The Pro Chef Middle East - January Issue, 2014

Contents

04

20

36

40

UP FRONT

FEATURES

CHEFS

LEISURE

02

EDITORIAL Experts suggests that GM foods may be an important environmental trigger for gluten sensitivity, which is affecting more and more of us.

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MARKET FOCUS It’s a perennial issue in the F&B sector: matching supply against demand and ensuring that chefs get the produce they need at a price their procurement departments will allow.

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44

04

INNOVATION The first global children’s hotel menu designed by a child food expert and an award winning chef. The menu, from IHG, rolls out this quarter.

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ROUND TABLE Almost every week, news of another steakhouse opening hits the market. Is this growth unstoppable? How do established players keep themselves differentiated?

RECIPE CORNER Recipe ideas from Andrea Mugavero, Executive Chef of Roberto’s, Chef Alessandro Dionoro from Cipriani Yas and Dannet D’Souza, Chef De Cuisine of the Blue Flame restaurant at Jumeirah Creekside.

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KITCHEN SKILLS A pizza master class from Chef Daniele Capobianco of Media Rotana.

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FACE TO FACE We talk to Chef Joachim Textor of Anantara on The Palm, Chef Yiannis Baxevanis, Chef Mohammad Islam of Atelier M and Chef David Harnois from Radisson Blu Kuwait.

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08

THE EGGS FACTOR What does Chef Phillippe Agneau from Atlantis The Palm have in his fridge?

INGREDIENT Chef Andy Campbell discusses the glory of the truffle.

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THE LAST WORD And a great 2014 to all our readers!

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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UP FRONT / editors letter

From GM to gluten sensitivity CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA

Well, we never saw this one coming! The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) has released a report proposing a link between genetically modified (GM) foods and gluten-related disorders. In the report, a team of experts suggests that GM foods may be an important environmental trigger for gluten sensitivity, which is affecting more and more of us.

Citing US Department of Agriculture data, Environmental Protection Act records, medical journal reviews and international research, the authors relate genetically modified foods to five conditions that may either trigger or exacerbate gluten-related disorders, including the serious autoimmune disorder, Celiac Disease: t *OUFTUJOBM QFSNFBCJMJUZ t *NCBMBODFE HVU CBDUFSJB t *NNVOF BDUJWBUJPO BOE BMMFSHJD SFTQPOTF t *NQBJSFE EJHFTUJPO t %BNBHF UP UIF JOUFTUJOBM XBMM Although wheat has been hybridised over the years, it is not a genetically modified organism (GMO), which can only be created by a laboratory process that inserts genetic material into plant DNA. There are nine GMO food crops currently being grown for commercial use: soy, corn, cotton (oil), canola (oil), sugar from sugar beets, courgettes, yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya and alfalfa.

Most GMOs are engineered to tolerate a weed killer called glyphosate, containing high levels of this toxin at harvest.

Corn and cotton varieties are also engineered to produce an insecticide called Bt-toxin. The report focuses primarily on the effects of these two toxins.

Executive Director of the IRT, Jeffrey Smith, explains, “The Bt-toxin in corn is designed to puncture holes in insect cells, but studies show it does the same in human cells. Bt-toxin may be linked to leaky gut, which physicians consistently see in gluten-sensitive patients.”

Dr Tom O’Bryan, internationally recognised expert on gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease, says, “The introduction of GMOs is highly suspect as a candidate to explain the rapid rise in gluten-related disorders over the last 17 years.”

Anecdotally, doctors report that removing GM foods as part of the treatment for gluten sensitivity, recovery is faster and more complete.

CEO NADEEM HOOD COO GINA O’HARA ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DAVE REEDER dave@cpidubai.com M: +971 55 105 3773 GROUP DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL PAUL GODFREY GROUP MANAGING EDITOR MELANIE MINGAS melanie.mingas@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 56 758 7834 GEORGINA WILSON-POWELL georgina.powell@cpimediagroup.com D +971 4 3755685 EDITOR DAVE REEDER SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION CHRIS HOWLETT PHOTOGRAPHER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION ANAS CHERUR GROUP DIRECTOR OF SALES CAROL OWEN DIRECTOR OF SALES, HOSPITALITY DIVISION ANKIT SHUKLA ankit.shukla@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 55 257 2807 PRODUCTION MANAGER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION VA DEVAPRAKASH WEB DEVELOPER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION LOUIE ALMA DISTRIBUTION MANAGER ROCHELLE ALMEIDA SUBSCRIPTIONS www.cpievents.net/mag/magazine.php PRINTED BY Printwell Printing Press LLC, Dubai, UAE PUBLISHED BY

Head Office, PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 440 9100 Fax: +971 4 447 2409 A publication licensed by IMPZ © Copyright 2014 CPI, All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

UP FRONT / innovation

Feeding the young InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is launching the first global children's hotel menu designed by a child food expert and an award winning chef. The menu, which launches at IHG properties in early 2014, promises to take children through an exciting journey of food discovery.

Designed specifically for the young IHG guest, the menu has been jointly developed by award winning celebrity chef Theo Randall and leading children’s food expert and best-selling international author, Annabel Karmel MBE. The menu features delicious dishes which embrace flavours, textures, smells and tastes that will take children on an educational voyage around the world ensuring an enjoyable and nutritionally balanced meal.

According to Annabel Karmel: "Children are naturally inquisitive and grown-ups are often surprised by the flavours they enjoy. Sometimes it takes a little encouragement and a holiday with the family can be a great opportunity to explore new and exciting foods. Working with Theo, we've created a menu filled with diverse flavours and tastes whilst offering the nutritional balance InterContinental travellers with young families are

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The Pro Chef Middle East / January 2014

looking for."

Karmel is best known for her innovative recipes that embody her passion for giving children the very best start in life by inspiring families to cook nutritious, delicious meals that taste great. She started her working life as a musician and one of her early jobs was playing the harp at the InterContinental London Park Lane.

Randall, a celebrated graduate from The River Cafe is internationally renowned for creating simple, authentic dishes using the best and freshest ingredients. "My cooking philosophy is greatly influenced by my parents' love for good food,” said Theo Randall, Chef Patron of Theo Randall at the InterContinental London Park Lane. “Growing up, a memorable family holiday was always one with great food experiences. I’ve found that I learn quickest about different cultures and cities through

the flavours of cuisines at each destination I visit and this is something I hope to bring to life for the children who visit InterContinental restaurants around the globe."

With properties in more than 60 countries, IHG executives believe that the new children's menu should excite the junior palate through a variety of classic favourites and truly international delights that reflect the breadth of countries the luxury hotel brand is located in. As part of the menu's development, the two chefs conducted a test and learn tasting session with young guests in October.

The dishes on trial proved a big hit and provided the culinary duo with additional insight into the dishes they will roll out as part of the final menu.

Simon Scoot, VPt Global Brands for IHG, claims that “a great dining experience is something our guests expect when staying with us - and we're dedicated to innovating and delivering this across all our brands at IHG. We understand our guests’ desire to give their children the best opportunities to learn about the world whilst having fun - and food is a great opportunity to do this. We also want to reassure parents that our children's menus are nutritionally balanced.”

IHG will roll out the new menu from January 2014 and it will be available in all properties globally by the end of June 2014. The menu will be available in InterContinental Dubai Festival City, InterContinental Abu Dhabi and InterContinental Dubai Marina, when it opens in Q3 of 2014.

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UP FRONT / the eggs factor

The right destination?

Award-winning Chef Philippe Agnese is Executive Chef - Pastry for Atlantis The Palm but this Frenchman has spent much of his working life in Asia. How do those inuences dictate what he has in his fridge?

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The Pro Chef Middle East / January 2014

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the eggs factor / UP FRONT

C

hef Philippe Agnese started life back in the kitchen in 1976 with his uncle, Chef Francois Brun - awarded Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) in 1974. Initially a kitchen helper focusing on cold kitchen and soup preparation, it wasn’t too long before he started experimenting with bread making and since then his life been in the bakery and pastry kitchen.

He started his real culinary career at the Au Bon Gourmet in Paris as an apprentice. But it was his work as a sous chef at Le Pavillon Josephine where he received recognition for his talent and this led him to explore the Far East to share his passion.

"MY FAVOURITE SHOPS? I use good vegetable and fruit growers or distributors as much as possible. Organic is fine, hough I think the approach of it is switching and that organic certified is being released on a different basis not always justifiable. I definitively stay away from those sanitised muddly vegetables that you find in large shopping places. I find the products completely lifeless. Indian shops focusing on an amazing selection of spices, beans and legumes.

Wet market and artisan product makers."

He was part of numerous hotel openings for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel group and Four Seasons in Asia and also was China regional pastry chef for the Shangri-La group.

Outside of the kitchen, he spent some time as an instructor at the CCA (Center for Culinary Arts) and was also host of the Asian cooking show The Good Life Chef back in 1998. His approach to cuisine is simple: “Look at where you come from in order to understand your destination. Build a simple but strong identity, as maintaining a standard requires more knowledge that the initial creation of it.”

But what does he keep in his fridge at home?

my fridge: Here is what is in tter what! ays be there no ma Items that will alw nded as I always bra t No rd. sta mu - Dijon wholegrain eone bringing me some from manage to have som rd makers. A few m artisan musta France, sourced fro y! jars go a long wa lf life and can e have a great she - Black olives. Thes és or even in cooked dit cru s, ad sal for always be handy t food. e or President. Jus Echire, Elle et Vir - Unsalted butter. from the South. t no I'm t tha d h an because I'm Frenc not as tasty!! is tough and just Without butter life tant in many facets of cooking impor - Lemon. Just too y and keeping health for a quick fix. ndy - Eggs. Always ha handle it, I love to as my weight can - Cheese. As long add it to my meals in the fridge as my ger. These I keep it time and I need to - Onions and gin ng ppi sho ch mu me job does not allow preser ve them. eriments lately on ducted several exp e to vinaigrette bas - Tahini. I have con ded ad ini tah h s wit creating dressing li, asparagus or cco bro ed am ste on as well as tossing . great warm salad e other veggies for a ct. I strongly believ biotic dairy produ pro er oth or lt ku Ya illus casein. It bac cto La ium ter bac t, in a daily dose of rking well. In fac ines clean and wo keeps your intest festive night, one or e lat a er aft t tha I have discovered me away from will for sure keep shot before sleeping . ing rn mo t nex any hangover the ily y but not necessar my fridge currentl Items that are in all the time...

- Tomatoes - Apples - Carrots - Oranges - Milk - Arugula - Sparkling water - Grapes - Créme fraiche

www.cpime www ww www.cpimediagroup.com .cp cp pime imed dia d iiag grou gro up. up p com om m

January January2014 2014//The TheP Pr Pro Pro o Chef ChefMiddle MiddleEast East st

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FEATURES / ingredients

Andy’s larder - truffles In the start of a regular new series, Chef for Hire Andy Campbell will talk about the season’s new products or ‘must have’ ingredients. We start with Brillat-Savarin’s ‘diamond of the kitchen’, the truffle.

