INTERVIEW

From the picturesque town of Alba, Italy, Chef Danilo Valla has always had a passion for hospitality and the culinary arts from a young age. Having the privilege of working in the kitchens of Italy’s renowned hotels and Michelin star restaurants, his interest in the Michelin Guide started after four years of service under the supervision of Chef Marco Pedretti. Legendary Chef Gualtiero Marchesi and Michelin starred Chef Damiano Nigro were some of the big names in the industry that Chef Danilo also had the privilege of working with. It was during his training under Chef Gualtiero, known as the father of modern Italian cuisine, that the chef’s fascination with exploring global cuisines began. His experience with 3 Michelin starred Chef Enrico Bartolini at the Cavenago di Brianza, Devero Hotel, was the most creative kitchen he had ever worked in, with its traditional dishes prepared with modern techniques.

How did you get into the culinary field?

This is quite a funny story. I wanted to continue in the footsteps of my father - he owned a bar in my city - so I was assured a job for the rest of my life. So, I enrolled into the hospitality school with the intention to study the bar and service section, but I immediately understood that it was not for me. My interests were drawn to the kitchen side of things. Changes, transformation, the modification of textures and the curiosity I

had for ingredients started to slowly resonate with me. It brought me joy to excite people through the food and made me feel proud to see the smiles on their faces through something I did.

Did growing up in Alba influence your cooking style?

It absolutely did. After my various experiences around Italy, I chose to come back home and learn the old techniques, heritages, and the taste of my land. It’s thanks to that, that I started learning about the Michelin Guide. I knew then that I wanted to be a part of this world and pursue a career in it. Through my journey, my view on culinary had changed completely. I’ve started learning how to maintain the old taste through modern techniques but also how to incorporate the different products from around the globe.

Your culinary style boasts Asian influences – any particular reason why?

It is true, I do believe that some Asian ingredients match very well with the Italian flavours, plus I must say, I love Asian food myself. From its inspiring ingredients and imagination to cooking techniques. It is this, that interests me in incorporating an Asian flare into our bold Italian flavours.

Tell us about your vision for Roberto’s.

of its strong identity. We have the Piemonte restaurant, where guests can enjoy a classy, elegant service combined with a fine dining culinary experience. On the other side, we have the lounge, where guests can enjoy an informal service without compromising the quality of our food. Additionally, we have a new menu in the making focused on sharing-style dishes, which will be going live soon. Where do you source the ingredients from?

We are constantly collaborating with various suppliers. With time and trust, we were able to build a solid relationship and find the best ingredients well suited for Roberto’s - from wild catches from the Mediterranean Sea to Australian Wagyu. We are also teaming up with local farmers and vendors and are currently seeing very good results.

Could you reveal some of the signature dishes?

It isn’t a secret anymore; our signature dishes have become so popular. Our Roasted octopus with artichoke and cacio e pepe sauce is outstanding. I believe it is the fact that it is so crispy outside and incredibly tender on the inside that has made this dish so famous. How can we forget about the Pistachio ice cream, made à la minute to get the perfect creaminess, with a pinch of salt and drizzled extra virgin olive oil. How excited are you about the Michelin Guide in this city?

The Michelin Guide is the right culinary recognition that this city deserves. Dubai has changed a lot in the past five years. The hospitality sector has grown a lot and the city became one of the culinary capitals of the world. The guide has made its way at the right moment here, and of course, it would be wonderful to be a part of it. We’ve made a couple of changes and are working on some more, but what is important, is that the soul and idea of Roberto’s will always be improving for the better.

Any special plans in place for 2022?

We are proud to say that we are acquiring the opening of two new Roberto’s in Jordan and Qatar. They will be located inside some of the most prestigious hotels in Amman and Doha. I do believe this is a very good plan for 2022. In the meantime, we will continue celebrating our decade of Roberto’s in Dubai and continue to push beyond our limits.