PUTTI NG ON THE RITZ ——— At The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, executive chef Ron Pietruszka is the man responsible for some of the city’s finest restaurants
Over the last decade, the dining scene in Dubai has undergone an evolution that has been simply incredible. Cuisines from all over the world can be found here, set against a backdrop where everything from five-star to food trucks present a whole new culinary world to explore. The challenge for the city’s chefs is to keep their offering enticing, in order to stand out. Ron Pietruszka at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre is leading that charge. “I was lucky enough to find something I’m naturally good at and enjoy doing. My original plan was a career in science or psychology, which I was studying at college near Chicago, but while cooking to get myself through school I discovered that I truly looked forward to getting into the kitchen every day. After my first position at The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, I was hooked. I had found my passion and the rest is history. I’ve now been with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel company for almost 12 years,” says Pietruszka. In 2010, while working at The Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi, Thailand, Pietruszka was offered the chance to come and work in Dubai. “For me, the answer was not a matter of yes or no, but of how soon can I come? I am the executive chef, so first and foremost, I manage a large team of wonderful chefs. My other main role is to oversee and ensure the quality of all food throughout the hotel,” says Pietruszka. The roster of restaurants under the chef’s wing includes Café Belge which is inspired by 1920’s Belgium, Center Cut steak house, international buffet restaurant Cara, and Cake patisserie and café. There’s also The Sunken Garden for drinks and light snacks, and The Lobby Lounge where a sumptuous afternoon tea is served. Pietruszka says: “I have overall responsibility for all of the restaurants in the hotel, but have a very talented chef de cuisine heading up each one. My main role is really to oversee the food quality and menus, but it is my chefs who are the culinary craftsmen actually creating the dishes and cooking the food. “We have worked hard to ensure that each restaurant has its own individual identity, so each dining experience should be very different. What you
will experience in each outlet however is the freshest ingredients, highest levels of personalised service and a memorable experience, from beer and food pairings in Café Belge, to a slice of the famous Ritz-Carlton Cake in Cake patisserie and café. “Wherever possible we work with local suppliers, including many new farms that are springing up across the UAE. Beyond this, being in Dubai we are quite spoilt with easy access to products in the northern and southern hemispheres. We source ingredients from across Europe, Asia and Australia to ensure we are able to find the best ingredients.” Some of the chef’s own favourite dishes from the property’s restaurants include whole roasted Dover sole with chickpea frites, tomato relish and grey shrimp from Café Belge, and fresh crab cake served with corn veloute and organic rocket salad from Center Cut. He adds: “The Ritz-Carlton Cake, which we serve in our patisserie and café, has a wonderful story behind it. It is the result of a global contest that saw 23 Ritz-Carlton chefs compete to create the ultimate cake to represent the history of the hotel. The result; a decadent chocolate cake with Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja chocolate sponge, and Valrhona Caraibe ganache infused with candied orange peel and Grand Marnier.” Looking to the future for restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton, and dining in Dubai, Pietruszka says: “I would like to continue to expand our restaurant offering as a hotel with new openings, and we have some exciting new projects in the pipeline for 2016. At the same time, we will continue to develop our existing outlets, with a focus on innovation, staying true to our concepts, and creating memorable experiences that will bring our customers back time and time again. “The Dubai dining scene never ceases to amaze me as it is continually growing and evolving, and I find it incredibly exciting that this is showing no sign of slowing down. I also think the diversity of cuisine will continue to increase as we continue to welcome visitors and residents from even more nationalities from across the globe.”
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