T

ruffles can be used peeled, shaved, diced, julienned, or preserved. Once unlocked from the chef's office cabinet, an often overworked kitchen brigade will stop and listen to gain valuable knowledge of these gems from their mentors. The price of these mystical tubers, is set by size, weight or scarcity. Contrary to popular belief they can be cultivated. The First World War destroyed a thriving business in France, a generation of farmers was lost along with their culture and land ruined. Thus pushing the price up.

Often stored in rice to repel moisture, the white truffle is grown around the roots of oak, hazel, poplar and beech. The most famous from Alba, Italy can grow to 12 cm in diameter and 500g.

Beware as weight loss is about 5% per day with a week's shelf life. The delicate flesh should be slightly warmed and served in its raw form with

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eggs, pasta , risotto and potatoes. Avoid garlic as this will suppress the flavour. Available in October and November.

Its commercial counterpart the black truffle or Perigord grows with oak and hazelnut trees. The average life of a truffle producing tree is 30 years.

Harvested in autumn and winter, its deep marbling is a wonder. With a two week shelf life and 2-3% weight loss per day, being more robust they can be used both raw and cooked to produce rich and flavoursome sauces. Complementing pasta, risotto, meat, fish, eggs and vegetables. Use a little oil to cut down the amount of fresh truffle needed.

Truffle oil is often used as a lower cost and convenient substitute for truffles to provide flavouring or to enhance the flavour and aroma of truffles in cooking. However, most commercial ‘truffle oil’ does not contain any truffles - the vast

majority is olive oil which has been artificially flavoured using a synthetic agent such as 2,4-dithiapentane!

A good source for fresh truffles is Massimo Vidoni (italtouchdwc@gmail.com, who also has a range of truffle produce including 23K gold honey.

ANY QUESTIONS? You can mail Andy Campbell at andy@ chefandycampbell. com or via his Facebook page, chefandycampbell.

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P.O. Box 130 455, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. T: +971 2 656 20 00; F: +971 2 656 50 01; www.aldahra.com

FEATURES / market focus

The supply game It’s a perennial issue in the F&B sector: matching supply against demand and ensuring that chefs get the produce they need at a price their procurement departments will allow. But finding the right supplier is only half the issue - suppliers are also finding it hard to differentiate themselves in an ever more crowded market.

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L

et’s start by agreeing on the primary trends and challenges of supplying to the hospitality industry.

Tony Colley: Logistics! Here’s an example: we were supposed to receive three deliveries today, all at the same time, from Paris, Holland and London but the one from Holland didn't leave the airport and nobody told us. The airline initially agreed to deliver it within two or three days, which doesn't work for perishable goods and nobody in receiving is working tomorrow, so we have to go back again on Sunday. The chefs just need their produce!

Mischa Graafmans: It's an issue in Dubai because everything is imported and I don't think there is one supplier who can supply everything locally, because there just isn't enough produced locally.

Because we are working with multiple suppliers, it's complicated. We have back up suppliers we switch between as products are available, but that means changes in price.

Do you have the margins to absorb that increase?

Graafmans: No, sometimes you just have to take the hit and it comes down to how you operate as a business and any waste you have.

Mike Walden: A lot of that is down to the supply chain. I have only been in this market for around three years, but the first thing you notice is that there are hundreds of suppliers. There is no real logic to it and the problem is there are lots of suppliers promising exclusivity on a product, so they all end up buying from each other. Elsewhere in the world, you have a supplier who is delivering almost everything, creating more competition on price. Also here, there is a limit to the number of people who are thinking longterm. But the part I don't understand is that conversations about setting prices for the long term aren't happening as frequently as I believe they should. There is no transparency and many people are paying over the odds for products they don't need. What we do is go directly to source and actually allow the customer to talk directly to the grower or manufacturer. We show them our margins and are very transparent about it. What happens over here is that people will stick with a supplier they have dealt with for a long time. Another thing I would raise is, why are there so many vehicles when everything can be delivered on one multi-temperature lorry? It's about changing the mindset.

Colley: There’s one thing that would work better for hotels - it works with the standalone restaurants but hotels would have to change their policies. We have three people who work for us inside a market in Paris. The prices can change three times in a day and these people know the market. We offer the hotels a weekly price list so they can take advantage of this and we advise on what products are at a good price at one time and where to source alternatives should something be unavailable or over-priced. The chefs love it but the purchasing managers don't, even though holding

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market focus / FEATURES

Tony Colley General Manager, Lootah Premium Foods

Chef Mischa Graafmans Executive Sous Chef, JA Hotels & Resorts

Chef Russell Impiazzi Gourmet Culinary Director, Galeries Lafayette

something for a year means you lose.

Graafmans: I'm Dutch and you can source anything in Holland, from multiple suppliers, so the price range isn't as big as here because the competition is tighter, but there the highest priced products are the highest quality. Here you don't get that 'best quality option' in the same way.

Russell Impiazzi: Chefs are constantly reviewing what's fresh, what's in season and where the best price is. It shouldn't be fixed for a year.

Graafmans: At a previous company, we had maximum three month contracts and when we calculated the saving it was $5m a year. You're more able to get the best product available at that time, the only thing is you have to constantly update the menu incorporating what's available and from a chef's point of view that's best.

Impiazzi: Because of where we are something is always in season at some point.

Essam Nabhan: If suppliers switch deliveries to night time, how will this affect prices?

Colley: It would be easier for me.

Nabhan: At night, the truck will consume less gasoline, the roads are quieter and the loading bays are quieter. It's easier access and whatever is saved on fuel can be passed to the buyer as well as having the CSR factor. I have posed this to suppliers before but it isn't a popular idea with accounts. It happens in Europe and poses advantages for both parties.

Walden: There is also the issue of how many vehicles are being used by the suppliers. There is absolutely no reason why more than one product cannot be delivered in the same multi-temperature vehicle.

Graafmans: We do everything we can in the hotel to work within what is sustainable to the environment, but then you see the big trucks turning up every day. Think that to invest in one good, modern truck would reduce all that and if you work with multiple suppliers it's a good

investment, but everybody here is just protecting their own business.

Colley: It's changing now and we have relationships with farmers, from whom we buy directly, fresh. The more people who can do that the better. We pay the farmers for the seed and it benefits everybody.

acceptance. You would never pass the certifications some of these suppliers claim to have but they are able to buy their way into the market. I have been into places with major contracts and they will be storing lorry tyres and chemicals alongside cornflakes and rice. Those people are serving businesses. The buyers don't have time to go out and inspect each supplier's premises.

Colley: You relay on HACCP and other certifications to eliminate that.

Graafmans: We carry out audits, so myself, plus hygiene and purchasing, will attend the premises, we check their certifications and find out how exactly it was obtained.

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How is this affecting market dynamics?

Walden: We have some contracts to provide everything in a restaurant and it might only be around 150 products, but we source and supply it all and if it's a brand that's on the local market, it's the actual brand. Brand X cornflakes we supply aren't the same Brand X cornflakes you will find at your local supermarket because of the parallel imports and grey market trading. Getting everything on one vehicle isn't a big problem, it's simple logistics - the hurdle is the mind set and

“Consolidate your suppliers, bring down the price, ask about the freight, transportation and storage and change the game. It will help manage costs in future.”

- Mike Walden, Commercial Director, 4 Corner General Trading

But if certification exists and these problems prevail, does this mean there is a shortfall in the regularity and inspection processes?

Walden: The question here is who is regulating that certification? It's scary, as a consumer. You're in a bubble here where the food is fabulous all the time, but when you go further back down the chain there can be some significant issues.

Impiazzi: We were very close to signing one deal but it was so good that it raised suspicions, so we went to the premises and couldn't believe what we found, despite globally recognised certifications on the walls. That was scary. It makes the point of a one stop shop more relevant. If you are spending significant amounts with the same supplier, go down and find out who they are and how they do what they do. It should be every chef's number one concern.

Walden: If you can say that you know your supply chain and you know where everything is from, some chains are so tight that seafood is checked individually, essentially each fish has its own passport! This isn't new, it's how it should be. The question now is are two buyers enough? There should be somebody who can talk to the chef and discuss fresh produce and another on meat and

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FEATURES / market focus

fish. I know one contact who thought they were buying five different species of fish, because that was what the label said, but it was just one species.

Chefs, how do you research to find suppliers?

Nabhan: Research on-line, word of mouth, networking.

Graafmans: We now grow a lot of our own produce in an organic aquaponic system, using solar panels and our own staff. So before the winter we will spend Dhs 1,000 on plants and seeds and the ROI on that will be so good it's a profit margin you wouldn't get with any other supplier.

SUPPLIER SPEAK “I’m a fresh fish supplier which is the toughest and most volatile commodity of all that needs daily attention and a hands on approach at all levels. We're experts in a single field whereas many companies are trying to be all rounders.

I think chefs need more autonomy if they are to really flourish. I was used to a chef-supplier dynamic for so many years in London and I miss it. I could call with offers. A chef has to realise that this particular pleasure is no longer possible and that's a shame.”

Mark Allan, Managing Partner, Wet Fish Trading “The major challenge of food sourcing, supply and distribution in the months ahead? Scarcity in agricultural and meat products and, from time to time, currency fluctuation. Chefs are always concerned about service, price and reliability. However, poor market conditions affect the large volume of products imported and that creates an unhealthy competition and excess product availability in the market, making existing companies follow suit.”

Rajan JS, Managing Director, JM Foods “We are working on a series of strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening further the company's position in the foodservice channel in order to become the leading partner to the foodservice channel as a whole, as opposed to just another distributor with wheels and wall.

We understand the changes in the marketplace and we want to provide even better services.”

Hisham Al Jamil, Managing Director, HORECA Trade

Walden: It's a reflection on the supply chain that you have to do that yourself. In any other country you would be able to resolve that.

Colley: Hotels worldwide now increasingly have their own gardens for produce. It would be nice to extrapolate that here with a hotel's own livestock.

Looking now at the role of the supply chain consultant, how useful is their insight in solving the issues raised so far?

Impiazzi: I would rather have a direct conversation with a supplier than go through a consultant. It's important the chef has that relationship with the supplier.

Graafmans: I don't see any consultant being beneficial, they're a third party and you cannot guarantee their intentions. It's my kitchen and these are my decisions to make, having a relationship with suppliers is part of being a chef.

When we change suppliers it's a price issue, rather than quality, because quality is quite standardised.

Impiazzi: This is my concern now. We see rents rising so it's only a matter of time before warehouses are impacted. Soon we will go full circle and it will be the consumer who picks up the ultimate costs, and at some point could even stop buying. You have to be smart with your margin.

Walden: This comes back to the earlier point.

Instead of taking the impact of price rises on the warehouses of 150 suppliers, consolidate.

You arrange one delivery coming in, so vehicle utilisation is more efficient, you can nominate where you get produce from depending on what you want, and you have us saying we can ship, buy and store it for you and deliver it when it's needed.

If something goes awry in the meantime, that's our responsibility. There are ways to avoid that inflation by giving more to fewer people.

here is or strives to be world class, but the food supply chain needs addressing. The lack of transparency is alarming: repackaging, relabelling Colley: The biggest frustration from a supplier's perspective is that forecasting isn't always great and if there was more collaboration on that process more variables would become controllable.

