Inside this issue, we hear from a collection of culinary professionals raising the bar for the Middle East’s food scene. Famed for taking Portuguese classics and giving them a contemporary twist, chef José Avillez of two Michelin-starred Belcanto in Lisbon, has opened his first restaurant outside of Portugal at the new Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai – we hear all about Tasca on page 24. We catch up with chef Tom Aikens, who shares the low-down on his three new restaurants at the Abu Dhabi EDITION. With three Michelin stars under his belt, over 30 years’ experience, and nine restaurants worldwide including Dubai-based Social by Heinz Beck at Waldorf Astoria The Palm Jumeirah, Heinz Beck talks tricks of the trade and the secrets to success in the kitchen on page 28. Discussing all things chocolate, we hear from world-famous pastry chef and chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini, who recently made his Dubai debut with La Maison Pierre Marcolini. All that, plus the latest food and chef news, inspirational pieces with in
