Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVII

9 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Interview with Raymond Weber, Chef of CUT by Wolfgang Puck, The Address Downtown Dubai What is your career background and what initially inspired you to get into the hospitality industry? My greatest source of inspiration comes frommy family, who have been pioneers in the restaurant business for over 30 years. Watching my father follow his dream to be a chef in the culinary industry instilled an early appreciation of the art of gastronomy in me. This continues to drive me to achieve greater heights in strengthening the restaurant. I began my career washing dishes on a milk crate at our family restaurants, and as my passion for cookery grew, I followed it and quickly rose to being chef de cuisine at the renowned 5-star hotel chain Relais & Châteaux. How would you describe your cooking style? My cooking style is very simple; I cook what I would want to eat. I always try to put myself in the position of the guests and this helps the process of creating an innovative menu. What are you like with your team in the kitchen? Many people view a chef as being the coach of a team. I try to give the team my knowledge of the business, so they can fully understand what it means to be a chef. I welcome inventive ideas in the kitchen and push the team to be as creative as they can be, and most importantly show their passion through the dishes they craft. What is your signature dish? Our signature dish at CUT is the Maryland blue crab & prawn ‘Louis’ cocktail. Not only is it refreshingly light, it also has a succulent tang to it that you can’t find anywhere else in the city! Maryland Louis Cocktail Baby Beet Salad