Depending on the type of organisation it's not impossible. Airlines will fix their prices for two years on some things and there are other products that need pricing week to week. It's a shame because the hotels miss out. We can call our customers when there is a surplus in a specific product in the market and say "heritage tomatoes are half price this week." Not everybody can react to that.

Isn’t there an issue with contracting and legal frameworks rather than supply chain?

Walden: No, because you have the best chefs in the world but then procurement and goods in people who don't understand food and it isn't even recognised that this is happening. Everything

Price is clearly a huge concern for both sides of F&B supply chains...

Impiazzi: I worry about pricing. From a consumer point a view, to see a chicken in the supermarket that costs Dhs 100 and unless it's going to lay a golden egg it should not be Dhs 100. I hope we're not heading into another bubble. It's the consumer that picks up the costs and stops going out. We can all lose if it's not handled correctly.

Walden: It's a good point but I believe there is something that can be done about it. Our buyers need to be willing to have those highlevel, sometimes board-level, conversations to dramatically change how things are done today to get ahead of the game.

Graafmans:We talk about price, but if you have your procurement team in place and they understand markets this shouldn't ever become an issue. They should be watching what is happening and in that respect they are as important as the chef. You need that transparency, if you want to know the cost price of a fish from Canada or a tin of tomatoes, speak to your suppliers because they should be able to take you right back to source.

Walden: Consolidate your suppliers, bring down the price, ask about the freight, transportation and storage and change the game. It will manage costs in future.

Chef Essam Nabhan Executive Chef, Millennium Plaza Hotel

Mike Walden Commercial Director, 4 Corner General Trading

"We are seeing a lot of new entrants cutting their prices, sometimes below cost, just to grab market share. I divide chefs into those who are quality oriented with the power to spend to maintain high standards and others who are obliged by management to give priority for price over quality."

Ali Serhal, Sales & Marketing Manager Food, Fresh Express

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FEATURES / round table

Steaking their future on beef The old rule of F&B was you can’t go wrong with Italian. Now, across the Middle East, that’s being replaced by ‘there’s no end to the demand for steak’. Almost every week, news of another steakhouse opening hits the market. Is this growth unstoppable? How do established players keep themselves differentiated? And what twists can be put on the formula?

We discuss these issues with chefs, suppliers and diners.

B

ack in the Summer, the Jumeirah Group revealed that steak is now the UAE's favourite dish, while Italian is still the cuisine of choice. 10% of the 1,500 people surveyed claimed that the classic beef steak is their favourite dish. And those that chose steak, almost half said they eat their favourite dish at least once a month. According to Christian Gradnitzer, Group Culinary Director at Jumeirah, "Steak has long been a staple dish across the world, however it's fair to say that we are seeing a resurgence in its use here in the UAE, with the country's ambitious and adventurous culinary leaders taking the opportunity to develop what is essentially a very classic dish and take it to the next level, with unique and often spectacular results. There's so much that we can do with great quality steak.”

So what’s the future of the market?

Let’s start with the reality, which is that the steakhouse sector seems unstoppable in its growth. Do you see it slowing down at any stage?

Tyson Podolski: You’re right, we’re seeing new ones opening all the time. I think the market may well be saturated by not yet overloaded.

Samantha Wood: I think the steak comes out as the number one dish in the UAE is that it’s a pretty simple food that appeals to a wide cross-section of the market.

Michael Greenlaw: Yes, it’s familiar.

Wood: Exactly. You know just what you’re getting.

Otherwise, why go out and spend Dhs 500?

Tarek Ibrahim: You pay it because you’re getting a steak cooked properly. Cooking a steak well is something very particular and you need to know what you’re doing, from choosing the right meat

onwards. The problem is that most people just copy each other, using the same cuts.

And the answer to that: Ibrahim: Well, in Australia, for example, people look for spaces in the market and then deliver new options with different cuts and different cooking techniques. Here, we need more education to move on from the ‘same’ mentality. One effective way I’ve seen is to use the menu to tell the story of the meat - where it was raised and so on. The diner becomes more emotionally linked to the farm etc.

Andy Campbell: Another way of delivering a better product is to vary starters and desserts a lot more. Chefs need to work harder and make their menus more interesting. As you know, I do a lot of private dining often with customers who are visiting here. Steak is vital as it suits a wide international taste. It always has a good name.

Podolski: As we say, it’s a safe choice.

Campbell: And important, I think, is that it’s to a standard. A quality standard is critical and that what can make a steakhouse a step up from a family restaurant.

Ibrahim: One thing I see as very common in steakhouses is that they limit themselves to one style of cooking - grilling. Look, there is more than one way to cook! If you’re just doing what everyone else is doing, then how do you distinguish yourself?

Campbell: Look at the French. They poach a filet and then have a choice of sauces. It’s not hard.

So why aren’t chefs more imaginative?

Greenlaw: There’s always pressure from suppliers for chefs to use other cuts but customers just don’t seem to want them. We do some different things such as a sous vide short rib and we make it a point to brand the beef we get from a single farm in Australia as own Atlantis beef.

Wood: The reality is that the Dubai palate is very unsophisticated and many of the best restaurants don’t really make money. That why offering steak is a safer bet.

Ibrahim: Food trends come and go, but the demand for steak continues...

Podolski: Back in the States, I used to run a tailto-nose farm restaurant, but that kind of concept seems tough for people here to get. We need to educate our customers that there are other things.

Greenlaw: 80% of demand is for filet steak.

Wood: Which is just the blandest cut.

Podolski: Exactly, isn’t it the least exciting piece of meat? It may be tender but there’s just no flavour.

Greenlaw: Which is why we must take the story of the meat we serve and really push the market.

Campbell: That’s a very Californian concept, isn’t it - the provenance of every item on the menu.

Greenlaw: I think it’s good because customers get more involved in the food and realise why the back story justifies the price of the dish.

Campbell: Tracing back to the source is good, without a doubt.

Ibrahim: I think it makes sense to give information, not just because it justifies the price.

Round table sponsored by:

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round table / FEATURES Tyson Podolski Chef de Cuisine, Prime 68, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

Tarek Ibrahim Business Development Manager MENA, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA)

Samantha Wood Hospitality industry consultant and food/travel blogger FooDiva

There’s a menu I was impressed with in Australia that detailed items such as ‘grain fed’ but then had a box column at the side that put those terms into a story context.

Wood: Good wait staff should be able to do that as well.

Ibrahim: Exactly! Farmers can’t do everything so you need someone good in the dining room.

How much should chefs get involved in educating customers?

Podolski: I make sure I talk to a lot of tables. I believe that if a chef is passionate then that makes a difference. In today’s restaurant you have to make a connection.

Campbell: Of course, you can only do that if you’ve got a good team in the kitchen! Otherwise service just goes downhill.

Wood: I’m a believer in seeing chefs in the restaurant. Train up the kitchen to ensure it.

Podolski: We specialise in an American-style

Michael Greenlaw Chef de Cuisine, Seafire, Atlantis The Palm

Andy Campbell Chef For Hire

Osama El-Sayed Chef/Proprietor, El Sage Associates

steakhouse, so part of that is connecting with people. Everyone has a reaction to something and it’s good to learn about it.

Campbell: I think often that not being able to eat something is because you didn’t like it.

Podolski: We do some American style dishes too, but there’s not that big a call for things like brisket sandwich.

Campbell: That’s very Dubai, isn’t it? Nobody wants cheap cuts of meat.

Ibrahim: Exactly, people want the ‘best’. That’s why we need to think more out of the box.

Campbell: Maybe a few of these things could appear as specials?

One solution might be to offer small complimentary taster plates between courses, so at least people have the chance to experiment a little.

Ibrahim: I had a plan for a restaurant that would specialise just in rump steak. You’d cook in five or

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is a producerowned company whose mission is to deliver world-class services and solutions in partnership with industry and government. Promoting the quality, safety and nutritional value of Australian red meat both domestically and internationally, on behalf of the meat and livestock industry, MLA manages and operates a portfolio of marketing activities aimed at maintaining and increasing demand for Australian meat and livestock.

MLA in the Middle East North African region works with retailers, foodservice operators, importers, manufacturers and Australian exporters to maintain and increase the demand for halal red meat and livestock to the region.

Round table sponsored by: www.cpimediagroup.com

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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FEATURES / round table

so different styles and give information about the dishes.

Campbell: That would work in London, but I don’t think so here. The market’s not that sophisticated.

Wood: Certainly it would be a risky move. With the emphasis here on quality, do Gulf Muslims who travel eat what they’re told is halal when abroad or do they choose safer options like fish?

Ibrahim: For me, when I travel to Europe or the US or Australia then I have confidence in the meat and the preparation. In many countries in Asia, then no I would not eat it.

With the emphasis now on meat in the local diet, it’s important to remember, I think, that a generation or so back Emiratis had largely a fish-based diet and meat was perhaps a oncea-week treat.

Ibrahim: Absolutely, a generation or so back you just couldn’t get the quality of meat here. In this, consistency of the product is very important.

Campbell: What I think is interesting is achieving consistency of taste and quality when every animal is different.

Ibrahim: Yes, but you have the same breed eating the same feed' Campbell: I have to say that grading of meat is so much better here than in Europe.

Podolski: Back in the US, we didn’t get to taste much Australian meat but here it’s consistently good. In fact, I think all meat available here is pretty good.

What can a steakhouse offer the non-meat eater?

Greenlaw: We offer a number of dishes but, to be honest, 90% of hotel guests order a steak.

Wood: But it’s quite likely that a family of four going out for a meal will have one member who doesn’t want to eat meat.

Podolski: I certainly agree that in a hotel you need to offer a very good selection.

Ibrahim: You can make the difference with side

orders. Many of them can be the basis of a very good vegetarian dish.

It’s interesting that you think a steakhouse offers something to a vegetarian, but I don’t think any of you would go into a vegetarian restaurant expecting a steak! To the next point, is the steakhouse just a fad?

Ibrahim: No, but I think the shift has to come where people realise that they can’t just sell the choice cuts and then use the ‘waste’ for burgers.

The rest of the animal has a lot of value. One fad perhaps is the sudden shift to Wagyu - it’s like a tsunami!

Wood: Do you think that’s just a fad?

Ibrahim: Of course, some fads just become mainstream. I remember when the Mediterranean diet hit the US some 25 years ago and was dismissed as a fad, but it’s there to stay.

But it did get commercialised as the South Beach diet... Is there confusion in the market between Wagyu and Kobe?

Wood: The breed is Wagyu but Kobe beef has to come from Kobe.

Ibrahim: Kobe beef originated from Kobe but, in 1991, the Japanese sold - what do we call them?

- the genes to Australia. They don’t sell them any more.

Podolski: But is it still Wagyu? Isn’t it now just mass produced beef?

Ibrahim: What they did in Australia was find the places with just the right elevation, weather and so on. Then they put the Wagyu farms there and it’s been very successful.

Podolski; But surely it used to be small herds growing slowly but now it’s mass feeding?

Greenlaw: I think the original brand has been damaged.

Wood: Now every steakhouse has Wagyu!

