The Pro Chef Middle East - March Issue, 2014

MIDDLE EAST ISSUE 25 MARCH 2014

GULFOOD 2014 | CAJUN CUISINE | AUTHENTIC MENUS | FOOD CARVING | THE MALDIVES | FRUIT JUICES

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Contents

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16

26

44

UP FRONT

FEATURES

CHEFS

LEISURE

02

EDITORIAL Confused and alarmed? You will be when you hear what’s on this outlet’s ‘real’ Italian menu!

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26

44

TRAVEL Off to the Maldives for relaxation and a taste of the islands’ early fusion cuisine.

04

OUT AND ABOUT Busy, busy, busy! This month’s there’s been Gourmet Abu Dhabi, Gulfood, Dubai Food Carnival and Yannick Alléno bewing up a storm at a special Nespresso dinner. Plus a gathering of the judges for Taste New Zealand 2014.

48

THE LAST WORD Norwegian tableware company Figgjo is becoming known for its imaginative designs and is a large exporter, with 40% of its production being sold outside the country, including the Middle East.

14

THE EGGS FACTOR What exactly does Bateaux Dubai’s newChef de Cuisine Raydan Abou Mahd have in his fridge?

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22

ROUND TABLE A key trend we foreee for 2014 is the rise of the authentic restaurant with chefs able finally - to honestly present the true food of their native cuisines. A good handful of chefs discuss the issues involved.

PRODUCT FOCUS Summer approaches and a healthier approach to our diets is in the air - a perfect storm for the juice market.

FACE TO FACE We talk to Chefs Jeffrey Whitfield from new delight Cravin’ Cajun and Eric Meloche who is driving through an F&B refurb at Ritz-Carlton Dubai.

34

KITCHEN SKILLS Ever wanted to try your hand at Thai food carving. Dusit Thani Dubai’s Chef Wannapa Yensiri shows off her kitchen artistry.

36

RECIPE CORNER Secrets of Italian, Indian, English and Mexican dishes from Rixos the Palm Dubai, MAHEC at Le Meridien Dubai, The Reform Club and Tortuga in Mina A’ Salam.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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UP FRONT / editors letter

Keeping it real A major emphasis for F&B this year will be authenticity, which I think is good both for chefs (they can focus and show off) and diners (they can enjoy more interesting food).

In fact, I spent last year frequently boring my friends and anyone who would listen that it really should be possible to eat regional Italian food that holds true to Italian culinary traditions. So that might mean a restaurant serving the food of Venice or Rome; it would certainly mean an end to the non-Italian practice of mixing pasta and pizza on the same menu.

CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA CEO NADEEM HOOD COO GINA O’HARA

I was excited then when Chef Claudio Melis reopened Vu’s in Emirates Towers as Alta Badia, with a strong Tuscan theme; even more so when he was appointed Executive Italian Chef for Jumeirah, with a remit to revamp all the group’s Italian outlets.

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DAVE REEDER dave@cpidubai.com M: +971 55 105 3773

And then, well, then a delivery menu popped through my door. I won’t give the company any publicity, merely note that it has four branches, has been around for some time and has an identity that fairly screams Italian - the national colours are everywhere on the menu, which is where things start to go wrong.

GROUP DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL PAUL GODFREY

The pasta section begins normally enough with Spaghetti Bolognese and Macaroni al forno and then lurches rapidly into the nightmare of mashed up cuisines that is so typical of Dubai, with Macaroni chicken tandoori. Starters range from the expected Garlic bread to Vegetable samosas. Seafood dishes appear to have no link at all with Italy - anyone for Tempura prawns? But it’s the chicken pizzas that will have you wishing to claw out your own eyes: fancy Bombay or Fajita deluxe chicken pizzas?

This is madness, pure and simple. Yes, I get that not everybody wants to eat handmade pizza using heirloom tomatoes and fresh organic herbs. I get that many people in Dubai are very price sensitive. I get that families or friends don’t always want to eat the same food. But Bombay chicken pizza? Really?

Sadly this is the backgound against which any restaurant promoting autheticity has to work, a world of muddled thinking in which ‘if we provide enough choices then everybody will want to eat something off the menu’ replaces the simplicity and honesty of Italian food.

What Italians make of this destruction of their national cuisine I have no idea. At least when Italian and Chinese food went through major changes in the USA, they at least evolved into what can arguably be called regional variants. This is the equivalent of going to a Chinese restaurant and being offered Cebiche and chips. Just horrible.

GROUP MANAGING EDITOR MELANIE MINGAS melanie.mingas@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 56 758 7834 EDITOR DAVE REEDER ASSISTANT EDITOR SOPHIE MCCARRICK sophie.mccarrick@cpimediagroup.com D: +971 4 440 9150 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 / out and about

Capital dining The annual Gourmet Abu Dhabi culinary festival, which ran across more than 20 of the city's finest restaurants, was opened by a gala dinner and closed with a host of awards.

Hailed by the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper as amongst the world's Top Six gourmet festivals, the sixth annual Gourmet Abu Dhabi festival broke all records and saw a host of top chefs from worldwide working alongside Abu Dhabi-based culinary champions.

The opening ceremony at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, attended by the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, HE Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, saw nine of the event's masterchef cast come together.

These were the USA's Christopher Kostow; Italy's Marco Sacco; South Korea's Edward Kwon; Australia's Russell Blaikie; Denmark's Henrik Yde Andersen; Britain's Michael Caines; India's Sanjeev Kapoor; French master patissier, Fabrice David; and the UAE's very own celebrity Chef Khulood Atiq.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

The festival, which ran from February 4th19th then saw a cast of Michelin-star chefs and special guests, master classes, industry insights and themed dinners hosted at the UAE capital's finest restaurants, culminating in an 'Oscar-style' gala dinner in the newly-opened The St Regis Abu Dhabi to honour the capital’s own gourmet stars.

The awards were decided by on-line public voting and final assessment by an expert judging panel with almost 5,000 nominations being received - a 71% increase on last year - with the honours seeing a 21% jump in the final public voting round.

Winners of the 2014 Gourmet Abu Dhabi awards were: t The BBC Good Food Middle East Best Sustainability Practice: Yas Island Rotana t Abu Dhabi Media Award For The Best Use of Local Produce: Chef Sunil Dutt, Ushna, Souk Qary'at Al Beri t The Motivate Regional Cuisine Restaurant Manager Of The Year: GV Maneeshdev, Rangoli, Yas Island Rotana t The A Ronai Restaurant Manager Of The Year: Alena Chaika, 18 Degrees, Hyatt Capital Gate t The Acqua Panna & San Pellegrino Restaurant Chef Of the Year: Cyril Calmet, Bord Eau, Shangrila Qary'at Al Beri

MOVING IN? Michael Caines, the British chef named by The Sunday Times as the UK's No: 1 chef, says the UAE capital is now on his future openings agenda. Caines, who was awarded the MBE for his services to the hospitality industry, says his first visit to the UAE capital for Gourmet Abu Dhabi opened his eyes to real opportunities.

t The Valrhona Pastry Chef Of The Year: Jocelyne Fallait, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi t The Sub-Zero & Wolf Food & Beverage Manager Of The Year: Romain Mejecaze, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal t Restaurant Host Of The Year: Soukainia Sagouti, Mezlai, Emirates Palace t Regional Cuisine Chef Of The Year: Wafaei A Zaham, Atayeb, Yas Viceroy t Regional Cuisine Restaurant Of The Year: Mezlai, Emirates Palace t Restaurant Of The Year: Brasserie Angelique, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers t Executive Chef Of The Year: Cladys Magagna, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

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UP FRONT / out and about

The world’s largest!

With an eye on healthy food as well as healthy revenues, this year’s Gulfood saw 4,500 exhibitors descend on Dubai World Trade Centre for the ďŹ ve day trade event and awards. The show featured a record amount of exhibition space and saw hundreds of new product launches with both innovation and health at the forefront of business.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

Now at its 19th edition in 2014, Gulfood has established a position as the world's largest annual food and hospitality show. The trade-only show hosted by the Dubai World Trade Centre features local, regional and international exhibitors with unmatched expertise, as the agship event in its food show portfolio: The Speciality Food Festival, Sweets & Snacks Middle East and SEAFEX.

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Gulfood 2014 was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, highlighting the importance and stature of the world‚Äôs biggest annual food and hospitality industry trade show. It then welcomed tens of thousands of trade visitors from around the world on its opening day with a record 113,398m² in exhibition space and 4,500 companies from 120 countries participating.

This year's record participation at Gulfood comes as Dubai's position as the regional hub for hospitality, trade and tourism is accelerated by the Emirate's conďŹ rmed hosting of the World Expo in 2020, which is fuelling further market growth opportunities for the global food services industry,â€? said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior VP of DWTC. “Gulfood has grown consistently over the last 27 years to become a signiďŹ cant driver for global food and beverage markets and is a key enabler in Dubai's status as an international events destination and trading hub."

And the inaugural World Food Security Summit - a Gulfood Leaders Event - welcomed over 300 high-ranking ministers, industry thought leaders, government representatives and sector-speciďŹ c visionaries, to address the importance of securing a stable, cost-effective and safe supply of food for

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out and about / UP FRONT

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the world's growing population.

Highlighting Dubai's position as a primary global trading hub for the international halal food industry, Gulfood welcomed hundreds of the world's leading halal manufacturers, processors and distributors from over 50 countries convening at the ďŹ rst Halal World Food, establishing a

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market-leading position as the world's biggest annual halal food sourcing trade show.

Leading local, regional and international companies and brands participating at Gulfood included Almarai, NestlĂŠ, PreGel, Sunbullah, Nadiya, Transmead, RAK Porcelain, Del Monte, Manitowoc, IFFCO, HSA, Agthia, Truebell, Chef Middle East, Choitrams and EMKE Group.

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March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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UP FRONT / out and about

It’s carnival time!

