The Pro Chef, 2012 December

MIDDLE EAST ISSUE 10 DECEMBER 2012

STEERS!

- Getting your teeth into beef

STARS!

- Working together for charity

STORES!

- Sourcing more great produce

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PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ, DUBAI TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA FREE ZONE AUTHORITY

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ISSUE 10 DECEMBER 2012

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EDITORIAL What makes a restaurant successful? We want a good concept, we want great dishes and we want full enthusiasm from the kitchen. And great service helps too.

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FROM THE WALK-IN The latest survey from Zagat of the US’ top restaurants shows some interesting industry trends. How many of them can we expect to see here in the Middle East? And just what is happening to Champagne?

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THE EGGS FACTOR Chef Daniele Capobianco, Head Chef at Certo in Radisson Blu Dubai Media City, reveals all.

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OUT AND ABOUT We look at a stunning coup of culinary genius in Paris, look ahead to Abu Dhabi’s gourmet festival and celebrates the first IFFF.

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SOURCING Organic produce from The Green League and quality smoked salmon from Salmontini - great!

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MARKET FOCUS Who doesn’t love ice cream?

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PRODUCE FOCUS We put a selection of chefs on the grill and quiz them about the beef market.

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PIMP MY PLATE How better to celebrate the opening of the new Trader Vic’s in Dubai Festival City than giving Executive Chef Manoj Kumar a neat challenge. Can he reinvent Salade Nicoise for us?

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ON THE PASSE Jumeirah Creekside has a different feel to the group’s usual. Executive Chef Christopher Batemen has ambitious F&B plans to create an equal impact.

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FACE TO FACE Manila-born Chef Jennie Lorenzo has swopped San Francisco for the Yas Viceroy in Abu Dhabi - we find out why. And we also check out South Africa’s fine dining scene with Chef David Higgs.

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TRAVEL The regular Stars, Food & Art galas bring Michelin level chefs together to create unforgettable meals for charity.

A two day extravaganza in Amsterdam celebrated the concept’s birthplace. Plus we check out Chef Tomas Reger’ss pop pop-up Beirut restaurant.

Reger

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Location? Well, maybe.

PUBLISHER: DOMINIC DE SOUSA

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y the time you read this, I will have moderated a panel at SIAL in Abu Dhabi on what makes successful restaurants and what are the gaps in current F&B offerings.

Despite a dread of speaking in public, I am fortunate in having a group of highly experienced and distinguished panellists to help me: Mark Patten (Vice President, Culinary, Atlantis, The Palm), Markus Thesleff (Co-founder, OKKU) Scott Price (Executive Chef, Hilton Dubai Creek and Chef Proprietor, table 9 with nick and scott) and Uwe Micheel (Director of Kitchens, Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek and President, Emirates Culinary Guild). What can go wrong?

Preparing for the panel, I’ve been thinking hard about restaurant success, although if we all knew what brought it then we’d all be rich. Most notably I’ve changed my mind on a key point: I used to believe the usual industry mantra about ‘location, location, location’ but the four successful operations above all disprove that in varying degrees.

Start with Deira. Conventional wisdom suggests that as the centre of gravity of Dubai moves inexorably towards the Marina and New Dubai, Deira and to an increasing extent Bur Dubai between the Creek, Trade Centre Road and Satwa are marginalised.

But the Radisson Blu continues to draw a large and faithful crowd to its many outlets and table 9 has had incredible success in its first year of operation.

Take OKKU next. Before the hotel’s recent rebranding, OKKU was in a location notorious for its lack of signage and, for the longest time, taxi drivers had to be coached in how to even find the hotel, let along OKKU nestling on the first floor.

Atlantis The Palm also bucks the trend, relying heavily on being a destination rather than a magnet for passing trade.

So in these cases, at least, location is not an issue because of a more critical factor: they are providing what customers want, in terms of food, service and atmosphere. That’s the secret too of Zuma, perhaps Dubai’s runaway F&B success story of the last five years.

These are lessons that many other F&B Directors and owners would do well to consider. If people are likely to dine out less often then they’ll want to be sure of a good time, even if they have to travel to ensure it.