Campbell: Certainly, the Wagyu in some supermarkets here is not that good.

Ibrahim: That’s down to the supplier.

Greenlaw: It’s the same with Black Angus now that even McDonald’s is using it for burgers.

Campbell: Which brings us back to the importance of the grading system.

Wood: I see a parallel with Champagne. It’s an ‘exclusive’ drink, but now everyone drinks it. A question: Do diners ever ask ‘What's Wagyu?’

Round table sponsored by:

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FEATURES / round table

El-Sayed: You can get special area licensing.

Greenlaw: Many places here are trying to do too many covers so consistency suffers.

Campbell: And different cultures here have different ideas of what rare or medium is, so there's confusion. By the way, what is 'mediumwell'? I have no idea!

Wood: So many restaurants here don’t even know what ‘blue’ is.

Greenlaw: To be honest, I don’t think 90% of them really understand what it is.

Ibrahim: What’s important here is the relationship between the chef and his supplier. Jumping between suppliers hurts the market.

El-Sayed: And it’s the sides that help differentiate steakhouses.

Ibrahim: At home, people don’t have the equipment or the knowledge so they’d rather go out to a good restaurant.

[Chef Osama joins the round table] Osama, we’ve covered a bit of ground but why do you think steak is so popular?

Osama El-Sayed: Apologies for my late arrival but I was filming. I think steak is popular just due to its simplicity and the fact that it’s hard to cook at home. You can have the right cut but you need the knowledge of how to cook it properly. A steakhouse has that knowledge and knows how to deal with all cuts.

Wood: I disagree that it’s hard to cook at home.

That’s a perception but it’s a very simple recipe!

Campbell: You run into problems when different family members want different cooking times!

El-Sayed: Nobody bothers about medium-rare when they can’t even cook it!

Podolski: I agree it’s partly a quality issue but also the sides - who wants to do all those at home?

So, how to innovate?

Wood: The problem is that the Dubai palate is pretty unadventurous.

Greenlaw: Often variety just seems like more of the same things.

Podolksi: I’m pretty new to Dubai. When I came I was full of great ideas but then the reality of the dining culture here hits home.

Ibrahim: For me, the issue is that here in the UAE 90% of decent restaurants are in hotels, but elsewhere 90% are not in hotels. Being a standalone here is hard.

Podolski: I’m seeing a new wave of independents though it’s not like the US where a young chef can open a 40-seater. And, of course, there the food truck craze is driving restaurants hate it. That and pop-ups.

Campbell: The issue here is the licensing.

When you all go out to dine, where do you think steakhouses get it wrong?

Podolski: I’ve been to a lot of places to eat steak but, really, I go out to have fun not to carry on working and detail what other people are doing. If I’m critiquing, then I’m not relaxing.

Wood: My big struggle is usually with the service.

Podolski: I remember my father telling me that if the service is great but the food okay then your place will be full but if the service is bad and the food great then it will be empty.

Wood: We can blame servers, but I think the issue lies in a lack of investment in restaurant management.

Ibrahim: Certainly in a lot of places the product suffers because of a lack of knowledge. An example is how people treat chilled meat - they’re used maybe to frozen and they don’t understand you have to handle it in a different way.

Campbell: But isn’t that down to suppliers to educate the market? I think point of sale knowledge is often dreadful. You have the issue of transient staff, with people leaving for another Dhs 200 a month.

Podolski: The mix of cultures is also an issue. I mean, would you trust someone who doesn’t eat meat to cook it for you?

El-Sayed: It’s about training. Even as a chef you need to retrain all the time.

Podolski: A big change I noticed here is that people want to eat quickly so kitchens have less time. They grab a steak before heading for the cinema and I just want to say, ‘Relax, enjoy your meal and take your time.

Round table sponsored by:

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CHEFS / recipe corner

Fettuccine lobster and caviar Andrea Mugavero, Executive Chef of Roberto’s in DIFC, offers an example of his clean style, which has made him a crowd pleaser for years in Dubai. Modern Italian food at its best!

Ingredients 90g fettuccine pasta 150g lobster meat 100ml lobster stock 10ml olive oil salt and pepper butter

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50g sweet garlic cream 1 tbsp chives, chopped 20g caviar

Method 1 Boil pasta for three minutes.

2 Sauté garlic with extra virgin olive oil. After two minutes, add lobster and stir gently for two minutes. Then add the lobster stock and boil to

reduce by half. Next, add the cooked fettucine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add one tablespoon of garlic cream and stir gently then season and place the fettuccine on a warm plate and finish with caviar on top.

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Signature plates Would you like to be a part of our exciting, on-going series of recipe supplements, produced in association with RAK Porcelain? :H路UH ORRNLQJ IRU WHQ FKHIV HYHU\ PRQWK WR MRLQ XV <RX FKRRVH WKH UHFLSH DQG WKH SODWH :H SKRWRJUDSK \RXU GLVK ,W路V WKDW VLPSOH 3OHDVH FRQWDFW PH LI \RX路G OLNH WR VHH \RXU UHFLSH LQ 6LJQDWXUH 3ODWHV dave@cpidubai.com

CHEFS / recipe corner

Dishes from Harry’s Bar Cipriani Yas Island is a global brand synonymous with the best in service, quality and a 82 year pedigree in the restaurant business delivering exquisite Italian cuisine. Here are classic Cipriani recipes originating at from Harry's Bar in Venice, presented by Chef Alessandro Dionoro.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

500ml chicken stock bouquet garni

Serves 6 as a first course Ingredients Risotto: 1.25-1.5l chicken stock 1 tbsp olive oil 1small onion, minced 250g short-grain Italian rice, preferably Vialone or Carnaroli 45g unsalted butter at room temperature 80g freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to pass at the table salt and freshly ground pepper Peas: 45g unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/2 celery rib, finely chopped 90g unshelled fresh peas

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Method 1 Bring 1.5l stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large heavybottomed saucepan and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring until the onion is golden but not brown, about three to five minutes. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon to coat the rice well with the oil and onion.

3 Heat the butter in a 2l saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is softened but not brown – three or four minutes. Add the fresh peas, 500ml stock and bouquet garni. Cook gently, uncovered,

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for 15 to 20 minutes. Season.

Turn the heat under the rice to medium-high, add the peas and about 125ml of the simmering stock and keep the mixture boiling, stirring constantly. As soon as the stock has been absorbed, add another 125ml of stock and stir until it is absorbed.

You may have to adjust the heat from time to time - the risotto has to keep boiling, but it must not stick to the pot. Continue adding stock about 125ml at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each portion is absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is creamy and tender on the outside with each grain still distinct and firm. This will take at least 20 minutes, maybe as long as 30 minutes,

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depending on your pot and your stove. If the rice is still a bit hard in the middle after you have used all but a few tablespoons of the stock, add boiling water 60ml at a time, stirring it in as you did the stock, until each grain of rice is tender but still has the slightest bit of firmness and the mixture is creamy Remove the pan from the heat and vigorously stir in the butter and the Parmesan. This stirring will make the risotto even creamier. Taste and season. While continuing to stir vigorously, add the few remaining tablespoons of hot stock (or boiling water if you've used all the stock) to make the consistency softer and softer. Taste carefully for seasoning and serve immediately.

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recipe corner / CHEFS

TORTA MERINGATA CLASSICA (CLASSIC MERINGUE CAKE) Serves 10 Ingredients 1 cup pastry cream 4 egg whites at room temperature juice of ½ lemon 1 tsp vanilla extract 225g sugar 375ml heavy cream 4 layers sponge cakesugar for garnish Method 1 Let the pastry cream cool and refrigerate it, covered, for at least two hours. You can make pastry cream up to 24 hours in advance. When you are ready to assemble the cake, make the meringue topping. Be sure the egg whites are at room temperature. Put them in a medium-sized bowl and beat until they are frothy. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla and then

TAGLIOLINI GRATINATI AL PROSCIUTTO (EGG PASTA WITH TURKEY HAM AU GRATIN) Serves 6 Ingredients salt 45g unsalted butter 60g turkey ham, julienned 330g dried tagliolini or tagliatelle 65g Parmesan, freshly grated plus extra to pass at table 1235ml bechamel sauce Method 1 Preheat the broiler. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a tablespoon of salt.

2 Melt 15g of the butter in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add the turkey

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gradually add the sugar. Beat the meringue until it is very thick and glossy. Whip the cream until very stiff and combine it gently but thoroughly with the pastry cream.

Preheat the oven to 500C. To assemble the cake, put the bottom layer of cake on a baking sheet and spread one third of the filling over it, leaving a 1.5cm margin of cake. Top it with another layer of cake and another third of the filling. Repeat, then add the top layer of the cake.

Spread the meringue thickly over the cake with a knife or spatula. Gently press the spatula down on the meringue and lift it straight up to form decorative peaks Sprinkle the meringue with a little sugar and put the cake in the oven to brown the meringue a little. This will take only two or three minutes.

Carefully slide the cake onto a serving dish and chill until serving time.

ham and cook it for a minute or two, stirring constantly Cook the pasta in the boiling water for two minutes or until al dente. Drain well in a colander and put it in the skillet. Toss the pasta with the turkey ham, add another 15g of the butter, sprinkle with half the Parmesan and toss well.

Spread the pasta evenly in a 2l ovenproof casserole. Spoon the sauce over the top and sprinkle it with the remaining Parmesan.

Cut the remaining butter into bits and scatter over the top. Broil as close as possible to the heat source until golden and bubbly, about one to two minutes.

Serve immediately and pass around a small bowl of grated Parmesan.

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / recipe corner

Foie gras and duck confit terrine, baby beets, pickled shitake and duck crumble Bangalore-born Dannet D'Souza, Chef De Cuisine of the Blue Flame restaurant at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, presents a dish typical of the outlet’s style.

FOIE GRAS MOUSSE Ingredients 350g Nivo Finess foie gras 5g pink salt 3g salt 3g white pepper 3g sugar 5ml Madeira 5ml Cognac 5ml Port 20ml sweet wine

10 fresh shitake mushrooms 1g salt 5 black peppercorns 50ml white wine vinegar 2 bay leaves

2 Method 1 Slice the foie gras thinly and remove all the veins carefully making sure not to break the foie gras. Lay the foie gras on a tray covered with plastic wrap then marinate with the rest of the ingredients and cover and leave for 12 hours.

2 Once marinated, pass through a sieve to make a paste. Whisk this paste in a cold bowl till it becomes soft and creamy.

3 Put in a piping bag and keep cool on a bed of ice.

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5 DUCK CONFIT Ingredients 4 duck legs 10g Maldon salt 2g black peppercorns 4 sprigs thyme 2 orange peels 2 lemon peels 1l duck fat or clarified butter

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7 Method 1 Clean the duck legs of any excess sinew. Clean the skin of the legs. Wash in cold water and dry in tissue. Marinate the duck legs with all the ingredients except the duck fat. Cover and leave overnight

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or 12 hours in the chiller.

Remove the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf and peels from the duck leg. Take a deep container and place the legs in it. Cover with the duck fat making sure that the legs are completely covered in the fat and cook in a pre-heated oven at 90C for eight hours.

