From
Spain to
Dubai
Spanish Tapas bars seem to be turning into hot property in Dubai at the moment, and one of the first to bring the trend to the city is Salero Tapas & Bodega. We speak to Chef de cuisine Alvaro Roa to find out more.
A
lvaro Roa, who hails from Madrid, Spain dreamed about becoming a chef since he was a little boy. His passion for the culinary field stemmed from his love of his grandmother’s Sunday family feasts, where she cooked a selection of local specialties which he treasured. The Spanish chef set foot into a restaurant kitchen when he was 18 years old, and did so not after graduating in hospitality management, but after he got his degree in engineering! Alvaro has since worked in Ireland, London, Mexico, Chile and his hometown Madrid, and has stuck to his culinary philosophy of working with local produce as and when he can, throughout his journey. Here, he tells us more about the popular cuisine from his homeland and shares his future plans for Salero Tapas and Bodega, the recently opened Spanish restaurant at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates. How did you begin your culinary career? I initially studied to become an engineer, but once I graduated, I decided to pursue my ambition of working in food. I was about 16 years old when I realised I wanted to travel the world and become a chef. Food is an