Attracting thousands of families over two days at Dubai Festival City, the inaugural Dubai Food Carnival - the opening instalment of the 23-day Dubai Food Festival - was dubbed a first-class success‚ by organisers, participating masterchefs, entertainers and members of the public.

New this year, the Dubai Food Festival was created to celebrate and enhance Dubai's position as the gastronomy capital of the region and included Taste of Dubai, Gulfood and the inaugural editions of the Dubai Food Carnival and The Big Grill.

"The inaugural Dubai Food Carnival was a fantastic opening event for the first Dubai Food Festival and demonstrated, once again, why Dubai is known for hosting engaging consumer events that the entire family can enjoy," said HE Laila

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

Mohammad Suhail, CEO, Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment. "The turn-out was really impressive and the diversity of nationalities that attended reflects the organisers' success in carefully chosen components to attract Dubai's multinational community."

Dubai's largest outdoor family event offered visitors a fresh concept in 'gastro-tainment', with food-meeting-entertainment giving families the opportunity to taste international dishes, learn culinary tips from global and celebrity masterchefs and enjoy a host of international entertainment acts.

Carnival-goers enjoyed a number of cooking and eating contests, including the 'Beat the Heat' chili-flavoured chicken wing-eating contest and the 'Little Green Fingers' competition which challenged school students to grow produce.

Other events included 'My Dad Can Cook', which saw selected dads and children compete to impress Chef Uwe Micheel of Radisson Blu, Dubai Deira Creek and take home prizes and the 'Great Yalla BBQ', which saw 16 teams from different nations compete in four 'King of the Grill' heats to decide the UAE's top barbecuing nation.

International celebrity Chef Silvena Rowe also created a pop up restaurant, which was a sell out for all four services. “It is staggering and I am very

"I have been living in the UAE for 21 years and during this time Dubai has never ceased to amaze me. It is always trying to do something new to attract people to the city and the Dubai Food Carnival is no exception.”

- Chef Uwe Micheel, Director of Kitchens at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek and President of the Emirates Culinary Guild. delighted by this response. Dubai Food Carnival is an ideal platform for me to promote my organicthemed cuisines based almost entirely locally sourced ingredients,” she said. “I strongly believe you are what you eat, so 98% of my food will be local and organic, there will be no oil, no fat."

Plans for her restaurant 'Omnia by Silvena', to open in Dubai, are progressing quickly..

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UP FRONT / out and about

A taste of coffee To mark the launch of its first single origin Grand Cru originating from Africa - or, more strictly, from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee - Nespresso paired with French celebrity chef Yannick Alléno to provide a gastronomic event that combined his culinary talents with the sublety of Grand Cru coffees from Nespresso.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

Bukeela is a new blend of two exceptional Arabicas. The first is a washed Arabica from the Sidama region, where coffee beans have been grown in gardens for generations providing the source of its delicate floral notes that hint at jasmine; the second is an Arabica that thrives more naturally, deep in the thousand year old forests of the lush western provinces of Ethiopia. Sundried and unwashed, these coffee beans take on a profound, wild taste.

It joins a number of other pure origin Grands Crus, each with subtle refined characters typical of country of origin: Dulsao from Brasil, Indriya from India and Rosabaya from Colombia. All four of the Nespresso Grands Crus are sourced from the top 1-2% of the world’s coffee.

Chef Yannick Alléno is a well-known face in Dubai, having a strong relationship with One&Only.

He is renowned and recognised as a chef across the world, being honoured with the highest accolades.

His strength and energy are drawn from his parents who ran a bistro and from a list of mentors including Manuel Martinez at Louis XIII. A determined perfectionist, he is both precise and creative. His credo for the last 25 years has been to reinvent traditional dishes in surprising ways, in his own style, creating an exceptional cuisine.

He has recently further developed his work

by exploring new avenues, namely extraction.

This involves starting from the raw ingredients then dissecting, analysing and extracting the very essence from them. His approach has led him to view coffee as a key ingredient in cooking and his encounter with Nespresso has bolstered this belief.

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Chef Competition United Arab Emirates, 2014 Do you have a desire to push culinary boundaries?

Are you open to experimenting with new ingredients?

Would you like to win an all-expenses paid business and leisure trip to New Zealand to experience the country’s food, lifestyle and culture?

Here is your chance New Zealand Trade and Enterprise invites all UAE-based chefs to enter the 2014 Taste New Zealand Chef Competition.

For more information about the competition, including how to enter, visit www.nzte.govt.nz/TasteNZ The Taste New Zealand Chef Competition is open to all senior chefs over 21 years of age, based in the UAE.

UP FRONT / out and about

Food and more More than 250 exhibitors and 18,000 buyers and trade professionals are expected in Beirut for HORECA, the annual hospitality and food mega-event running from April 1st to 4th at BIEL.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

HORECA is heating up and almost 15,000 square metres of product offerings are expected, in addition to inspirational culinary, business and innovation activities. HORECA 2014 is almost fully booked, with a staggering 80% booking three months before the show. As well as exhibitors from Lebanon, many from Poland, Italy, France, Holland, Jordan, Iran and Turkey are expected.

The show is expected to surpass expectations as a key point of convergence for the region's food and hospitality sector. The growth in attendance and exhibits year-after-year and the realisation of new offerings positions HORECA as a one-of-a kind event, gathering industry leaders together to advance interests and build on past successes.

∙ Education ∙ International Pavilions

HORECA 2014 will include: ∙ Catering Equipment ∙ Packaging and Labelling ∙ Interiors ∙ Hygiene ∙ Techzone ∙ Pastry and Bakery ∙ Food ∙ Beverage ∙ Coffee and Tea ∙ Consultancy ∙ Recruitment and Franchise

In addition, there are a variety of special pavilions and events including: ∙ The Lebanese Barista Competition - a new competition for Lebanese baristas to battle to be the best in the country. ∙ Wine and Beverage Lab with daily workshops and wine tasting sessions by experts. ∙ Librairie Gourmande with the latest book releases and an array of culinary references launched. ∙ The Annual Hospitality Forum where hospitality and food service leaders gather for a series of conferences and workshops.

In addition a variety of competitions and live demonstrations will bring together large numbers of chefs: ∙ The Hospitality Salon Culinaire with 200 participants and 12 international judges. ∙ The Art of Service Competition with 100 participants and 10 judges from hospitality universities and 5-star hotel F&B managers. ∙ The National Extra Virgin Oil Competition with 50 olive oil producers and eight international olive oil expert judges. ∙ The Atelier Gourmand with celebrity chefs.

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out and about / UP FRONT

Samantha Wood, Andy Campbell, Reif Othman, Jessie Kirkness Parker and Steve Jones. Michael Kitts was unable to attend the launch.

Here come the judges!

Taste New Zealand 2014, the annual chef competition organised

by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, has been officially launched. The competition is part of New Zealand's drive to reinforce trade ties with the UAE food and drink sector and invites professional chefs working in the UAE to enter.

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New Zealand is getting set to showcase the best of its food produce in the UAE with the second annual Taste New Zealand competition for professional chefs, which launched recently at Zuma. Organised

by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the New Zealand Government's international business development agency, the competition aims to raise awareness of the diversity and quality of New Zealand food and drink products.

Taste New Zealand is open to all professional chefs based in the UAE and challenges them to create imaginative dishes that showcase New Zealand produce at its best - including seafood, red meat, dairy and specialty products such as honey.

The competition will culminate in a final cook-off on Saturday 26th April in front of a judging panel of some of the best known names in UAE food circles who will judge the chefs on their ability to turn New Zealand ingredients into exciting cuisine.

The confirmed judges are: Reif Othman, Executive Chef, Zuma; Michael Kitts, Director of Culinary Arts, The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management; celebrity chef Andy Campbell; Samantha Wood, founder of the FooDiva blog; Jessie Kirkness Parker, food writer and consultant; and New Zealand Trade Commissioner and ConsulGeneral, Steve Jones.

"Our inaugural Taste New Zealand competition

last year was a huge success, giving chefs the opportunity to experiment and get creative with the wide variety of ingredients that New Zealand offers," said Steve Jones. "We have made a few changes to this year's competition and we hope the 2014 competition will be even bigger. This year, finalists will be given a range of New Zealand ingredients to develop one plate in one hour, truly testing their creativity and ability show off New Zealand ingredients and really wow the judges.

New Zealand has a strong trade relationship with the UAE, particularly in the food sector, which accounted for 87% of the value of the top 20 exports from New Zealand to the UAE in 2013.

Events like Taste New Zealand mark the growing presence of New Zealand companies across the UAE's professional food sector and the investment that we are making into raising the profile of our varied food and drink produce."

Chefs can register their interest in the competition at www.nzte.govt.nz/TasteNZ. To enter the competition, chefs will be required to submit a pre-qualifying recipe using New Zealand ingredients. Ten finalists will go on to the final cook-off on 26th April and the winner will be announced at a BBQ cocktail dinner that same day.

The winner will receive a trip to New Zealand to experience first-hand the country.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

13

UP FRONT / the eggs factor

Cooking on the water Newly appointed as Chef de Cuisine on Dubai’s own floating restaurant, Bateaux Dubai, Lebanese Chef Raydan Abou Mahdi. It’s a long trip from his mother’s kitchen that’s seen him cater for the Dubai World Cup, various Royal weddings and numerous dignitaries such as Ban Ki-Moon. And in his fridge?

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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the eggs factor / UP FRONT

B

ack in Bater, a small village in Lebanon, Raydan Abou Mahdi watched his mother expertly cook food for the entire family.

Intrigued, by age 14, he was cooking for his family and friends, soon gaining the nickname 'Masterchef'.

Training at Shouf Technical College was followed by a brief spell with a specialty restaurant in Lebanon, before he moved to Jumeirah as an apprentice cook where he was part of a team that managed daily operations including the region’s first state-of-the-art conference centre with a capacity of 5,000 and an array of smaller venues.

The Dubai World Cup and various Royal weddings followed before, aged 22, he became a Sous Chef with Empire Chefs Catering Services, managing a brigade of 45 chefs and assisting in pre-opening preparations.