Once done, cool the duck legs in the same fat. When cool, remove the duck legs and leave on a rack to drip the excess fat.

Gently remove the skin and keep aside for the crumble.

Remove all the meat from the legs and shred the meat.

Season the meat and mix with duck jus. Season again with salt and pepper and vinaigrette.

For the foie gras and duck terrine, take a medium size terrine mold and line with cling wrap. Pipe the foie gras mousse to a height of 1.5cm and smooth out the top with a hot spatula, then leave in the chiller for an hour to get hard.

Layer the duck confit on top of the foie gras to a height of 1cm and flatten out. Add the rest of the foie gras mousse to a height of 1.5cm again on top and smooth out. Leave in the chiller for an hour to get hard.

Once hard, pull the edges of the cling film to cover the terrine.

Place some weight on top of the terrine and leave in the chiller for six to eight hours.

Carefully demold the terrine and cut into ten equal slices.

BABY BEETS Ingredients 10 baby beets 5g butter 2g salt 1g white pepper powder 5ml vinaigrette Method 1 Cut the steps on the baby beets and blanch in salted boiling water for ten seconds. Remove the leaves and wash in ice water. Dry on paper towel and keep aside.

2 Cook the beetroots in salted water with the butter. Cool and remove the skin. Cut in half.

3 Season the beets, stems and leaves with salt, pepper and vinaigrette.

BEETROOT GEL Ingredients 100ml beetroot juice, from roasted beets 1g salt 2g agar PICKLED SHITAKE Ingredients

Method 1 Wipe the shitakes with a damp tissue to remove any soil. Bring the vinegar and other ingredients to a boil and add the shitake mushrooms.

Lower the heat to just below a simmer for two minutes.

2 Leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled store in an air tight container.

DUCK CRUMBLE Ingredients skin from the confit duck legs 5g salt 5 carrots Method 1 Chop the duck skin reserved from the confit legs. Take a non-stick pan and add the skin. Place it on the heat and let the skin cook till all the fat is rendered and the skin is golden and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.

2 Slice the carrot very thin and place on a plate with cling film and a little oil. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Check if the carrot is crispy, if not microwave for ten seconds more, check and continue till crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

3 Chop the dried carrot and mix with the crispy duck skin. Season.

To finish white balsamic vinaigrette parsley oil

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Wrapped in Excellence: American Artisan and Specialty Cheeses Specialty cheese making is the fastest growing segment of the American cheese market.

American cheese production began centuries ago with the first European immigrants, and American cheese makers have never lost sight of their heritage.

Many have dedicated their lives to continuing the artisanal legacy of the first settlers.

Today, the United States is the world’s largest cheese producer with an award-winning portfolio.

U.S. cheese makers have perfected the art of cheese making, developing new technology to address the world’s growing need for high performance cheese.

American cheese makers produce over 400 premium cheese varieties, from European-style such as cheddar and mozzarella to American Originals like monterey jack, colby and cream cheese.

American artisan and specialty cheeses: Crafted in the United States, captivating chefs around the world

U.S. cheese makers have pioneered many advances in their craft, and their accomplishments have not gone unnoticed.

Competing side-by-side with their European counterparts, American cheese makers consistently win top accolades at international competitions such as the World Cheese Awards (WCA) and the World Championship Cheese Contest (WCCC).

The United States won 82 medals at the 2012 WCA, including 4 Super Golds in the top 16 cheeses.

U.S. cheese makers also dominated the 2012 WCCC competition, the world’s largest technical cheese competition, earning gold medals in 55 of the total 82 categories judged.

U.S. cheese is already available in your market. Check today with your local importer/distributor or contact USDEC for a list of local suppliers: USDEC Middle East (AMFI) / Beirut, Lebanon / Email: amfime@cyberia.net.lb / Phone: (961-1) 740378, 741223 The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a free resource to help you find additional information on U.S. cheese applications and distribution channels. USDEC is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders.

CHEFS / kitchen skills

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Pizza 101 During the recent Italian Cuisine World Summit, the Best Pizza in the UAE Competition took place to award the best pizzaiolo and the best Pizza Restaurant in the UAE, sponsored by Casinetto, importer & distributor of fine Italian ingredients. The winners of the competition for Classic Pizza and Individual Creation earned the right to participate in the finals at the 13th Campionato Mondiale del Pizzaiolo in Napoli. Chef Daniele Capobianco, representing Prego’s, Media Rotana's signature Italian restaurant, won the Classic category and will compete in the world championship. Who better then to give us a brief masterclass in pizza making?

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kitchen skills / CHEFS

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Pumpkin, pancetta and truffle pizza Ingredients flour fresh yeast whole pumpkin thyme salt and pepper buffalo mozzarella veal pancetta porcini mushrooms white truffle extra virgin olive oil

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Add the yeast, crushing it with your hands. Add the remaining salt. Let the

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dough work for at least 15/20 minutes.

Remove the dough from the mixer and put in a container to rest for 15 minutes. Make pizza balls of about 230g and let the dough prove for about two hours at room temperature.

Keep in the chiller for at list 24/36 hours.

Clean and cut the pumpkin in pieces.

Marinate with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast it in the oven at 180C for 20 minutes. Blend it and use it as the base of the pizza toppings.

Add the pancetta, the buffalo mozzarella and the truffle paste.

For the truffle paste simply sauté the porcini mushrooms with a bit of garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Blend the mushrooms. Shave or chop the truffles and add it to the paste. Keep it for at least one day in the chillier before using.

DANIELE’S TOP TIPS t The yeast shouldn't be more than 5g/kg. t To see if the dough is ready, grab a piece of it from the mixer and pull it to see if it's smooth and elastic. t Keep the dough soft. t The extra virgin olive oil is just an aroma so you should use only a little.

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / face to face

A world of flavour After two decades’ experience across Asia, Chef Joachim Textor wants to bring the flavours of the east to the new Anantara on The Palm. He confesses to “eating anything”, but expect his dishes to be subtle and authentic. From his beginnings in Germany to global experience via spells on cruise liners, he has been driven by a curiosity for new flavours. So far he has visited 50% of the world’s countries - and he’s aiming for the rest!

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face to face / CHEFS

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nnounced in August 2013, Joachim Textor is the Executive Chef of the new Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort and Spa managing a team of 95 kitchen staff across the resort's six outlets: Crescendo, Mekong, Bushman's Australian Bar & Restaurant, The Beach House, Lotus Lounge and Mai Bar as well as room service and catering for meetings and events, He brings to his role more than 30 years' experience gained from across the globe, from markets as diverse as his native Germany to South Korea to South East Asia.

After working across Europe in Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, Textor moved to The Philippines to work at The Peninsula Hotel in Manila in 1987, where his passion for cuisine and hospitality in the Far East was ignited, followed by a series of very successful times at some of Asia's top hotels over the course of two decades: the Bintang Bali Hotel, Indonesia; the opening

of the Shangri-La in Beijing; the Dynasty Hotel, Kuala Lumpur; the Mandarin Hotel, Singapore; The Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul; and the Regent Beijing, where he led the pre-opening team.

What excites you about Asian food?

I think the food traditions, which we’re now discovering as delicacies. When I was in Indonesia, for example, I ate goat brains with turmeric - great!

In China and Bangkok, everyone’s eating crickets and so on. In Taiwan, it was snake, In South Korea, you soon get used to seeing dog in the window.

weeks of the year. Her kitchen was full of jars of layered fruit - strawberries, raspberries, cherries marinaded with rum and sugar for several months.

A lot of our food was family recipes, being passed down. Then, when I was about 12 or 13, my teacher asked if any boys wanted to join the cooking class and four of us did, spending two or three hours a week. Soon I was cooking better than many of the girls. The more I cooked, the more curious and experimental I became and so I decided to become a chef, having practical training as an intern and then an apprenticeship at a small hotel in town.

Very different from food you had as a child?

Oh yes. I grew up in the countrside about ten kilometres from a small town in Germany. We use to grow fruit and vegtables in the garden rhubard, gooseberries and so on. Everything was fresh and very seasonal. For instance, my mother would make fresh eldeberry juice, but only for two

Did the family eat out much? Were you exposed to other types of food.

We used to eat at times in country restaurants, but never fine dining. There’s a system in Germany called besenwirtschaft or straussenwirtschaft which allows farmers to produce and sell things like kirsch or sausages, even open their own small restaurant

Asian spring rolls Serves 4 Ingredients 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated 2 green onions, sliced into matchstick pieces 1 red chili, minced 30g shredded or finely chopped cabbage 4-6 shiitake mushrooms, cut into matchstick pieces medium to firm tofu, sliced into approx. 25 matchstick pieces (If non-vegetarian, add 1/2 cup cooked baby shrimp) 30g bean sprouts 25g fresh coriander, roughly chopped 10g fresh basil, roughly chopped 2 tbsp oil, plus more for deep-frying 1 packet spring roll wrappers, thawed if frozen 4cl regular soy sauce 2cl fish sauce or vegetarian stir-fry sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand) 2cl lime juice 10g sugar Thai sweet chili sauce Method 1 Place two tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add garlic, galangal (or ginger), green onion and chili.

Stir-fry until fragrant (about one minute), adding a little water to the wok/pan when it gets too dry instead of more oil.

2 Make the stir-fry sauce by combining soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.

3 Add cabbage, mushrooms, and tofu (or shrimp) to the stir-fry, then the sauce and stir-fry for one or two minutes until the vegetables have softened. Remove from the heat and add bean sprouts, tossing to mix.

Then do a taste test for salt, adding a little

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more fish or soy sauce if not flavourful enough.

To assemble rolls, lay spring roll wrappers on a clean working surface. Place one heaped tbsp of filling on each wrapper - if using large wrappers, you will need more. Spread filling along the width of the spring roll wrapper - you’ll want to do this two-thirds of the way down, closer to you so you have room to roll it. Try not to include too much of the liquid left from the wok/pan - a slotted spoon works well for this.

Sprinkle some of the fresh coriander and basil over the filling. Then fold the left and right sides of wrapper over filling. Lift up the end nearest you and tuck over, rolling upwards.

Secure by dipping your fingers in some water

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and wetting the end, ‘pasting’ it shut.

To fry spring rolls, place some oil (about one inch deep) in a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil begins to form snake-like lines across the bottom of the pan, the oil is starting to heat up. To test it, dip one corner of a spring roll into the oil. If it begins to sizzle and cook, the oil is ready.

Using tongs, place spring rolls in oil, allowing them to fry for about one minute on each side. Spring rolls are done when they turn light to medium golden-brown. Place on paper towels (or a clean dish towel) to drain while you finish frying the rest. Serve spring rolls while still hot with Thai sweet chili sauce.

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CHEFS / face to face

on the farm for four or five months a year. Anyway, aged 18 I decided I wanted to build a career and realised that to become an important cook I needed to travel. So I went to to work in Switzerland and France to really learn the basics of classical French food, which was a big surprise for me as I was used to typical German food. But having the foundation in place is so important! I found, working as I was in good hotels, how little I knew but I learned from other chefs and learned about produce that was new to me like duck and pigeon. I did a season at a Michelin starred place on Lake Lucerne and then wanted to move up to the next level and spent time in St Moritz, again for a season.

