INTERVIEWS
COOKING WITH CURIOSITY CHARLIE HOLDING A German chef serving Italian cuisine sounds about as far away from authentic as possible. However, that’s what makes the humble pie taste so sweet when Oliver Glowig and his team dish it up.
ALSO THIS MONTH: 44 RECIPE FOR SUCCESS 46 A HEALING TOUCH
Chef Oliver Glowig
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aving spent 20 years living in Italy — with his Italian wife, Paula — this Michelin-starred chef knows more than most about what makes diners say ‘amore’ after a meal. Keen to share his unique take on Italian cuisine further afield, he struck up a partnership with Primavera restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa and is on a mission to provide the Kingdom with authentic, no-nonsense fare. On a recent visit to Bahrain, he held a demonstration of his culinary prowess at an exclusive media event at Primavera restaurant, which will serve his creations when it officially launches the Oliver Glowig menu in March. Oliver’s passion for cooking developed at a young age and he made the decision to pursue it professionally when he was 18. “I was curious when I went to restaurants with my parents, I was curious about the flavours, ambience and how everything worked in the kitchen and that’s where it all www.bahrainthismonth.com
began,” he explains. “My first job was in a traditional German kitchen with a French influence and I spent three years there learning my craft. After that, I spent a year working in an Italian restaurant, which really changed the way I looked at food. “The experience made me curious to see a real Italian kitchen so I went to Italy to learn. I went to Capri and that’s when I fell in love with Italian cuisine.” However, it wasn’t just the phenomenal food and rich culture that caught Oliver’s attention. “The most important reason I stayed in Italy was I met my wife there. She was working as a hairdresser at the hotel I was working in,” Oliver says. “Having an Italian mother-in-law has also definitely had an influence on me as a chef, she is always offering tips and advice.” In 2011, he opened his own restaurant in Rome, which, after only a few months, was recognised with two Michelin Stars. Christian Zandonella, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa, says: “We
are proud to set up this agreement with Chef Oliver Glowig. His passion for Italian cuisine transpires in his work and will help Primavera set an unprecedented benchmark in Bahrain’s culinary scene. “While the legendary service of the RitzCarlton ladies and gentlemen will remain the same, Primavera restaurant will provide Bahrain with a genuine, authentic, Italian dining experience, which we describe as Trattoria Moderna.” Although Oliver will soon be returning Rome, he has entrusted long-time colleague Chef Alfonso Ferraioli to head the kitchen team at Primavera. “Alfonso is a chef that has worked with me for several years in Italy and he will be permanently based here in Bahrain. He is someone I trust can execute my philosophy,” says Oliver. “He has my trust but in the beginning there will be daily contact via Skype to discuss how it’s going, like I said, I’m curious!” February 2015 43