After that, he worked with Starwood and Moevenpick Hotels before joining ADNEC in 2011 as Executive Chef, overseeing F&B for several restaurants and banqueting facilities that included 19 capital suites, two ballrooms and 12 halls. He also found time to create the Camel meat pizza.

Raydan was invited back to Empire Chefs Catering where he had the opportunity to cater

to local dignitaries from HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and HE Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein to international stars such as Naomi Campbell and Michael Jackson and from local celebrities such as Hussein Al Jasmi, Nancy Ajram and Mohammed Bin Sulayem to international dignitaries such as Ban Ki-Moon.

At the end of last year, he joined the luxury fine dining cruise Bateaux Dubai delivering a freshly prepared four-course à la carte dinner every evening to diners on Dubai Creek.

But what’s in his fridge at home?

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FEATURES / roundtable

Keeping it real A welcome new initiative in R&B is delivery on authenticity, based on chefs producing the real food of their culture with quality ingredients and minimum ground given to diners who ask for dishes that don’t ďŹ t the vision. We gathered a selection of chefs from different cultures to discuss the opportunities and the challenges.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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roundtable / FEATURES

L

et’s start from an obvious point why are there so few truly authentic restaurants in a city so over-supplied with outlets like Dubai?

Marta Yanci: I think clearly that the problem lies with diners. Yes, they’re learning more about food but when they think Mexican they think fajitas, when they think Italian they think pizza and pasta, when they think Spanish they think paella.

Tomas Reger: Of course, having so many people from so many different countries makes things harder.

Willi Elsener: I think you find this everywhere and it’s driven from the industry side by the commercials - you alienate customers if your food is too specific. However, the more people travel, the more things will change. I found that especially in the Far East, where very traditional items are still part of the everyday diet. You go there with your own taste profile and someone offers you snake soup - you shiver at the thought , but the taste is fantastic! We all have preconceived ideas about food and afterwards, when we’ve tried something new, all too often we think ‘If only I had known before.’. I remember my first visit to Sri Lanka when I found the food very spicy which limited what I ate, but your palate grows as you travel.

Reger: I work a fair bit in Beirut and there’s a little Vietnam there. The whole community approaches food as a pleasure and with open minds, so they’ll eat every part of an animal. I think an open mind is important although we all love comfort food because it comes from our culture.

Yanci: I love clients who trust me enough to put themselves into my hands and will give anything a try. I believe we’re moving towards a change.

Gilles Perrin: I think that you are right that it will take time. Look at our clientele in Atlantis - they go to Locatelli’s restaurant and expect pizza and pasta to be both on the menu. But would he do that in his London restaurant? No way!

Elsener: As I was saying, it’s the commercial side.

Yanci: That’s the pressure you face in a hotel, I think. In my case, I can say ‘This is what I do!’ - if people ask for sandwiches or salads, I say ‘No, that is not what I do. There are other places for that. Try my food instead.’

So how do you deliver an authentic experience based on your cuisine rather than on customer expectations?

Elsener: You have to start by being true to your vision.

Yanci: Yes, I have that luxury.

Elsener: I remember 30 years ago at The Dorchester, we decide to make our Chinese outlet, Oriental, into a Cantonese restaurant but with reference to the English palate, so no chicken feet, for example! We were the first to stop using MSG and were able to use that as a selling tool.

Francesco Guarracino: I joined BiCE Mare two years ago and was told we had to have dishes like Caesar salad or pasta Alfredo on the menu. What were these dishes? I had never heard of them they weren’t Italian but people asked for them.

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March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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FEATURES / roundtable

So we made some changes and I worked with my young chefs who came from different regions of Italy to put different dishes on the menu. Making a change is about how brave you are - I could have lost my job and the restaurant was quiet at the start but as we started to offer the food we believed in, the food we - as chefs and Italians liked so we got more business. Did we lose some customers? Yes, but like Marta I told them that if they wanted spaghetti Alfredo then it was better for them to go somewhere else and pay less for it.

Carlos Hannon: They say Caesar salad was invented in Mexico!

Guarracino: So now I have a new change. I offer people ‘leave it to Francesco’. For a group, I’ll talk to them about food and their likes then create something unique, a menu just for them. Those dishes won’t be offered to anyone else. Yes, it’s hard work and you couldn’t run a whole service like that but our job is about passion. Now, if I make the revenue then I can make the menu as I want to.

Reger: Showing your personality on the plate is always a good concept for a chef.

Carmine Pecoraro: Yet there will sometimes be corporate guidelines to follow, of course.

Perrin: I think it’s great for a small restaurant but it wouldn’t work with, say, 200 covers.

Guarracino: Maybe for VIPs or a chef’s table...

Reger: Though some chefs can work at a much higher scale. I remember reading that Vongerichten’s Jean Georges restaurant in New York City has 600 covers a day. For a 3-star, that’s very interesting to see how it performs at that level.

What is stopping more chefs from following their vision?

Yanci: Chefs need to be given the opportunity to do their own thing. I’ve seen too many people working on the same dishes for three years who are then just burnt out.

Guarracino: To be authentic with a real vision can be very expensive to achieve.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

“Someone will come in and ask for something TexMex, for example. I’ll say to them, ‘Let me show you my heritage instead. If you don’t like the food, then I’ll cook what you want and won’t charge you.’”

- Chef Carlos Hannon

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FEATURES / roundtable

Carlos Hannon: For me, with authenticity you need to take a risk and the most important question to ask is whether you can source the right ingredients. We need to fight for our cuisines and our cultures, because the battle will always be between what is machine made and what is hand made. Will this cost more money? For sure, quality costs. However, for me, what is important is my memories of my grandmother’s dishes and flavours.

Whenever she coooked, you wanted to go into the kitchen and that feeling is what I’m trying to create here. Of course, we need to keep a balance - we are in business.

How do you carry customers forward with you?

Hannon: Do you mean, do we need to educate our guests? Yes we do and I do it this way. Someone will come in and ask for something Tex-Mex, for example. I’ll say to them, ‘Let me show you my heritage instead. If you don’t like the food, then I’ll cook what you want and won’t charge you.’

Has anyone eaten free yet?

Hannon: No! At the end, as chefs we’re here to create an experience. We have a passion for food to share and, yes, that may be tough, it may be a challenge and it may be complicated.

Guarracino: It’s my belief that good food will fill

up the restaurant even though every single guest is different.

Let’s talk about produce. It seems to an outsider that the more authentic you want your restaurant to be, the harder it becomes to source the correct ingredients. Is that true?

Yanci: Supplies are improving more and more. I remember that I’d return every time from Spain with 40 cans of piquillo peppers in my luggage and I’d ask all my friends coming over to do the same!

Now, suppliers are responding as demand grows but quality remains a problem. I think what we have to do is be as authentic as we can be given where we are.

Hannon: At the beginning, suppliers were trying to give me canned tuna instead of fresh, claiming I’d have to pay more for fresh. Okay, no problem.

Suppliers need volume orders to change how they do business. I think they also need to come and taste our food - I noticed a change after that because then they understood the difference the right ingredients make.

Perrin: At the end of the day, we have to fight for what we want on the plate. Look, even if we look at French food which is well known, there are lots of unknown products and for those also we have to teach our customers and our staff. Yes, we also have an issue in the kitchen with junior members

“I love clients who trust me enough to put themselves into my hands and will give anything a try. I believe we’re moving towards a change.”

- Chef Marta Yanci

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

of the brigade moving on and so a general lack of knowledge, but Commis and Chefs de Partie should be with us to learn. If we treat them right, they will stay forever.

I remember hearing last year that Pierre Gagnaire has a real staff problem at his eponymous restaurant in Paris - his staff refuse to leave! He has to beg them to move on with their careers...

Yanci: I insist that three chefs taste every dish. A real issue is that many chefs never try the food they make.

Pecoraro: On the other hand, some guys are happy doing the same job for ten years.

Yanci: Then I don’t want them on my team.

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roundtable / FEATURES

Elsener: A lot of companies do nurture their staff and there are a great many chefs very passionate about their culture. For me, there are wider issues here: how many Executive Chefs, for example, go to the local markets? Many of them don’t even meet with their own suppliers.

Guarracino: I’ve tried, many times to go to the fish market but the result is the same every time.

The problem is not the size or the quantity of the fish but the fact I’m mentally blocked because I have less experience of these fish. Sure, many. products have a different taste to what I’m used to but I have tried. I take dishes off the menu if I can’t get the right product - the locally made buffalo mozarella, I don’t think it’s good so if my supplies from Italy are not here then I don’t serve. The main

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product of any dish has to be good.

So, are we optimistic about the future?

Hannon: Many people don’t understand traditional dishes, but we’re here to fight for our credibility and our cultures.

Pecoraro: Chefs need to cook from the heart to stay true to their roots. There’s no alternative and if that isn’t true for you, then don’t be a chef. It’s as Carlos said, ‘Don’t ask for Tex-Mex but trust me and my food’. Do that and loyal customers will come again and again and spread the word.

Yanci: One thing to remember is that you need to go to the tables to talk about your food. If guests see you and interract with you, then they know your food is authentic.

Our thanks to Chef Hannon and the team at Tortuga for hosting this round tabler. If you’d like to be part of a future discussion, please e-mail dave@cpidubai.com

Reger: Absolutely. Honesty works.

Pecoraro: It’s about reputation and how you build it.

Elsener: In Dubai, if a restaurant is new then people are interested and go to try it. If it’s good, however, then they’ll tell their friends.

Hannon: That’s the best marketing.

Elsener: Critically, however, when you open you’d better be 100% ready. People want the whole package.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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FEATURES / product focus

While competition in the fruit juice market broadens, established brands believe there is still room for growth in the industry as consumption in the Middle East continues to rise and a focus on healthy, on-the-go options becomes rife.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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product focus / FEATURES

F

ruit juice as a drink is something many consumers speciďŹ cally relate to breakfast dining or perhaps a healthy alternative to a sugar-loaded, ďŹ zzy drink. However, looking at the developing Gulf region, local and international brands are noticing an increased demand for pure fruit juices from a health-crazed market, as a nutritious, accessible beverage.