What next?

I applied for jobs in London and got a position as Commis in the Hilton Park Lane, as one of 150 cooks under a German Head Chef. This was really the big city for me but I didn’t have much money, but that didn’t matter as I was thinking of my career and that I needed to learn English. I worked in the roof restaurant cooking pure French food and felt I was really on my path. I got an offer from the Brussels Hilton as Demi-Chef de Partie but, two days before I signed the contract, I had a call from my mother to say that an earlier application to join a cruise liner had been accepted...

Where were you cruising?

At first around Africa. I joined the ship in the Ivory Coast and that was another shock! We spent a month circling Africa - Madagascar, Kenya and so on, then Djibouti, the Sudan, through the Suez Canal to Egypt. It felt like movies passing by.

Did the ship source locally?

No, the food came out of Europe although, of course, we were trying things when we docked. To me, this wasn’t so much bout cooking but seeing theworld - now, all these years later, I’ve visited 89 countries and almost 500 cities! On that first trip,

we laid up in Genoa for a refurb and then set out on a world cruise for 188 days. When I went home next, my family thought I was a stranger!

Peninsula but there was no movement in the company so, in 1990, I moved to the Shangri-La in Beijing. At the time, this was the largest hotel in China with 21 outlets and I was the Executive Sous Chef, just six months after the events in Tiananmen Square. My thought was that, after two years, I would be ready for an Executive Chef position by the time I was 32.

What sparked your interest in Asia?

The first I went to Bali I thought I was on another planet! I just fell in love with Asia and that whole back to nature feel. All the tastes were different lemongrass, sesame oil, galangal and so on. It was like a new language and led to new dishes. I was also fascinated to see regional differences. Finally, after a year and a half on the boat, I still wanted to progress to being a big chef and thiught the best plan was to stay as long as I could in Europe to learn so I went back to Hilton in Switzerland.

I was only a Chef de Partie but I was writing menus. Frankly, I think I was better than the Sous Chef because of the travel. Then in 1985 I joined a luxury yacht, as one of ten chefs. We worked 18 hours a day for six months with no time off, cooking for people like Jackie Onassis and Roger Moore. It was berthed in Nice and I flew to Monaco where the Executive Chef met me and flew me to Monaco in a helicopter! I started as Chef de Partie and made Sous Chef within a year, learning the Mediterranean flavours. More travel. More long distance cruises. Then I felt I’d had enough travel for a time.

Must be time to go back to Europe?

Yes, I felt it was time to recharge so I took a year in Berlin gaining my Masters in Hotel Management and then I got my itchy feet again and left for Bali as an Executive Chef, what I thought of at the time as the real start of my career. After that? The Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur and then the Mandarin in Singapore - that was probably my longest job as I lasted eight years. Then, for my next challenge, I moved to Korea and that was very tough as there was almost no English in the kitchen, so the family went back to Beijing.

And the shift to Dubai?

I’ve been here since 2007. I joined the Rotana Group, which I saw as a very F&B-driven organisation, in charge of the Al Ghurair Arjaan and the Al Ghurair Rayhaan by Rotana. Then I had this opportunity at Anantara and it’s good to be back in that Asian spirit.

I see a pattern here!

I went back to Switzerland with Hyatt, thinking I could make my career with Hyatt and have a fast track to Executive Chef. I lasted a year before I needed to move again! I was offered Executive Chef at the Hyatt in Tangiers but that wasn’t my goal and the next offer in New Zealand seemed to me to be at the end of the world. Then I got an offer from the Peninsula Group in the Phillipines as Sous Chef in Manila and I had a great experience for three and a half years. I had a 45-strong brigade and we were putting out 1,200 covers a day in just one restaurant! My goal was the Hong Kong

What’s your F&B strategy?

The key is to be different and authentic, so we want to vapture the real Asian spirit - I want us to have the best Asian food in the UAE. At the moment, most non-resident diners are locals, who come thanks to word of mouth. Asian food is what I know and we intend to go for the best and be original, however I can make a difference because I’ve learned a few touches that the chefs don’t know. I like originality and want to taste the food of a country. We source from Bangkok, but we’re looking at local meat, fish and herbs.

Thai green papaya salad with crispy soft shell crab (Som tam) Serves 4 Ingredients 1 small green papaya 35g roasted peanuts or cashews 50g bean sprouts 1-2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges or long strips 3 spring onions, cut into long matchstick-like pieces 1/2 cup fresh basil, leaves left whole or chopped handful of fresh coriander 1 red chili, sliced, seeds removed (reduce or omit, to taste) 1 cup blanched green beans - optional 1 small piece Thai soft shell crab 3cl peanut oil for frying the soft shell crab 1 tsp corn starch to dust the soft shell crab cooked baby shrimp or tofu, optional

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2cl fish sauce or soy sauce for vegetarians 2cl good-tasting vegetable oil 3cl lime juice 1/2-1 spoon liquid honey, to taste 1/8 -1/4 spoon chili flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste Method 1 Stir all ingredients for the dressing together in a cup (fish sauce, oil, lime juice, honey and chili flakes). Make sure shrimp paste and honey dissolve fully. Taste test for sweetness and spice, adding more honey or chili to taste. Set aside.

2 Use a sharp knife to peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Using the largest grater you have grate the papaya or use a potato peeler to create thin, ribbon-like strips. Place in a large

3

4

5

bowl. Add sliced tomato, spring onion, chili/ cayenne, bean sprouts, green beans (if using), shrimp or tofu (if using) and most of the basil.

Pour over the dressing, tossing well to combine.

Take the soft shell crab, dust with corn starch and fry briefly until cooked in peanut oil. Add nuts and toss again. Taste test the salad. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey or a sprinkling of sugar. Add the soft shell crab. If not sufficiently flavourful, add a little more fish sauce or soy sauce; if too sweet or salty, add more lime juice; add more chili for a spicier salad.

To serve, scoop into individual bowls or onto serving plates. Top with remaining basil leaves plus fresh coriander and a sprinkling of more nuts.

Serve immediately.

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face to face / CHEFS

Thai crab cakes Serves 4 Ingredients 160g drained crabmeat 2 spring (green) onions, finely sliced 2 kaffir lime leaves, snipped into slivers with scissors (discard stem), or zest of 1 lime 1 fresh red chili, minced, or 5g dried crushed chili 1cl lime juice 1-2 soupspoons of fish sauce 1 tsp oyster sauce (Golden Dragon brand) 1 large or 2 small eggs 20g mayonnaise (optional, but helps keep the cakes moist) 25g panko breadcrumbs 10g garlic salt, or pinch of salt 2 dl oil for frying Thai sweet chili sauce Method 1 Place crabmeat, onions, lime leaf slivers (or zest), chili, fish sauce, oyster sauce, 1 egg, mayonnaise (if using) and 3/4 cup panko together in a food processor or chopper. Blitz to combine ingredients. Add a sprinkling of more panko breadcrumbs and briefly blitz or stir to combine - you want the mixture to be moist enough to form cakes, but not so moist that it falls apart. Add more panko until you can form cakes easily in your hands.

2 Pat mixture into cakes (usually 2-3” in diameter). Place on a clean plate.

3 Now pour the rest of the panko breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl and add the garlic salt, stirring to mix. In a separate, smaller bowl, break one large or two small eggs and briefly whisk. Dip the crab cakes first into the egg, then roll in the panko mixture to cover. Set on a clean surface.

4 Pour oil into a small frying pan or wok set over medium-high heat (oil should be 1” deep). Heat for one minute or longer.

To test if oil is hot enough, drop in a few panko crumbs - if they begin to sizzle right away, the hot oil is ready. Carefully place crab cakes in the hot oil. Reduce heat slightly to prevent overheating and splattering. Fry crab cakes one to two minutes per side, or until golden brown.

5 Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce Note To make gluten-free crab cakes, create your own crumbs. Just place three-quarters of a package of plain or sesame-flavoured rice crackers in a food processor and blitz until very fine.

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GREEK CHIC For a country whose cuisine typifies the healthy Mediterranean style of eating that so many people enjoy, it’s curious that Greek food is so little known, apart from half a dozen or so cliched dishes. One man determined to change that is Chef Yiannis Baxevanis, whose Elia restaurant in the Majestic Hotel is one of Dubai’s real treats. Melanie Mingas spoke to him about his style and changing perceptions.

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face to face / CHEFS

G

reek cuisine is more than just moussaka, souvlaki, and retsina, contrary to most people’s perception. Tourists who brave restaurants where locals eat nearly always rave about the quality, freshness and taste of the cuisine but it rarely translates into a worthwhile eating experience outside Greece’s borders.

A shame because the simplicity of Greek food is ideal for those looking for healthy alternatives.

However, attempts by Greek chefs over the 15 years or so have not always been successul - Greece's rich cultural tradition clashing with fads. According to Antonis Panayiotopoulos, who founded the Greek Academy of Taste in 1997: "The 'flavours' of Greece are the product of an entire people, with shared interests and a common past. Today, we know these flavours are timeless. Breaking bread at the table creates a bond to the past, grounds you in the present and propels you to a common future with your fellow diners. If we lose our gastronomic culture, we will have lost a large part of our culture."

One chef focused on keeping in touch with his roots is Chef Yiannis Baxevanis who, despite five years cooking in France following culinary school, now shuns the sophisticated techniques he learned there in favour of experimenting with native Greek produce and herbs. His most valuable lessons, tips, and culinary insights, he claims, have been gleaned from private kitchens in hundreds of homes he has visited while traveling around Greece.

Why did you first want to become a chef?

In order to travel!

And you've travelled extensively, New York, Greece, Dubai.

First, I went to France, Germany and Switzerland to learn new techniques. I didn't cook Greek food there per se, but everything people tasted they said it tasted of Greece, so the food still had that

“It has to be the authentic horta.

The dandelion leaves, we have so many different kinds in Greece and each one is different. You have to be an expert in that because that's what puts the character and integrity into dishes.”

stimulations together and turn them into your own to create something from within you.

feeling. After five years across all three countries, then I returned to Greece, but I didn't stop there.

I incorporated Greek and Cretan cuisine and saw a lot of herbs and fresh, organic ingredients. In Greece we call it horta and I paired the French techniques with local produce and people were wondering why the haute cuisine was being incorporated into local dishes.

Are your team Greek?

They are all Greek and have all worked with me to learn my habits and methods. They have to be in my mind frame to understand the food and then that filters down into their own cooking. I like for them to have their own paths and create their own styles. They have their own flexibility and creativity to create their own flavours but all within the same framework. Chef Ilias here also introduces dishes and they are in the same style as mine but are his own creations. Two heads are better than one and the pupil must surpass the master at some point.

What did all these influences teach you about your own style?

The main thing I learned is that whatever is fresh and seasonal is good and should be used so that whatever I present is something that has come from within me. All chefs around the world have influences from other people and their surroundings. It's how you put your influences and

Tell me about your experience of New York.

I have been to the US ten times and, with the backing of the Greek government, I promote Greek cuisine and help people understand what Greek cuisine is all about.

And you took some of your horta to the US in order to demonstrate this...