Dave Reeder

GROUP COO: NADEEM HOOD ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS ALEX BENDIOUIS DAVE REEDER EDITORIAL Editorial Director: DAVE REEDER dave@cpidubai.com +971 55 105 3773 CONTRIBUTORS: KAREN YOUNG SENIOR DESIGNER: CHRIS HOWLETT PHOTOGRAPHY: CRIS MEJORADA AND ANAS CHERUR ADVERTISING Senior Sales Manager: ANKIT SHUKLA ankit@cpidubai.com +971 55 2572807 ALEX BENDIOUIS alex@cpidubai.com +971 50 458 9204 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MARIZEL SALVADOR marizel@cpidubai.com PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER: DEVAPRAKASH DISTRIBUTION 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 Group Office, Dubai Media City Building 4, Office G08, Dubai, UAE A publication licensed by IMPZ © Copyright 2012 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.

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From the walk-in

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agat’s 2013 America’s Top Restaurants Survey is now available in both print and e-book, with reviews found free across Google Maps, Search, Google+ and mobile.

This year’s guide includes 1,822 leading restaurants in 46 cities and regions of the US as reviewed by more than 225,000 diners.

The key dining trend shows Americans cooking at home an average of seven meals per week, outpacing the average number of meals they eat out or take away (just over six meals a week) – a trend that has been building since the Great Recession. Dining in restaurants dropped from an average of 3.4 times per week in 2008 to 3.1 in 2011 - however, meals out are inching back to 3.2 this year. The average number of times each surveyor visited the restaurant they voted on before the recession was 12.1 - which dipped to 9.3 in 2011 and increased to 9.8 this year.

And when they do eat out, 31% of diners report spending more per meal versus 11% who spend less.

They are also increasingly generous when it comes to tipping, with the average tip coming in at 19.1% compared to 18.3% ten years ago.

Surprisingly, given that average restaurant spend has increased, many of the year’s number one restaurants in the guide are what is now being dubbed as ‘casual gourmet’, such as pizzerias, specialist sandwich bars and specialist burger outlets. However, whether fine dining, casual gourmet or casual, 81% of diners want to be in the know when it comes to food safety and say that restaurants should be required to post health department grades in their windows.

What irritates customers the most? The most common complaint is service (64%) followed by noise and crowds (19%), prices (6%), food (6%) and parking/traffic (3%) follow. Good to see that food is well down the list! Growing trends are farm-to-plate menus, enjoying open kitchens and dining at communal tables.

More in than out The latest survey from Zagat of the US’ top restaurants show some interesting industry trends.

How many of them can we expect to see here in the Middle East?

ZAGAT’S TOP US CHOICES Atlanta - Bacchanalia Atlantic City - Old Homestead Austin - Uchi Baltimore/Annapolis - Charleston Boston - O Ya Charlotte - Barrington’s Chicago - Alinea Cincinnati - Jean-Robert’s Table Cleveland - Chez Francois Columbus - Pistacia Vera Connecticut - Le Petit Cafe Dallas/Ft Worth - Saint-Emilion Denver Area - Carlos’ Bistro Detroit - Supino Pizzeria Fort Lauderdale - La Brochette Honolulu - La Mer Houston - Da Marco Indianapolis - Recess Kansas City - Cafe Provence Las Vegas - Joel Robuchon Long Island - North Fork Table Los Angeles - Urasawa Miami - Naoe

Milwaukee - Sanford Minneapolis/St Paul - Travail Naples - Cote d’Azur New Jersey - Nicholas New Orleans - Cochon Butcher New York City - Le Bernardin Orange County - Bluefin Orlando - Cress Palm Beach - Marcello’s La Sirena Philadelphia - Fountain Phoenix/Scottsdale - Kai Portland ‚Äì Painted Lady Sacramento - Taste Salt Lake City - Foundry Grill San Antonio - Bistro Vatel San Diego - Sushi Ota San Francisco - Gary Danko Seattle - Rover’s St. Louis - Bogart’s Smokehouse Tampa/Sarasota - Beach Bistro Tucson - Fleming’s Prime Washington, DC - Rasika Westchester - Sushi Nanase

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From the walk-in

Food safety importance Food security and the direct impacts of food production on the environment and public health are issues of growing worldwide importance. Will food security enhance the environmental sustainability of agricultural operations?