Competing against incoming brands and pushing their product in the Middle Eastern market, Del Monte has developed a new marketing concept. It believes today's timepressed, health-conscious consumers are on the look-out for quality products, that are convenient yet healthy solutions while on-the-go.

Del Monte UAE’s General Manager, Oussama Naddy, explains: "The Del Monte brand has launched a new range called Grab ‘n’ Go, which we believe is what the consumer is looking for these days, a wholesome healthy product. Due to demand and in addition to our existing fruit juice ranges, we have also just launched a range of canned juices with pineapple, orange, orangepineapple and four seasons avours, as well as a new range of juices with bits, which come in avours such as mango, orange, pineapple and peach."

Made in Britanny, France, Val de Rance, a newcomer in the Middle Eastern market also agrees that today's market is searching for healthier options. Specialising in apple based fruit juice and spritzed cider, the company prides itself on juice made from high-quality, organic apples.

Nolwenn Ruellan, company export manager said: "In the Gulf we are noticing a gap in the market for halal certiďŹ ed juices as many do not have this. Gluten-free and high-juice content beverages are also in demand. All too often

THE BENEFITS OF FRUIT JUICE Although fruit juice contains naturally occurring sugar, it also provides essential vitamins and nutrients to the consumer. SpeciďŹ c beneďŹ ts include: t 7JUBNJO $ -BSHFMZ QSFTFOU JO NBOZ KVJDFT WJUBNJO $ HFOFSPVTMZ DPOUSJCVUFT UP UIF maintenance of healthy skin, cartilage and hair. t $BMDJVN 4PNF KVJDFT BSF GPSUJmFE XJUI UIF NJOFSBM DBMDJVN XIJDI LFFQT CPOFT IFBMUIZ $BMDJVN DBO BMTP IFMQ MPXFS CMPPE QSFTTVSF and reduce risks of cardiovascular disease. t 1PUBTTJVN %SJOLJOH QPUBTTJVN SJDI KVJDF DBO IFMQ LFFQ CMPPE QSFTTVSF MPX BOE QSFWFOU osteoporosis. t # WJUBNJOT +VJDF DPOUBJOJOH # WJUBNJOT DBO IFMQ SFEVDF SJTL PG BHF SFMBUFE NFNPSZ MPTT t 'PMBUF +VJDFT XJUI GPMBUF DPOUSJCVUF UP UIF QSPEVDUJPO PG TFSPUPOJO XIJDI IFMQT XBSE PGG depression. t %SJOLJOH OBUVSBM GSVJU KVJDF UIBU DPOUBJOT BOUJ PYJEBOUT PGGFST XFJHIU MPTT PQQPSUVOJUJFT

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March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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FEATURES / product focus

ALANAASI FANI (PINEAPPLE JUICE) INGREDIENTS ½ (medium sized) pineapple ½ cup sugar (alter to taste) 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp salt 6 cups water (alter for desired consistency of juice) METHOD ∙ 1FFM QJOFBQQMF DIPQ BOE CMFOE XJUI TVHBS BOE POF DVQ PG XBUFS 0ODF CMFOEFE JOUP B TNPPUI UIJDL QVSFF "EE UIF SFNBJOJOH XBUFS BOE CMFOE BHBJO Strain and serve chilled.

FEYRU FANI (GUAVA JUICE) INGREDIENTS 2 ripe guavas ½ cup sugar (optional) 6 cups water (alter for desired consistency of juice) fruit juice brands water down their products and sweeten them with additional sugar, and consumers are unaware that what they are drinking is actually not a real fruit juice. Our aim is to combat that and satisfy our customer by providing refreshing, natural, high-quality juice and sparkling beverages which can be enjoyed any time of day, not just as a breakfast drink."

With a company mission statement of 'the love of fruit is the base for our high quality', Austrian brand Pfanner admits that without top-quality fruit produce, attention to detail and a constant eye on what the consumer wants, fruit juices will not succeed in the current market.

International sales export manager at Pfanner, one of Europe's largest processors of fruits, Markus Vetter explains that the company's main focus is on the processing of apples, pears and red fruits.

"These raw materials are the base for our fruit juices," he said. "We offer a wide range of ready-

to-drink fruit juices, of which only the highest quality ingredients are used to produce a healthy and refreshing drink. We place major attention on quality standards because without this, the techsavvy, knowledgeable consumer of today will not purchase the product.

Vetter adds: "The fruit juices market is ooded, however there are gaps in the industry where I believe attention is needed, such as in the Horeca industry. Here in Dubai especially, this market has a lot of potential following the announcement of Expo 2020, the hoteliers are going to be growing drastically and this is where suppliers need to branch out and supply to the demand. At Pfanner we plan to do this with our gourmet range, which offers premium taste."

In agreement, Jordi Goma, commercial manager of the Spanish fruit juice suppliers Nufri, expresses that "the Middle Eastern market is booming and that's why we are expanding on our marketing here. It's an innovative, growing market with

“The fruit juices market is ooded.

However, there are gaps in the industry where I believe attention is needed, such as in the Horeca industry. Here in Dubai especially this market has a lot of potential following the announcement of Expo 2020.�

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

METHOD ∙ 1FFM HVBWBT DIPQ BOE CMFOE XJUI TVHBS BOE POF DVQ PG XBUFS 0ODF UIF HVBWBT BSF CMFOEFE JOUP B TNPPUI UIJDL QVSFF BEE UIF SFNBJOJOH XBUFS BOE blend again. Strain the juice to remove the seeds.

Serve chilled.

deďŹ nite room from further growth for fruit juices, especially for those juices that offer the health beneďŹ ts that the consumer today is looking for.

We work directly with the farmer to ensure that we know exactly what goes into our product from the moment the fruit is picked, up until it is packaged and sealed."

In recent times, Goma explains that an issue for fruit juice companies has been created by bad press circulating about the product in general, which focuses on the beverage being full of sugar and at times just as bad as soda drinks.

"This may be true in some cases, but speciality brands like ourselves can ensure that what we serve is natural, nutritious and beneďŹ cial to the customer. Fruit juice can be a perfect food supplement for those on-the-go. Orange juice especially is a fantastic source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps a range of health issues, such as arthritis, macular degeneration and more.

It also helps maintain strong bones, reduce blood pressure and alleviate PMS symptoms."

Concluding, he addresses the growth potential for fruit juice in the market is "massive", however that in order for companies to survive they must be equipped with a healthy product that can compete against incoming competitors.

"The fruit juice industry is now faced with an uphill challenge to maintain loyal customers."

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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 / face to face

A major gap in Dubai’s culinary map has been filled with Cravin’ Cajun, an authentic Cajun/ Creole restaurant at Novotel Dubai Al Barsha.

Already popular, Cajun Chef Jeffrey Whitfield is determined to deliver the food he grew up eating and which he loves. Don’t mess with the formula!

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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face to face / CHEFS

T

hink gumbo, think crab cake, think jambalaya and you’re instantly transported to Louisiana. Throw in Bourbon Street pecan pie and beignets and you could only be in N’Orleans, eating against a backdrop of jazz amongst city dwellers who survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

However, according to chef Jeffrey Whitfield, “You don’t need to fly all the way to New Orleans - New Orleans will come straight to you!" The Novotel Dubai Al Barsha seems an unlikely place for the region’s first authentic Cajun restaurant including Creole dishes - but the owner saw real potential and, after a shaky start when the previous chef merely added spices to standard dishes, New Orleans native Whitfield is delivering on real flavour, even if he’s had to be a little light handed with the chilies until Dubai catches up with the true taste of the French quarter.

His career to date has been built on one simple belief: “Put in the time and pay your dues.”

You’re a New Orleans native, right?

Right. I was born there and lived there as a child

until my parents started to move around. My father was an insurance salesman so he could really work anywhere - we went to Chicago, all over. It mean schooling got a bit disrupted but I enjoyed new experiences and new people, but I really understood the mentality of New Orleans and Mardi Gras so that’s where I feel I belong.

How was food as a kid?

Both my mother and grandmother were awesome in the kitchen which made me just want to learn to do what they did. My grandmother, who was born in Biloxi, used to be up at six every morning to make breakfast and I used to help her out. Her food has influences from across the South and my mother cooked everything. I have a brother who’s a financial advisor and a sister in day care, but neither of them can boil an egg!

What was your first cooking job?

Age 15, I got a job with TJ Cinnamon’s, where we make the bakery items from scratch. One day we ran out of pecan paste but I knew my ingredients and could recreate it exactly from the taste. From

that, the owner asked to go and work at the central kitchen and I was earning $12 an hour when I wasn’t in high school. Everything was made from scratch, nothing came from a box or a can. I loved the challenge of learning and was there for about two years, also cooking all the meals at home every weekend. In fact, I’d been doing that since I was old enough to cook. Looking back, I guess I was bound to become a chef.

I also hear that you’re a pretty mean drummer...

Absolutely! I think it’s related because both jobs are about timing. I remember my mother reminding me how, as a child, I’d pull all the pans out of the cupboard and play them like drums. I’d listen to music and imagine drum parts.

Were you ever a professional drummer?

No, but I played with Lauryn Hill some four years back! A friend gave me a call and asked me to fill in for her normal drummer, so I turned up and just played through the rehearsal - I knew her songs so it wasn’t hard. Then she came up and told me to

"If you worry about carbs, don't come here."

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March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / face to face

play exactly like the records, no changes, no fills, just straight up. She also had a problem with part of my kit - it was too loud for her, but it was all I had. Anyway, I did the gig but it wasn’t any real pleasure. My drums are back in the US and I’m missing them.

Back to your story.

