Face to face
Getting recognition Michael Kitts, Senior Lecturer and Director of Culinary Arts at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, is a popular figure in the UAE F&B world. Previously Culinary Director and Executive Chef at the renowned Butler’s Wharf Chef School in London, he has also worked at private clubs such as the Garrick and Les Ambassadeurs, as well as time in good hotels. Now, a slightly surprised Kitts, explains that he’s received a major award from the UK Craft Guild of Chefs.
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tarting his formal training at Thanet Technical College in Kent, Chef Michael has won many prestigious awards and accolades, including the ‘Prince Philip Special Award’ in 1996 for service to the industry, presented at Buckingham Palace. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning Great Britain Culinary Olympics team in 1987 and was also the first ever recipient of the UK Craft Guild of Chefs Competition Chef Award in 1994. He has used much of his competition experience in training others. In 1994, teams that he trained won both the junior and senior Grand Prix at Hotelympia, London, and at the 2004 Hotelympia Parade des Chefs he gained a gold medal and Best in Class with the Jumeirah culinary team. In 2012, Chef Michael led Team Jumeirah to 14 gold medal successes in Le Salon Culinaire International de Londres 2012 at Hotelympia. He was recently awarded the People’s Choice Award at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards held in London. The award, which celebrates those who have made an outstanding contribution to the F&B industry, highlighted his role in the on-going development of Dubai’s culinary scene since he joined the Jumeirah Group in 2001 and then moved to EAHM. Still a bit stunned by the honour, he talked through the experience with us.
THE AWARD Established in 1965 as a Guild of the Cookery and Food Association, the Craft Guild of Chefs has developed into the leading Chefs’ Association in the UK and has many members worldwide. Members come from all aspects of the food service and hospitality sectors working in a wide variety of positions from students and trainees to top management. No other association boasts such a broad and experienced membership. The People’s Choice Award was introduced by the Guild last year to celebrate the unsung heroes in the chef world and recognise a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole and made a big impact on their colleagues. 2012 nominees were: Geoff Acott - national treasurer of the Craft Guild and former captain at the Defence Food Services School Paul Gayler - executive chef of the Lanesborough Hotel Peter Hazzard - from Chaddlewood Consultancy and former executive director of food services at Sodexo Michael Kitts - senior chef lecturer at Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management
So, how did you hear about the award? To be honest, I knew nothing about it until I heard from pub chef Gary Nichols that I’d been nominated. My first thought? It’s a long way to go for a dinner! I’d been the first winner of the competition chef award but I did a reality check on myself - I’d been out of the country for years so how did I have a chance? How does the process work? Who was it who nominated you? I was nomated by the key Guild members - there’s about ten of them. They put names forward to the general membership. The People’s Choice is for someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry.
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You heard you were on the list. Then what? Then the phone started to ring. “Why don’t you come back? There’s only four people nominated.” “It’ll be great to see you.” “Come - you’ve been nominated!” So I planned a five day trip with my wife Deb, our eldest daughter and her boyfriend. Another nice bonus was seeing Gary Rhodes and his wife Jen who stopped in Dubai on the way back from India. As an aside, he said: “I’ve got to go to see some poxy thing back in the UK - in Wembley.” So I told him - that could be my night! You’ve still got friends and colleagues in the UK? Oh yes. I arranged two tables of close friends at the ceremony - Team Mick! We also had Paul, who was also nominated, on my table. People were asking me ‘why?’, but he’s a mate and we both would be pleased if the other one, so why not? Then, when my name was announced, the whole place just exploded, it went mad! Well, you never know. They called out my name and ‘bang’!. It was very humbling. And, of course, Paul was the first to congratulate me. Why did you win? I think I won for two reasons. I have a very solid background in competitions, in mentoring and teaching, starting at Thanet College and now with Jumeirah. And I’m still involved in the London scene with Hotelympia and so on. Such an honour. And after that? Well, you come back down to earth with a bang, which is good because I’m not a big head. Got back in Dubai late on Saturday night and first thing the next morning I had five big lads from Sri Lanka to look after for a five day course! What next? Life at the Academy continues and I’m looking forward to the International Fine Food Festival later in the year. It’s something quite different from other competitions with the Golden Toque. I like the way that our students are going to be involved - it will be a great experience for them.
Receiving the award