dishes. He first established himself in Dubai at the launch of La Petite Maison, the city’s other famous French restaurant. Within two years of opening the restaurant had made it onto ‘the World’s 100 Best Restaurants’ list. He started La Serre to combine the favourite aspects of his beloved France, from the culture to the ingredients, the ambience to the décor. The result is sublime. Away from Izu, the team brings together some impressive credentials. General Manager, Heather McKnight’s past experience includes Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and managing the team at Dinner restaurant prior to moving to the Middle East.