Right. I shifted to short order cook at a bar and grill. Real old school style, fast paced but that’s where I really learned up to being the window person calling tickets. Then, when I was about 18, I moved away. There was just too much atmosphere and I needed to learn more than grilling burgers and steaks. It seemed as if I was always in the back and I was told to leave my country to make something happen. But nothing happened. So I shifted to New York - I needed to get into fine dining but had no training so I joined a an old school, classical French restaurant and started at the bottom - mother sauces and the fundamentals.

I was hungry to learn. I’d done with school and now I had my own apartment within walking distance of the restaurant.

Did you find the shift to fine dining hard?

I’ve always thought that the best thing to do is to learn first, then you can play with what you’ve learned. Kids at culinary school? They know nothing! Anyway, I was now eating diffferent kinds of food - you know, hollandaise, wow that’s good.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

What is Cajun?

Cajun cuisine is named for the French-speaking Acadian or Cajun immigrants deported by the British from Acadia in Canada to the Acadiana region of Louisiana.

A rustic cuisine, it’s based on locally available ingredients and preparation is simple, with a Cajun meal usually a three-pot affair - one for the main dish, one for rice and either sausages or seafood and the third for vegetables.

Defining flavours are ground cayenne and fresh black pepper. At the base of most dishes is the so-called holy trinity of Cajun cooking: capsicum, onion and celery, finely diced like mire poix and then flavoured with parsley, bay leaf, green onions and dried cayenne pepper.

Louisiana Creole cuisine, on the other hand, blends French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Native American, and African influences, as well as general Southern cuisine.

Well, I was missing my roots. Look, food is food and cooking it is only a challenge if you make it so. Food had captured me from an early age and now I was back home with music, food and the right vibe. Life was a big party - 1992 and I had an apartment in rthe slave quarter. anyway, Ruth’s Chris was opening in Indianapolis and I was asked to join the team on good money but aftwer a while I just felt I’d been cooking steaks for too long so I shifted to California Cafe out of a mall, again in Indianapolis. It was kind of fine dining - seafood, different meats, sauces, you know. I was the lead cook on specials.

The place has about 50 covers but it was always packed out. I lasted two years then went back to New Orleans for a job with Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Where you learning there?

Absolutely. To me, learning and development are very important. Then, ironically, a Ruth’s Chris opened just underneath us. One of their chefs quit and - well, what to do? - I took the job but it was a mistake. Although I was Sous Chef by now, the head chef was an alcoholic and I had to leave. I found a place at a nearby country club and I was banquet chef. No problem - I like big parties!

You just have to be organised - for example, over Christmas, we were doing six to eight parties of 200 at the same time, all with different menus.

I was there about 18 months, then I thought I could make more money if I had some paper qualifications.

Why was that? It seems like a step down...

Which school did you enroll in?

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face to face / CHEFS

CCA. I even sent my resume to Chez Panisse to be told there was a long waiting list! California was great - I’ve always been intrigued by different things so I took a job at Lark Creek Inn in Lockspur, just as a cook. It was different - we had our own ggarden where you could pick anything, you’d deal with local fishermen. It was great but California was just too expensive to live there, so back to Indianapolis! I got a Sous Chef position at the Marriott.

Some stability at last?

Not really. That’s when Katrina hit and I just quit straight away. I knew I had to go home to help. I didn’t know what I could do but I had to go back down there. As we flew in over the city, it was dreadful, there was water everywhere. You have no idea. I took a bus to the Superdome to try and find some place to sleep, but that was a dreadful situation. You know, the 6th-9th wards were hit very hard - you could hear people screaming for help from their houses. As we rowed small boats up those flooded streets, you could feel the paddles hit bodies under the water. You just had to ride it out.

Unimaginable...

You’d hear screaming, go into people’s houses and help them out, get them to the Superdome and then go out again. I knew I had to use my talent and help to feed all these people. There’s a great chef, Scott Bosley, who owned Stella’s - he’d set up ten grills outside his place and just said he was going to feed people. He found food - I don’t know how, sometimes driving down to Baton Rouge and we were grilling 20 cases of hamburger a day, 10am to midnight. This is for people with no food, no water. I slept at a friend’s place - the Superdome was a nightmare by now. It was the most traumatic thing I’d ever faced. I worked there for a year and then it was time to move on. You know the way these things happen, so I ended up working for Chip Ganassi and his racing team. Team chef for the 400 people, three meals a day - I did that job for three years.

As you were travelling from country to country, how did you source produce for such numbers?

I made sure we were always close to a CostCo! I’d go in and spend $5,000 for a weekend’s supplies.

Places like Japan were more challenging but different foods didn’t bother me. I really enjoyed the travelling at first but I kept having accidents falling as I stepped out of the trailer, that sort of thing - and when my contract was up, I went back to New Orleans and the family property. I felt it was where I belong, where I wanted to be for the rest of y life.

So what brought you here to Dubai?

New Orleans wasn’t the place it used to be. It was very dangerous qwith lots of crazy stuff going on.

It’s amazing what people have done - I reckon about 80% of the rebuilding is finished, though

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“I shifted to New York I needed to get into fine dining but had no training so I joined an old school, classical French restaurant and started at the bottom - mother sauces and the fundamentals. I was hungry to learn.” some of the wrecked buildings will be left as they are as a memorial. What made me want to leave was an incident when I was walking to work early one morning and saw this guy stagger out of a bar. There were three kids on the other side of the street but I didn’t really think about them till I saw a news item later. They’d not just robbed him but beaten him so badly that he was unrecognisable.

That could have been me.

Time to leave...

Sure, so I was looking on-line and saw there was a job for a Cajun chef in Dubai. I had no idea where that was but I applied anyway. The concept for the restaurant came from the owner but the space had been designed as a brasserie. So I talked to the chef and he was explaining that the food they were putting out was just coating things with Cajun mustard. I tell you, I laughed so hard. Anyway, I met the GM in Philadelphia and he just said, ‘When can you start?’ I moved over last May. I really had no idea what to expect. To be honest, I didn’t expect the people here to be like they are, which is so different to how they’re portrayed in the States.

I really like them and I’ve already learned a lot about the culture.

What challenges have you faced?

As I said, I had no idea what to expect. I just didn’t realise that everything’s available in Dubai although it’s been tough not having a pork kitchen, but the regulations just don’t make it worth it. The problem is that andouille sausages are at the heart of Cajun - how do you do that without pork? Well, I tried recipe after recipe and finally I put together a chicken version that I think gets it. Other ingredients that are hard to source?

Grits. Crawfish are impossible to ship. Catfish, though I’ve found a local fish I can use. I’d given

up on finding speckled trout and then one day in Carrefour I found the very similar spotted trout - I bought all they had! A number of things do get shipped over by via Europe.

Can you explain a bit about Cajun cuisine and how authentic you are here?

Okay, to be honest I’ve had to tone down the food a little bit but not all Cajun food is spicy. We use both Cajun and Creole cooking on the menu, the difference being that the Cajuns came down from Canada. The two communities are seperated by cooking although the styles are very similar - a Creole jambalaya, for example, will have no tomatoes but a Creole jambalaya will have both tomatoes and a darker colour because of the pan scrapings. What’s goodf being the first authentic Cajun restaurant here is that everybody’s heard about the food and they all want to try it. My key job is to make sure the food is consistent.

What are the most popular dishes?

Well, it really surprised me but the number one dish is chicken and waffles! We sell 80 or 90 portions a night and I’d say half of our diners order it. Everything here is big portions. It’s New Orleans style - tradition, family, friends. I spend a fair bit of time talking to diners as I see a good part of my job as being about education.

So Dubai was a smart move?

I’m loving it here. I’m really content. There are no problems and it’s very peaceful. I thought there might have been problems for an American because of the whole Middle East situation, but people are great. I know have Iraqi friends and I love being able to talk to anyone here. And cuisinewise, Dubai’s a food orgy! I can’t get enough of those Arabic sweets.

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CHEFS / face to face

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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face to face / CHEFS

From a childhood on a small farm in Canada to his new role as Executive Chef at Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, Eric Meloche has been busy all winter refreshing the hotel’s F&B outlets. Now as that task comes to a close, he found time to sit with us and talk about food.

W

ith its recent upgrade with almost 150 new rooms and suites, the RitzCarlton in Dubai’s Marina is looking set to show younger upstart hotels how to do the job properly. For some time, it was overlooked by many as rather old school. However, a renewed focus on F&B saw its Blue Jade win Best New Restaurant in the 2013 BBC Good Food Middle East awards.

For Executive Chef Eric Meloche, that was a great start to his new job. Now he’s looking forward to a series of revamps and new openings in the pipeline.

Awarded Ritz-Carlton’s ‘Executive Chef of the Year’ for Europe in 2012, Eric grew up on a small farm near Windsor, Ontario.

So, how was food for you as a child?

I was really lucky, growing up in SW Ontario which is an agriculture rich part of Canada. I come from a family of farmers - well, not so much farmers as blue collar workers who also grew food. I have fond memories of eating French beans and rhubarb fresh from the soil. As soon as I was old enough I was planting corn and potatoes to help feed the family. We had a fruit cellar and my mother always seemed to be pickling or canning - beets, apricots, raspberries, rhubard and so on.

Sounds like a business!

Well, we weren’t rich so whatever we could grow and use, we did. Then when I was a teenager, I used to work parttime at corn detasseling. Up at six and maybe 30 of us would go up and down the rows of corn, picking the cobs and throwing the husks down on the ground. They planted rows male/female so they’d be natural pollination.

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You have seen ‘Children of the Corn’, right?

Oh yes! And the evil Malachi, which is almost Meloche!

As a family did you eat out much?

No, there weren’t really opportunities but we ate well at home. I never though of being a chef and there weren’t really many examples in the town. I guess it never connected that there was a job like that until, at 16, I heard from my sister who was

waitressing that a small place needed help. It was a husband and wife team - he ran fron of house and I helped her in the kitchen. Nothing fancy, just working the grill. I did that for about a year. After that, I moved to a blue collar bar and grill. It was very busy and I learned a lot. I was there for about five years.

And then?