That's what makes the difference. It has to be the authentic horta. The dandelion leaves, we have so many different kinds in Greece and each one is different. You have to be an expert in that because that's what puts the character and integrity into dishes. I have been very moved by the fact people can come and eat my cuisine and recognise the taste. There was a lady who has eaten at Elia and she ate at another restaurant and knew it was my food. She said 'it tastes Baxevanish'. In Switzerland I have a team I trained and somebody who went to a restaurant where his team members were working could also identify it.

What is your favourite dish created by your team?

It's a beetroot dish with arsenio cheese, which is a very special and expensive cheese from Naxos with a fried egg on top.

Where do you source the Greek food from for Dubai?

We have Greek suppliers and there are three companies that have good connections with Greece. Owned by two brothers who are both half Greek and there is another contact who also supplies to Jumeirah Group and they all help us and we also have our own people, personal connections. I know a lot of suppliers in Greece.

Why is Greek cuisine not as famous as Italian, Mexican, Japanese cuisine?

We have a lot of variety in Greek cuisine and it’s very rich in its variety. In the old days at home the housewives used to make a lot of mezze and we had a lot of small things on the table. Later on people get lazy because of the ease of eating out and we left a lot of recipes aside. So there are a lot of chefs in Greece who are going back to the forgotten recipes and reintroducing them for the next generation. It's also a marketing thing. Our

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January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / face to face

olive oil for example. The Italians take the good part, add something in and market it.

Do you see the perception of Mediterranean cuisine as a healthy lifestyle helping that marketing?

Do you know where the Mediterranean diet started? Crete. I went to Crete to see why they have less heart disease, longer life spans and what do they eat? A lot of horta, pulses, very little red meat, fish and chicken. That's the Cretan diet. We Greeks turned the Cretan diet to the 'Mediterranean diet' as a phrase and then the rest of the region, Italy, Spain, grabbed on to that, marketed it. I always get annoyed when I head 'Mediterranean diet'. It doesn't mean anything. It's a Cretan diet that has been adapted.

As more chefs leave Greece to come here, the US and Asia, could that also help the promotion of Greek cuisine?

In Manhattan, for example, the fresh fish and grilling techniques worked well and became very popular. And there are Greek chefs in the US on TV, which helps. The horta and fish is always very well received. And good reviews promote it too.

You should open more restaurants here...

Watch this space!

With the right marketing and chefs, considering the wide range of cuisines available here already, could the Middle East absorb more Greek restaurants?

I hope it will happen. When they started Elia it was with with a joint vision to put Greek cuisine on the map. It was about the horta, Cretan diet, old techniques and I was brought in to achieve that.

I've had 13 awards for Greek cuisine and we win awards here in Dubai now also.

Going back to your influences. You've travelled a lot but what about family recipes?

Yes. It's a global trend now to get to the heart of the original recipe and not to disturb it too much, or change it. Having that authentic flavour is important. The trend is as close to the original recipe as possible, but with the best of the best of fresh produce. Elia's food is very healthy cuisine with a lot of herbs that have very strong health benefits. When they are cooked well and in good combinations it's the best you can eat.

Like trying the food of ancient Greece?

No! Not that far back. We use always whatever seasonal products we have next to us that are also fresh. My hands do all the work. Automatically, without me thinking about it. It’s about using what we have and cooking with the soul.

What's the most popular dish here?

The seafood. People love it.

What recipe do you use to cook fish in a traditional Greek way?

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In the old days, an example, the ladies in Crete would collect the greens and herbs from the mountainside and they would make pies. I do the same thing, but I put it in the fish and cook it in a normal oven. It infuses in the fish and it tastes divine. In Crete, I have a wood oven and I use that a lot for cooking.

The next trend to influence your cooking style?

I don't do trends and moving around so much and

doing traditional cuisine and other things. Fashions come and go so many times. When I started the horta with greens it was cheap and people disregarded it but I changed all that. I made it fashionably and Greek and Cretan cuisine became fashionable. Then after the molecular era it's all about regional and traditional recipes. Trends come and go, but I have a stable path. I influence trends more than they influence me! People know the tastes and that's an auteur's touch. Cuisine in the future will be about the personality of the chef.

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Gerald Lawless President and Group CEO Jumeirah Group

Hospitality Business ME magazine The choice of the professionals To advertise please contact: Milos Kovacevic 056 235 6921 milos.kovacevic@cpimediagroup.com Read every monthly issue free of charge via: www.cpidubai.com

CHEFS / face to face

From LA to DXB In a Dubai food scene the combines hotel outlets and popular franchises, it’s still fairly unusual to find a fine dining standalone restaurant, though things are changing fast. The vision and brainchild of the creator, Chef Mohammad Islam, Atelier M in Dubai Marina is a chef-driven restaurant/ lounge that looks set to change a few rules.

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face to face / CHEFS

T

he story of Atelier M is intertwined with the story of its owner, Chef and Entrepreneur, Mohammad Islam. Atelier M sets a precedent in Dubai for originality.

It is not just a displaced popular franchise that has been replicated from another city in the world, but the vision and brainchild of the creator.

As the previous driving force behind some of the world’s best known restaurants like Chateau Marmont in LA and The Mercer in NYC, Mohammad Islam has created a menu that deconstructs and reimagines French cuisine with modern Asian and Mediterranean twists.

From a Bangladeshi family where traditional career choices were medical, Islam initially studied electrical engineering but it bored him. He spent a summer in Montana intending to learn how to fish but instead found himself helping a friend to open a wine and cheese shop - an experience that made him realise that food was were his future lay. After narrowly avoiding being disowned by his parents for such a risky move, he traveled as far as Switzerland to culinary school before returning back to Chicago to seek out the best chefs to apprentice with.

His first big break was with Sara Stegner at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, when she won the 1998 James Beard Best Chef award. That led to an offer from Jean- Georges Vongerichten, with

whom he shared a similar style and philosophy on cooking, Islam went on to become Executive Chef at The Mercer and then Spice Kitchen, before moving to Los Angeles to overhaul a large group of restaurants between 2001 and 2007 including the Chateau Marmont and those in the Standard Hotel. After overseeing Versace and Capital Club, as well as opening restaurants all over the region, Atelier M represents a personal project that reflects his love of exclusive, artisanal and hard to find producers who preserve old processes to make their ingredients without shortcuts.

Quite a shift from LA to Dubai. What’s been the biggest challenge?

The one thing that surprised me the most was the standard of most kitchen staff on offer here.

I just couldn’t find the people I wanted, so we’ve brought in chefs from the US, UK and Mexico as well as a pastry chef from France. I’ve never faced this problem before in the industry - I’m more used to having a list of chefs who want to work with me, here you have to really seek them out. Few of the locally hired chefs even lasted a week with me - we had to teach even the basics like cleanliness.

Were you interested in food as a kid?

In our family, food was the family forum. I loved it but never considered it as a career. My parents

wanted me to have a real career but I refused to go into medicine and compromised on engineering, thinking it would be easy. I did it for two years to make my parents happy, but I wasn’t excited by it and I didn’t want to be mediocre at my career. So I went off to Montana to learn to fly fish and helped a friend put together a cheese and wine shop - that really got me into the food thing. I went to Lucerne and did a one year course, on the advice of Chef Gabriel Sabino who then told me to work across Europe for good chefs. He then got me the job with Sara Stegner - my four years with her was just amazing training.

How did you come to work for Jean-Georges?

I was looking for a change as I didn’t really like working in a hotel, not my kind of atmosphere though by now I was Executive Sous Chef. So I was asked to prepare a eight-course dinner for Jean-Georges and six other chefs - he really liked my food and invited me to go to New York and work for him. I worked with not much money but I was the first non-French Executive Sous Chef and my pay doubled after six months! It really turned my life around. I remember he said to me, “I won’t teach you to cook, but how to manage people.” He put me in charge of The Mercer - 125 staff and a turnover of $12m a year! A lot of chefs came out of that and won awards later. Anyway, next he moved

Scallops Celeriac puree Ingredients celeriac cut into 1cm dice 2 shallots, diced 300ml milk 300ml double cream Method 1 Sweat the shallots in a little butter until soft, then add the celeriac and sweat for two minutes. Add the milk and cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently until celeriac is completely cooked, then blend in the thermo and pass through a fine sieve.

Apple compote Ingredients 3 apples, brunoised trim from the brunoise juice from half a lemon 1 tbsp sugar Method 1 Put trim in a plastic container with the lemon and the sugar. Cover with clingfilm and microwave until completely cooked. Blend in the thermomix and pass through a fine sieve.

2 Blanch the apple brunoised in lemon water to just cook it through. Mix brunoised through the apple puree.

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Puffed quinoa Method 1 Heat a little oil over a medium heat. Add quinoa and stir until lightly toasted and you hear a popping sound, remove from the heat and season.

To assemble dish Ingredients 75g scallops 16g apple compote 15g celeriac puree

1g puffed quinoa 1g caviar cress for garnish Method 1 Spoon four neat piles of apple compote around the plate, place a scallop on top of each pile.

2 Top each scallop with caviar Spoon celeriac puree in between the scallops. Garnish with cress.

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CHEFS / face to face

me to Spice Market but it wasn’t really my style. He then offered me positions in China and Paris, but I wanted to stay in the States and I had other offers.

So the move to LA? Exactly. Jean-Georges didn’t want me to leave but he was really supportive when I had the offer from the Standard Hotel group, which also involved opening a restaurant at Chateau Marmont for the first time. The deal I made was that I’d take the restaurants out of the hotels and run them as seperate businesses and Jean-Georges even encouraged me to take some of my team with me two Sous chjefs, a strong line cook and even a GM. We did really well in LA. What style of food were you offering?

I was compared to Alice Waters, so really it was a Bay Area sensibility in Los Angeles. Luckily, we got great reviews and we found this big gap in the market. When I first went there I was told to go and eat at Ashton Kulcher’s restaurant and I was like, why, I want to go because of the chef not a

actor. This was back in 2000 and I think we were among the first to start chef-driven restaurants. At that time, produce wasn’t really central to what most people were doing and you’d have small farmers driving for several hours to bring small amounts of produce. I used to visit farmers and create menus from what was growing and for which they didn’t make much of a market, things like Golden turnip soup with hamachi.

You’ll find Dubai a bit different...

I’ve actually been coming here for the last ten years, initially to visit a friend. I thought doing something here would be a different sort of challenge and started talking to Emaar in 2004/2005 when places like Souk Al Bahar was under construction. Something was pulling me here, especially as it could be a hub for me for Australia, India, the Middle East and Africa. The negotiations didn’t work out at that time but I was back in 2009 working with Versace, for example.

Now I have my own restaurant in a location I like and Emaar has been very helpful with the deal

we’ve struck.

What is your general take on the restaurant scene here?

Let me say first what we’re trying to do, which is 4-star food but at 3-star pricing. The rest of Dubai?

At the bottom, of course, you have all the QSR outlets with just too many bad examples. Midrange, I think there are some interesting plces like Fuego and Butcher Shop. And at the top, I see the produce-driven places like La Petite Maison. There’s still a great opportunity to take Dubai to a much higher level.