I shifted to Alberta and the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - a real institution in the Rockies.

It was a total shock to me. I looked around and everyone was in a chef’s hat and I was just ‘wow!’.

Luckily I was given an apprenticeship and worked really hard during the busy summer and then spent two months in winter at culinary school. I was cooking on the line but, thanks to Chef Ian Bens who ran the fine dining restaurant, I started to really think about food in a different way. For example, he’d drive to British Columbia at the weekend to forage and would come back with crates of mushrooms. He taught me the importance of really understanding the quality of ingredients and to take a real interest in them. So I moved to his restaurant which became one of the few in Canada to gain five diamonds and Triple A rating.

Did you specialise in any part of the kitchen?

No, thanks to the training I just became a wellrounded chef with no speciality.

Most chefs have a dream of their own place some day. What would yours be like?

It’s be product driven. Simple food, fresh ingredients and a rustic style. I always bear in mind something Thomas Keller said: great produce and great execution equal great food.

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CHEFS / face to face

Back to Banff...

By 2003, I wanted to travel so I joined Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island in Florida. I wanted to be in fine dining but the job was cooking for the all-day restaurant. It was tough - a large turnover and challenging because it just never stopped. We started to use some local produce such as Georgia peaches and local pecans.

And gator?

No, no gator! Anyway, I got to the stage where my work visa was running out and my plan was to join Eric Rippert at Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, but a hurricane demolished the hotel! So, as Sous Chef, I joined a task force of chefs to work in Jamaica - I thought just for three months till I could continue with the original plan, but Rippert’s outlet didn’t open for another 18 months. Jamaica was a real frustration, especially supply issues - there was no refrigerated transport so produce spoiled incredibly quickly. But I did marry a Jamaican and we started a family. For that, I wanted to move back to the States and got an amazing opportunity at RitzCarlton Halfmoon Bay just south of San Francisco. I spent four years there and it was where the whole farm to table thing exploded for me. It was a really nice spot but very seasonal so we moved on again.

Where to this time?

Ireland. I have to say it was never somewhere I’d thought about but an offer came out of the blue from the Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, now the Powerscourt Hotel, in County Wicklow about 25 miles from Dublin. I went over for three weeks to check it out and then back to the States to wait for my visa. That took six months, then moved over and - bang! - in 2010 the economy collapsed.

What kind of place was it?

A stunning hotel with a beautiful castle just nearby that we used for functions. The main restaurant was a bit stuffy so we turned it into more of a fun place. Problem was the hotel only had a quite short season and I found some amazing produce though most of the fish was exported to France.

We worked a lot with local farmers, made our own sausages, things like that.

Who was your main audience, hotel guests or locals?

Mostly tourists. When I arrived the place had, I think, scared the locals away by being too formal.

We made it less fancy. It was a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and it was great working with him and his team to push the changes through Bit of a change to come to Dubai?

In fact I was fortunate to travel here back in 2011 as part of the pre-opening team for Ritz-Carlton DIFC and I was amazed by the quality and diversity of the culinary offerings here. Dubai is truly an authentic gourmet destination with its constant hunger for new flavors and innovation so when the previous chef moved to Tokyo, I was asked if I was interested in taking over. I’m really excited

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to be here as it gives me the opportunity to add a new twist to our restaurants and work with a multicultural team.

How have you coped with the challenges of Dubai? After California and Ireland, I imagine produce supply has been an eye-opener for you here?

Well, it’s certainly different! But those challenges are, for me, a trade off for being able to work with no many new styles of cooking - Chinese, Arabic and so on. In terms of produce, I want to use more local produce and have started working with Ripe but I can see issues of timing and consistency so most of our fresh produce comes in via Fresh Express. I’d love to grow our own produce here at the hotel, but the summer temperatures probably mean greenhouses and with all the refurbishment of F&B that might be a tricky one to get budget approval on! We’ll see.

"I've had a lifelong appreciation for fresh, seasonal produce and I still believe that good food starts with great ingredients, handled with care and respect, cooked with passion and perfection."

But great produce is important to you?

Absolutely. For me, the most important factor when sourcing fruits and vegetables, is taste.

Buying local means that the product has been picked closer to its peak ripeness and the flavour will be delicious and more intense. Also, buying from local farms means we are supporting families who devote their lives in enriching the livelihood of others and that is always special. I’ve had a lifelong appreciation for fresh, seasonal produce and I still believe that good food starts with great ingredients, handled with care and respect, cooked with passion and perfection. This is the focus of my team and the philosophy we apply every day in the kitchens here.

What about staffing? Most chefs complain about fast turnover.

To be honest, I think that’s pretty common in our industry but junior staff here seem to expect to move on very quickly. The other day I had an application for Chef de Partie from someone who’d only been Commis 2 for six months! In my career, I moved on because I wanted to learn, to become better so I was to create that environment here. Last week, we had Chef Tarek from MLA giving a butchery display to about 20 of my staff and that sparked a discussion about how we need to pass on the basics. So maybe I’ll start some kind of culinary school in the hotel.

Tell us about the changes you’re driving through.

Well, the plans are pretty much all in place except for soft refurbs of Splendido, Amaseena and the Lobby Lounge. I’m really pleased with Blue Jade, our new Pan-Asian restaurant. We also have Palm Grill for lunches on the beach. Opening soon is a juice bar which will combine produce from farmers’ markets and superfoods for mocktails - I think that will be very popular. Our outdoor venue La Baie Lounge is next for change with open kitchens for all-day dining and cooking stations for Indian, Arabic/Mediterranean and Western food.

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Carved for attention

CHEFS / kitchen skills

There is a long tradition of fruit carving in Thailand, especially in the preparation of food for the Royal Family. Chef Wannapa Yensiri is the Kitchen Artist of Benjarong Thai Restaurant, the signature restaurant of Dusit Thani Dubai. Recently, she won the silver and bronze medals during the Dubai World Hospitality Championship 2013 under the Fruit and Vegetable Carving Showpiece and Practical Fruit and Vegetable Carving categories. Originally from Chiang Mai, she has been winning competitions and accolades since high school.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

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kitchen skills / CHEFS

HISTORY OF THAI FOOD CARVING The story of fruit and vegetable carving begins about 700 years ago in Sukothai, the capital of the Tai people, in what is now the north of central Thailand.

In preparation for a major festival, Loi Kratong, one of the King's servants, called Nang Noppamart, took a ďŹ&#x201A;ower and used it as a pattern to carve from.

She then carved a bird and set it with its head pointing towards the ďŹ&#x201A;ower. Loi Kratong is still celebrated today and Sukothai is one of

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the best places in Thailand to experience it.

Fruit and vegetable carving is also mentioned in the poetry of King Rama 2 who reigned from 1808-1824. After the revolution in 1932, fruit and vegetable carving became less popular so those worried about the art disappearing set up a course to train people.

It is taught now from the age of 11 in primary and secondary schools, as well as being an optional subject at university.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / recipe corner

A taste of Italy Chef Francesco Cavzzina’s background lies Michelin-starred establishments in Italy and the award-winning Michelin star restaurant Zafferano in London.

He is now delivering authentic Italian cuisine at Rixos The Palm Dubai.

TAGLIOLINO, TIGER PRAWNS, CHERRY ITALIAN TOMATO, BLACK TAGGIASCA OLIVES TAGLIOLINO INGREDIENTS 1.4kg flour T45 1kg semolina 1.2kg egg yolk 100g extra virgin olive oil 35g salt

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METHOD ∙ Add all the ingredients in a pasta machine until the dough is smooth.

Then use the pasta machine to make thin layer strips of pasta. ∙ Cook pasta in boiling water for two minutes. Keep separate.

SAUCE INGREDIENTS 2 tiger prawns, cubed 2 tiger prawns, whole 4-5 Italian tomatoes 4-5 Taggiasca olives 40ml tomato sauce 40ml prawn bisque 2g thyme 2g basil, julienned extra virgin olive oil salt and black pepper, to taste

METHOD ∙ Sear the tomato sauce in a thick bottomed pan with olive oil and prawn bisque. ∙ Then add seasoning and the two cubed tiger prawns. ∙ Add the cooked tagliolino to the pan and sauté with sauce. ∙ Plate in pasta plate. Garnish with two whole tiger prawns, which have been grilled.

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recipe corner / CHEFS

SALMON, PARSNIP COULIS, PORCINI MUSHROOMS, GREEN BASIL ‘CAPPUCCINO' FOAM INGREDIENTS 200g Norwegian salmon fillet 50g parsnips

METHOD

50g porcini mushrooms 50g basil 250ml milk 200g cream 180g butter

Keep separate

∙ Cut the parsnip into cubes and boil

∙ For the basil foam, mix milk, cream

in water, milk and a pinch of salt.

Then strain and blend for the parsnip puree. Keep aside. ∙ Marinate the porcini mushrooms with rosemary, thyme and garlic. Cook in the oven at 90C for 25 minutes then sear and finish in the salamander.

and butter and warm up in a pot, then blend with basil leaves. ∙ Marinate the salmon fillet with thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil and sear on the grill. ∙ Plate with parsnip puree, porcini mushrooms and basil foam.

BUFFALO MOZZARELLA, SPOT PRAWNS, VEAL EMULSION, CRISPY BREAD INGREDIENTS 40g buffalo mozzarella DOP 2 spot prawns 1 slice of country bread 10ml veal sauce extra virgin olive oil Malden salt and black pepper, to taste sugar METHOD ∙ Clean the prawns and cut few in cube and add the rest inside in a blender and mix with olive oil, salt and sugar. ∙ Cut the country bread into a layer of 2mm and cook in the oven for two minutes at 200C. ∙ Cut the buffalo mozzarella into small cubes and dress with Malden salt, oil and black pepper. ∙ Plate together and serve.

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March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / recipe corner

A time to Reform?

Head Chef Ryan Waddell from Reform Social & Grill previously worked as the Head Chef at The Hoxton Grill and The Canbury Arms in the UK. As a passionate chef with a rural background, Chef Ryan has a keen interest in only using the best of British produce and locally sourced ingredients where possible.

LEEK AND GOAT’S CHEESE PUDDING, PICKLED BEETROOT, CARROT, WALNUT SERVES 4 LEEK AND GOAT'S CHEESE PUDDING INGREDIENTS 100g butter 75g leek, finely sliced and washed 95g chevre log 2 eggs 60g egg yolk, pasteurised 10g plain organic flour 2g table salt 1g caster sugar METHOD ∙ Liberally brush the (foil basins) moulds with soft unsalted butter, then dust with flour and set aside.

Place a circle of greaseproof paper into the base of the mould. ∙ Sweat down the leek in the butter, avoiding all colour. Crumble in chevre log and melt in to mix. ∙ Lightly whisk eggs and yolk together a light foam only. ∙ Add the flour to the cheese and leek mix and work to a smooth creamy paste. ∙ Fold the eggs into the melted cheese mix and taste for seasoning. ∙ Pour into the prepared foil basins until just below the rim. ∙ Cover and refrigerate until required.

∙ Lightly dress some rocket leaves TO SERVE ∙ Place the cheese pudding in a preheated 200C oven for seven to eight minutes.

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and carrot matchsticks, with some olive oil, salt and pepper. ∙ Build a nice salad in the centre of a plate with the rocket, carrots,

walnuts toasted in olive oil and salt and some quarters of good quality pickled baby beetroot. ∙ Remove the pudding from the oven and turn out on to a

seperate plate, remove the cirle of greaseproof paper and gently lift on to the top of the salad. ∙ Garnish with a small drizzle of balsamic reduction and serve.

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recipe corner / CHEFS

FISHERMAN PIE WITH SCALLOPS, KING PRAWNS, WATERLOO CHEESE

METHOD

∙ Peel and cut into even size pieces, place into a pan of cold water season and boil until just cooked through. Do not overcook. ∙ Place the cream, butter, thyme, bay leaf and garlic into a pan and bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow standing so the fragrant can infuse. ∙ When the potatoes are cooked, strain into a colander and allow to stand for a few minutes. Pass through the potato ricer. ∙ Strain the cream mix into the potato. Mix well and season.

INGREDIENTS 250g white fish 250g salmon 250g scallops 250g king prawns 250g Waterloo cheese MORNAY SAUCE INGREDIENTS 50g butter 500g plain flour 750ml milk 175g Cheddar cheese 5g English mustard 5g dill 5g parsley 5g tarragon METHOD ∙ Bring the milk to the boil and set aside. ∙ Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and mix well. ∙ Cook out the flour for a few minutes - do not let this catch and burn.

TO SERVE

∙ Poach the fish in some milk, lift Slowly add the milk, one ladle at a time mixing continually this will form a stiff paste but as you add more milk it will thin out. ∙ Add the cheese and mustard and season. ∙ Cool until required.

MASH INGREDIENTS 750kg Desiree potato 150ml cream 150g butter 1 sprig thyme 1 bay leaf 10g garlic

CHOCOLATE POT, AMADEI CHOCOLATE, SALT CARAMEL

saucepan, cooking out until a golden brown caramel is formed. ∙ Deglaze with the water 2, followed by the double cream. Bring back to the boil incorporating any solid caramel pieces so that they fully dissolve. ∙ Finish with Tia Maria and salt.

CHOCOLATE POT Ingredients 250g Amedei chocolate 63%, chopped 375g milk 375g whipping cream 160g egg yolk 180g sugar METHOD ∙ Mix the eggs and sugar together in a bowl, but do not sabayon. ∙ Bring the cream and milk to boil and pour onto the chocolate to dissolve. Pour onto the egg mix and combine. ∙ Return mix to the stove in a pan and cook out as if for a thick Anglaise using a whisk. ∙ Pour into pots immediately and allow it to set in the fridge.

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out and transfer to serving dish, add the herbs to the mornay sauce and pour over the fish. ∙ Pipe the hot mash onto the top of the fish, brush with a little egg yolk and add some pieces of Waterloo cheese. ∙ Place in a hot oven 200C until the mash is crispy and the sauce bubbling.

CHANTILLY CREAM INGREDIENTS 250g whipping cream 25g caster sugar 1/2 vanilla pod METHOD Whip together the sugar, cream and vanilla seeds.

SALTED CARAMEL LIQUOR INGREDIENTS 330g sugar 150ml water 15ml water 2 250g glucose

250g double cream 50ml Tia Maria 15g salt METHOD ∙ Bring the sugar, water and glucose to the boil in a thick bottomed

TO ASSSEMBLE Pipe whipped cream on to the chocolate pot, drizzle with generous amounts of salt caramel and garnish with some shaved chocolate.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

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CHEFS / recipe corner

An evolved dish Asif Khan, Sous Chef of MAHEC at Le Meridien, Dubai, is bulding on his experience at Indego by Vineet and Armani Amal, by delivering Modern Authentic Hindustani Evolved Cuisine (MAHEC). The name also means fragrance in Hindi.

PANEER ASPARAGUS ROLL SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 400g paneer, sliced 100g potatoes, boiled 30g asparagus 50ml oil 5g cumin seeds 10g ginger 5g green chilies

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

10g fresh coriander leaves 3g turmeric powder 5g garam masala 10g red chlli powder 3g chat masala 10ml lemon juice MARINADE 560g hung curd 3g red chili powder 2g garam masala powder 2g fenugreek powder

5ml lemon juice salt to taste

mix well. Adjust seasoning. Divide this mixture into equal portions and make a calendar shape

METHOD

∙ Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds.

When they begin to change colour, add ginger, green chilies, salt and sauté on medium heat. Add chopped asparagus, boiled potato, chopped coriander, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder, lemon juice and

∙ Slice the paneer in a slicer machine and roll it with above mixture.

∙ Make the marinade and apply to the paneer. Cook in a tandoor and serve hot.

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Fine dining? Fine reading!

If you work as a chef, restaurant manager, sommelier, banqueting manager or catering manager for a four or ďŹ ve star restaurant in the UAE, then apply for your free monthly copy of The Pro Chef Middle East, the magazine for ďŹ ne dining professionals.

To advertise please contact: Ankit Shukla Sales Director E: ankit.shukla@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 (0) 55 257 2807 Read every monthly issue free of charge via: www.cpidubai/com and Theprochefme on Facebook Published by

CHEFS / recipe corner

A taste of Mexico As one of the first of Jumeirah’s new chef/patron restaurants focusing on authenticity, Tortuga in Mina A’ Salam is rapidly proving to be a hit. The food from Chef Carlos Hannon packs real punch and flavour.

MOLCAJETE INGREDIENTS 300g mild Cheddar 200g flour 3 eggs 300g bread crumbs 400g fresh green tomatillo 200g morita chili 200g onion 100g garlic salt and black pepper METHOD ∙ For the sauce: In a pot add the green tomatillo, morita chili, onion and garlic. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling allow ingredients to cook at a low temperature for around 20 minutes, blend very well, add seasoning and keep warm. ∙ For the cheese: cut the cheese into thick rectangular shapes, cover with flour, whisk eggs and crumbled bread. Deep fry the cheese and add to the salsa mix until you have a cheese fondue.

RED SNAPPER INGREDIENTS 180g red snapper fillet 30ml olive oil salt and black pepper METHOD ∙ Season the red snapper fillets, add olive oil to a pan and cook the fish.

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recipe corner / CHEFS

TOSTADAS

METHOD

∙ For the duck: preheat the oven to INGREDIENTS 10 pieces corn tortilla 1 piece of whole duck 10g coriander seed 10g thyme 2l duck fat 10g dry chipotle chili 1piece white onion 100g garlic

140C and cut the duck in half. Place on a tray the onion and garlic, add the duck, the chipotle chili, duck fat and thyme. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for around four to five hours until the duck is cooked. Allow to cool and shred it. ∙ For tostadas: cut the corn tortillas into 3cm diameter, deep fry and set apart. ∙ Add the pulled duck onto the tostadas, add some onion, coriander and avocado to granish.

TORTILLA SOUP METHOD INGREDIENTS 500g chopped tomato 150g chopped onion 50g chopped garlic 90ml olive oil 200g crispy corn tortilla 2l chicken stock 100g smoked chili guajillo salt and black pepper

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∙ On a medium pot heat the oil, add the onion and the garlic and sauté, then incorporate the tomato and let them cook in a low heat. Add the chicken stock, the guajillo chili and the corn tortilla chips, bring to boil and let them cook on a low heat for around ten minutes. Remove from the heat and blend.

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LEISURE / travel

A

pproaching his first year anniversary at 5-star resort The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, Turkish Executive Chef Sukru Yel boasts over 15 years' experience in kitchens worldwide. Born into a culinary family, Chef Sukru began his career as a kitchen steward, where his passion for good food and great hospitality was discovered. With working stints in more than ten countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Russia and Cyprus, Chef Sukru brings his culinary knowledge to the resort's 11 F&B outlets, where he has learned how to tackle product sourcing and catering to a wide-range of nationalities.

What is Maldivian cuisine and how is it used at Iru Fushi?

The Maldivian cuisine is highly influenced by Sri Lankan and Indian cuisines - the spices used in local curries come mainly from these destinations.

Typically, the main three products used in Maldivian cooking are tuna fish and reef fish, plus of course the coconut. You will find at least one of these items used in all local dishes, in their curries, snacks, bread, everything really. We have quite a few Maldivian specialists working here at the resort, in addition to a number of local Maldivian women who produce traditional, homestyle cooked dishes such as typical 'short eats'‚ which are made by the women and often eaten as starters or snacks.

Is it a difficulty sourcing fresh produce to such a remote island?

It is a difficulty and was a challenge to begin with, however once a week we receive a big shipment delivering all of our food sources which are supplied from seven different countries including Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Australia and Japan.