As a produce-driven chef, do you see supply here as a major problem?

Yes and no. You can bring anything here, not an issue, but what can you grow? Some things don’t travel well - just give me a real peach or avocado!

But we are sourcing some very interesting thigs herbs from Al Ain, amazing fruits from Iran such as an apple that tastes like a lemon and local fully organic eggs.

Crab croquettes Ingredients 226g crab meat 22g onion 9g celery 4g garlic 3g parsley 40g butter 11g breadcrumbs 6ml oil 6ml Worcestershire sauce 1g ginger 1 pinch cayenne pepper salt and pepper Method 1 Mix all of the ingredients, test fry one croquette to test seasoning. Shape into 20g oblongs.

Asian apple and pear slaw Ingredients 1 Asian pear 1 red pepper 1 green apple 1 green mango 3g parsley Method 1 Julienne all the ingredients and combine.

Dressing Ingredients 11ml fish sauce 12ml lime juice 90ml mirin 17g honey salt and pepper

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Pink grapefruit aioli Ingredients 250g Japanese mayonnaise 1 bulb garlic 1 grapefruit Method 1 Roast the garlic whole until really soft, then squeeze from the skin.

2 Segment the grapefruit and squeeze all the juice through a sieve into a pan.

3 Slowly reduce the juice until syrupy.

4

Do not boil to reduce.

Chop the segments into four pieces and mix all the ingredients.

To assemble dish 1 Panne four croquettes and fry at 160C until golden.

2 Dress the slaw with 15ml of dressing. Season.

3 Stack the croquettes on a slate, spoon 40g of slaw in the centre and place one ramekin of aioli on the end of the slate.

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face to face / CHEFS

Poussin Serves 4 Ingredients 4 tbsp soy sauce 100ml sesame oil 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp toasted fennel seed 1 tbsp ginger 1 star anise 1/2 red chilli juice from 1/2 a lime Method 1 Remove legs and breasts from poussin and remove skin - one portion equals two breasts and two drumstick. Separate thigh and drumstick - reserve thigh for another use.

2 In a bowl combine the ingredients.

Then vacpac the chicken and marinade and sous vide for one hour at 60C. Chicken skin crisps Ingredients Skin from large chicken breasts Method 1 Put in a pan with cold water and bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes. Let cool and scrape all the fat from the skin.

2 Place between two baking trays and bake at 160C until crisp, removing from the oven every ten minutes to dab off the fat.

Red wine vinaigrette Ingredients 6 tbsp finely grated ginger 2 finely diced shallots 16 tbsp red wine vinegar 8 tbsp soy sauce 24 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp lemon juice Method 1 Whisk all the above to combine.

Asian radish salad Ingredients white radish cut into ribbons black, red and green radish cut into circles. black sesame seeds Method 1 Cut white radish into ribbons and other radishes into circles.

Plum puree Method 1 Halve and destone plums, then place cut side down on a tray, sprinkle over castor sugar and cover with foil. Roast until completely soft.

2 Blend to a fine puree and pass through a sieve.

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To assemble dish Ingredients 2 poussin breasts 2 poussin drumsticks 25ml cooking liquor 45g mixed radish 15ml vinaigrette 2 pieces of crispy skin 25ml plum puree

Method 1 In a pan, bring the cooking liquor to boil and stir in a small knob of butter. Add the poussin and baste in the glaze until hot throughout.

2 Dress and season the radish salad and pile neatly in the centre of a plate. Place the breast to one side of the salad and the drumstick the other side. Dot plum puree around the plate and finish with crispy skin on top of the salad.

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / face to face

The view from Kuwait Back in 1980, the Radisson Blu in Kuwait City was the first Carlson Rezidor property to open outside Scandinavia. It was the local place to be. Now, after a multim-million dollar refit, the hotel now rebranded as Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait is addressing a changing market. Melanie Mingas speaks to Rezidor’s Area Executive Chef, David Harnois, about the new look F&B approach.

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face to face / CHEFS

F

rench chef Harnois has worked for Radisson for over a dozen years, with spells on Yas Island and an earlier period in Kuwait from 2003-7. Now he has been tasked with the implementation of food and drink initiatives and concepts; the enhancement of culinary delivery in restaurants; culinary training and procurement liaison as well as contributing to increased departmental profitability.

Talk us through the local dining market.

Kuwatis do not cook! They go out every night and perhaps they will stay in one night a week. The approach is quite European and anybody who lives here will go out at least three times a week.

There is a huge mix of standalone restaurants and hotel restaurants. On this beachfront strip there are probably around 100 different places to eat, including the hotels. In addition to that there are a lot of events that we specialise in at this hotel, hosted on the Al-Hashemi-II, the world's largest wooden dhow, that can seat up to 800 people for a banquet. It stayed open during the renovations.

And, of course, we also do outside catering.

Grilled asparagus, poached egg, shallots and tomato Ingredients 5 asparagus spears 1 egg 25g butter 15ml white vinegar 50ml extra virgin olive oil 1 ripe vine tomato 35g shallots, minced 5g parsley, minced 1 clove garlic 1 anchovy caper berries, to taste salt and pepper 1 slice of white bread

Method 1 Blanch asparagus and grill slightly.

2 Poach egg in water with a drop of vinegar and salt for two minutes. At the same time sauté the shallots with half a garlic clove, chop anchovy, a little spoon of olive oil and caper berries. Toss slightly ,add the chop tomato and asparagus, then cook in a pan for a few minutes on medium. Add salt, pepper and butter. If needed, add a spoon of vegetable broth to thin the sauce.

3 Toast the bread and then rub garlic into it and drizzle a drop of olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve on a warm plate with asparagus and poached egg on top of the bread, drizzled with the sauce.

Of course, renovations are a great time to refresh F&B offerings. What did you want to achieve?

We started working on the hotel about a year ago and created all the menus. Some of them were already in place, at restaurants like the Chinese, Peacock, which is very popular and so the menu didn't change. In fact, we didn't need to change it. What I have worked on is the modernisation of what we had before because the hotel modernised.

It was really working on bringing in quality products, simple cooking because I don't believe in complicated dishes and nice presentation. Kuwait in general needs some rejuvenation and the local market here is becoming more modern. But modern doesn't mean less on the plate, it means a better quality product.

Does Kuwaiti cuisine make it onto restaurant menus?

There is a Kuwaiti cuisine but it's something that is made in the home. It's not a cuisine but a way of life and it's something that you bring to the table. There are certain traditional dishes, but it's how you eat them and who you eat them with. It's convivial - a lot of fish, a lot of lamb, rice, that's what it is.

“I think the new trend is going back to real food. The fancy food thing is finished. Now food is all about good taste, convivial experiences and good atmosphere. To me that's the most important change. The five star dining thing is finished and you can see the increase in the number of delis and other such places so that will more and more be important.” www.cpimediagroup.com

January 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / face to face

So what is your approach?

Here we‚'e creating an international experience across a number of different dining destinations.

We have a Chinese restaurant, we have a steak and seafood restaurant, which is a little more in line with the Kuwait tradition because we do everything on a charcoal barbeque. Nothing fancy, but good quality fish, meat, grilled, simple garnish.

You come also for the atmosphere of the place.

All day dining is modernised but we also need to cater to all the different nationalities. We have a lot of Arabic, European and American guests, but also a lot of Asian, so balancing that is the challenge. But then again we keep it simple with good ingredients. Also, the guest can touch into the other cuisines.

Any challenges in sourcing high quality produce?

It's an international supply chain, as there's not a lot growing here! It’s the same as other GCC countries - we bring fish from France, meat is from the US, vegetables come from Egypt and Lebanon.

It's no secret but we are very lucky. The availability and range of produce has evolved a lot.

Um Ali Ingredients 400g ready-made puff pastry or croissants 75g raisins 75g postachios, roughly chopped 100g cashews, chopped 4 cups milk ¬Ω cup cream 1 cup white sugar 2 tsp vanilla essence or bean 5g cinnamon powder 300g whipped fresh cream Method 1 Roll the puff pastry and cut this into few pieces. Place on a tray and bake in a hot oven, 200-220C, until cooked 2 Butter an ovenproof dish. Divide each

3

4 5

puff piece in half lengthways to form two layers. Place a layer of puff into this dish, braking pieces of puff to fit the base of the dish. Top the puff with some raisins and nuts and continue until the dish is full. Ensure even distribution of nuts and raisins between the puff layers.

Bring the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to the boil and then pour over the puff pastry and lay the top with whipped cream and bake at 180C until browned on the top - about 30 minutes.

Serve hot with whipped cream if needed.

Very similar to a bread and butter pudding.

Note: Leftover croissants from breakfast service can be substituted for the puff pastry amount, if desired.

What is the favourite dish on the hotel’s new menu?

Number 95 - the diced beef at Peacock! We have worked on everything but I like simple things.

I don't like to mix too much. Salads should be simple, no funny presentation. The quality should speak for itself. Mozzarella salad is a basic dish so sourcing that mozzarella - and it has to be the real thing - is crucial. For example, when we bring in products from Italy I will source the authentic product. When sourcing from France I only use certain markets. We specialise on the meat and we don't use a huge variety but what we do use has to be the right product.

Is staffing an issue for you here?

We probably retained about 50% of the staff

The hotel’s favourite dish: Diced beef at Peacock.

from prior to the renovation because we were still running the events and banqueting, but the recruitment of the rest of the team wasn't a challenge. I think we are very lucky in this part of the world because at the end of the day it's about how you recruit also. I do not recruit on knowledge, I recruit on personality. I want somebody who may be more of a challenge, but is able to develop into the skilled chef I need.

You can teach anything apart from personality.

What is your top F&B trend for 2014?

For Rezidor the big thing is going to be children's menus. We have a lot of families travelling but everybody forgets about the kids' menus.

Are we talking organic, nutrition-based, separate dining areas?

It's going to be much more fun for them. Perhaps a lot less traditional. New flavours. I've learnt a lot from watching children of different nationalities here. Asian children for example are so much more open to flavours. They can have a spicy curry, noodles, rice, pizza, pasta. For them it's all the

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The Pro Chef Middle East / January 2014

same. A European child will not eat a curry. You have to call broccoli green trees! But it's important to start developing the tastes for children and it's definitely going to be a focus point at this particular hotel and across the region, but it's still in the planning stages. I'm a parent myself and we have our own people and we have a lot of guys who, when they start travelling with their children, they realise how bad it is. You go to a hotel and you get a piece of paper to colour, two pencils - one usually broken - and you‚'l get your spaghetti, burger, pizza. It's all carbohydrates. And you have parents that choose the pizza for their own convenience, but if you engage the child in what they are eating we can bring new flavours to them and educate children. But I think the new trend is going back to real food. The fancy food thing is finished. Now food is all about good taste, convivial experiences and good atmosphere. To me that's the most important change. The five star dining thing is finished and you can see the increase in the number of delis and other such places so that will more and more be important.

www.cpimediagroup.com

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LEISURE / the last word

What are you cooking in 2014?

We wish you a happy and successful year and we're preparing for our two year anniversary next month...

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The Pro Chef Middle East / January 2014

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