Everything is shipped into the capital of Male and then brought across by our resort's boat to the island. The majority of our fresh produce comes from Thailand and Australia. I have to put in an order weekly according to our event forecasts and guest numbers, which is approximately 500 guests and 650 staff members. From the local market we do try and support Maldivian farmers by purchasing produce such as watermelon, papaya, cantaloupe and a variety of tree leaves which the locals use in their curries. But on a whole it's definitely a struggle to source fresh produce in the Maldives purely because the country is nearly all water and it's always sunny.

Are there cost implications due to so much importing?

Yes, as a resort we are forced to increase our food prices by three times the amount that is charged at mainland resorts. Unfortunately, many perceive this charge as a money making method on behalf of the resort, when really this is not the case.

We only charge more to cover the costs it takes to import including fuel, customs and clearance charges, health certificates and more.

Does this affect what you are able to put on

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With a mission to create memorable culinary experiences in the Maldives, Executive Chef Sukru Yel at The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, speaks to Sophie McCarrick about dining on the remote island, local cuisine and exciting underwater plans for the resort's F&B future.

the menus?

Not really, as a 5-star resort we strive to provide our guests with everything we can. If anything, we look at the availability of a product and if we can get it 12 months a year, this is important.

Also, there a lot of suppliers in the world but you would be surprised to find how many of them will not supply to the Maldives region.

How much local cuisine do you use in the resort? Is it popular with guests?

We host a Maldivian themed evening once a

week in our Iru Restaurant, where local dishes are served such as Maldivian chicken curry and roshi (chapati) or a vegetable curry with coconut rotti (coconut bread). It's always a success with our guests, otherwise we would not do it. However, if I had to comment on what is most in demand right now it would be Asian and Indian influenced cuisine. The issue we have with Maldivian cuisine is that many visitors find it quite heavy food, especially when in a hot climate.

Tell me about the F&B outlets...

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travel / LEISURE

“All of our staff are fully aware of the situation here before arriving, so they are prepared for a living situation that mainly revolves around work because there is not much else for them to do here.”

We offer a wide-range of outlets including the Iru Buffet Restaurant, serving breakfast and live cooking stations for dinner. Flavours, an overwater restaurant featuring Asian infused cuisine.

Bamboo, a venue for light Asian bites such as dim sum and sushi. Reflections, an adult only pool and bar which serves cocktails. Fluid, a family pool and bar that offers drinks and snacks throughout the day. Islanders Grill, a favourite with guests located on the beach serving steak and fresh seafood. The Trio, a Mediterranean inspired venue situated over the lagoon. The Wine Cellar, an intimate place

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Mar March arccch h 201 2 2014 4 / Th The he Pro Che Chef he ef Middle East

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LEISURE / travel

for guest to enjoy dinner and vintage fine wines.

The Bubble Lounge, a location for savouring champagne. Water's Edge, a cocktail beach venue.

In-room and destination dining, a service allowing visitors to choose where they would like to eat on the island, whether it be inside their rooms or on the sea shore.

Do you have a preferred restaurant out of the resort's outlets?

I really enjoy all of our outlets, I can't say I like one more than the other. I have the same approach and motivation for all of them. Maintaining standards and presentation is a big focus for me.

As an executive chef, what do you consider to be your speciality?

Before arriving in the Maldives I would say my speciality and favourite cuisine was Italian, but since working at Iru Fushi, my food is becoming more and more influenced by Thai and Japanese cuisines. I've really been exposed to a full range of Thai produce here for the first time, and we have several Thai chefs who have inspired me to experiment in this area. I'd love to open my own Thai restaurant if I ever moved back to my home in Turkey. I feel like I'm an all-rounded chef that does not just focus on one cuisine. I like to

DIVE INTO THE MALDIVES An island nation located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives consists of 26 atolls made up from nearly 1,200 islands. Of all the islands only 198 are inhabited by the country's 300,000 locals and a further 80 are host to holiday resorts.

The local culture presents a mix of South Indian, Sinhalese and Arab influences, and almost all Maldivians are Sunni Muslims who speak the official language Dhivehi.

As the Maldives comprises more sea (90%) than land, fish has become one of the main staple foods in local cuisine, predominantly tuna fish. Additionally, coconuts are used in near enough all the country's national dishes.

Traditionally, meat other than pork is only eaten on special occasions and basic food commodities such as rice, sugar, and flour are imported.

Not only is Maldives the lowest country in the world (ground level is averaged at 1.5 meters), the smallest country in Asia, it is also the smallest Muslim country in the world.

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The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

The Trio Restaurant at sunset

Local market

Iru Restaurant, where breakfast and dinner is served

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travel / LEISURE

OVEN ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN INGREDIENTS: 200g black angus beef tenderloin 2 broccollini, whole or cut to bite-size 1 baby carrot, peeled and cut into three pieces 4 whole peeled shallots 1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced 40g polenta powder 30g mount mushrooms 20g olive oil 20g fresh cream 100g premium beef stock 20g chicken stock 10g butter 1 glass Barolo wine bone marrow fresh black pepper sea salt METHOD ∙ Heat the oven up to 180C. Put beef tenderloin into the oven with bone marrow, shallot, garlic and olive oil for a minimum of 20 minutes. Then take the beef tenderloin from the oven and use the same tray in preparing the sauce with premium beef stock and Barolo wine. Bring to the boil until sauce amount is reduced to a third. ∙ Boil chicken stock, butter and cream together. Add polenta and keep cooking together until fine and creamy. Flavour with fresh pepper and salt. ∙ Sauté mushrooms with olive oil and add creamy polenta. ∙ Sauté broccolini and baby carrot together. ∙ Ready to serve.

experiment and I am creative, I think if you are a speciality chef, you become restricted with what you can and cannot do.

With that said I still love Italian and also French, but I feel no matter where you go in the world you will find these two options in high supply.

Thai however is still a growing market and offers a lot of potential.

have worked here for a minimum of four years.

All of our staff are fully aware of the situation here before arriving, so they are prepared for a living situation that mainly revolves around work because there is not much else for them to do here. The people we have are truly passionate about what they do and that's why they stay, and because of the Maldives’ beauty of course.

What speciality chefs are working in your kitchens?

We have chefs from 12 different countries here, from places such as Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Bangledesh, Napal, India, Turkey, Maldives, Palestine and more. Our chefs are very much from around the Asia area.

Are there any upcoming plans for Iru Fushi's F&B venues?

We have plans to open an Indian restaurant and underwater restaurant soon. The plans are already fully underway for both. The underwater restaurant will offer guests' signature, exotic food. It's going to be quite an exclusive restaurant that will be expensive to dine at, offering a once in a life time experience with foods such as caviar, the best seafood and top-quality meat.

Is staffing an issue here, because of the remoteness?

Actually no, all of our staff are very loyal, especially the Maldivian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi employees - they are very hard working and willing. 90% of the culinary staff

www.cpimediagroup.com

When will the underwater restaurant open?

Construction is planned to begin over the next year, so I hope to see a 2015 opening. It will be a

360 degree luxury dome that seats 38 people, and the cooking will be done above water.

What inspired you to become a chef?

My father was an executive chef and, after leaving school, he offered me the opportunity to either continue studying or join the kitchen. I chose the kitchen and began as a helper's hand, washing dishes, then worked my way up and travelled to work in more than ten countries, including Rixos in Dubai. My brother is also an executive chef and my sister is a chef in Dubai at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. My family is full of chefs! It's our legacy and I hope to pass the trait down to my children.

For me, I'm planning on focusing more on Asian food and perhaps I will target Malaysia next as a destination, then possibly Thailand or China.

The Pro Chef ME would like to thank Chef Sukru Yel and Iru Fushi for their participation and warm hospitality.

March 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

47

LEISURE / last word

Informal, natural designs Norwegian tableware company Figgjo is becoming known for its imaginative and AS is a large exporter, with 40% of its products production being sold outside the country, including the Middle East, where it is represented by Blue Ribbon.

C

hefs have conflicting choices in their buying decisions for tableware.

Most opt for simplicity to allow their dishes to shine but often look for something radically different to create focal points of interest.

Porcelain from Figgjo is used extensively for this purpose by Norwegian chefs, who see its design ethos as reflective of the new thrust in Scandanavian cuisine towards foraged food and highly artistic plating.

A new series of generous, informal plates, cups and pedestal plates, known as Figgjo Base, offer a whole range of opportunities for both relaxed bistro meals and refined gastronomy.

The series also comes in four different decorative styles: Figgjo Flom, Figgjo Dryss, Figgjo Strøk and Figgjo Skygge.

This new series works to capture both the needs of the chef and trends in the market, according to Anne Linn Olsen, Marketing Co-ordinator at Figgjo.

"The series is soft and friendly in its design, but can also be combined to create a rough expression when setting the table."

Some of the plates are flat while others have a higher rim, creating something between a plate and a bowl. Cups and mugs are also included in the series and are created for multiple uses, suitable for soup, salad or potato dishes as well as drinks.

Olsen continues, "Our designers, Eli Oftedal Sømme, Constance Gaard Kristiansen and Tonje Sandberg, have used various techniques and methods to produce an organic, fluid look. We note that the chefs we have tested this on are increasingly enthusiastic when serving up meals on Figgjo plates.”

"The series is soft and friendly in its design, but can also be combined to create a rough expression when setting the table."

48

The Pro Chef Middle East / March 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

PACOJET 2 Winner of

“Best Light Equipment Innovation Award” at the recent 2014 Gulfood Awards

PACOJET 2 is the next generation kitchen machine that elevates ordinary cooking to culinary excellence.

Pacotizing enables chefs to ‘micropurée’ fresh, frozen foods into ultralight mousses, naturally fresh ice creams and sorbets or aromatic soups, sauces or fillings without thawing. Intensive flavours, natural colours and vital nutrients are captured in individual, ready-to-serve portions.

for more information contact:

email: info@muddle-me.com P.O. Box 57245, Dubai, UAE tel: +971 4 354 5220, fax: +971 4 329 8283 facebook.com/muddle.me.online twitter.com/muddleme

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