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ccording to data contributed by the World Resources Institute, eutrophication (nutrient pollution in water) in worldwide coastal water systems has risen from fewer than 75 impacted systems in 1960 to more than 800 systems today.

Of these, more than 500 systems have experienced hypoxia (the absence of oxygen in water required to support life) caused by excess nitrogen, such as the Dead Zone at the mouth of the Mississippi.

Only 20% of the nitrogen used in agricultural production is actually consumed as food, with the rest being lost to the environment and impacting our lakes, rivers and estuaries. The economic impacts of eutrophication include losses to tourism, recreational industries, fisheries and aquaculture.

In addition, the Environmental Working Group estimated in a recent study, ‘Troubled Waters: Farm Pollution Threatens Drinking Water’, that the US spends $4.8b annually to treat drinking water contaminated by excess nitrogen. The lack of sustainable agricultural practices that

will provide food security without compromising water quality, and the need to develop more sustainable practices, is a worldwide issue of both environmental and economic consequence.

One issue that has recently gained the spotlight in the food security forum is the standard administration of antibiotics in livestock operations for reasons other than the treatment of disease.

These widespread concerns stem from studies that demonstrate the potential for animal products to enter the food supply that contain bacteria that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

A recent statement from Keep Antibiotics Working, a coalition of concerned health, consumer, agricultural, environmental, humane and other advocacy groups, warns that in order to avoid advancing bacteria resistance to antibiotics, antibiotics should be used only when necessary,

as opposed to preventative or growth-promotion purposes. However, according to a recent response from the Animal Health Institute, an organisation that represents companies that develop and produce animal medicines, the current mode of proactive application of antibiotics is necessary.

Further, the response says there has been an increase in animal diseases, with no corresponding benefit in bacterial resistance,.

These two organisations have come to opposite conclusions regarding the use of antibiotics in livestock agriculture to maintain food security and public health.

Champagne goes flat A new report forecasts that worldwide Champagne shipments will rise only modestly during 2012 as the continued economic downturn depresses demand in traditional strongholds.

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report - ‘Global Market Review of Champagne: Forecast to 2016’ published recently by just-drinks. com concludes that the international Champagne market now stands at a crossroads with demand having slowed noticeably towards the end of 2011 in Western Europe, a region that accounts for around 80% of annual sales. Only static volumes or slight increases are likely to be registered in Champagne’s more mature and bigger destinations, the report states.

As a result, overall shipments are predicted to be only slightly higher than those in 2011 with

Western Europe’s decline eroding the dynamic growth that has been delivered by the emerging Australian and Chinese markets and resurgent sales in the US and Japan. Supply is a major concern as grape costs squeeze margins.

The report also confirms that concerns over supply are growing.

A staggering 40% of total production costs can now be attributed to grapes and margins are becoming increasingly pressurised. This has significantly impacted profitability in France, Germany and the UK which all rely heavily upon the highly competitive, low-priced retail channels.

Champagne at rest.

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The eggs factor

Another empty fridge Chefs are surrounded by ingredients all day at work, so what makes them excited enough to want to carry on cooking when they get home? What are the secret ingredients that fill their fridges, ready and waiting for inspiration?

Chef Daniele Capobianco, Head Chef at Certo, reveals all.

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orn on the island of Sardinia, Chef Daniele Capobianco moved with his family when he was four years old to Umbria, growing up surrounded by the quality food of the region, such as the cold cuts which originated in the Mastri Norcini or butcheries of Norcia.

With such a heritage of game, olive oil and truffles, it was perhaps inevitable that he’s became a chef. Whilst still at school, his first experienced with restaurants was working part-time during school holidays. More formal raining started in the local restaurants where he developed his real passion for cooking.

After graduating, Daniele he continued working in local restaurants around his region and soon developed a unique and personal touch of creating exciting food combinations with a refined twist, that he calls “a combination of local and imported Italian products that I use to give true Italian taste to the guest”.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2000 - Chef de Partie, 5-star Hotel Monte Conero, Sirolo,Italy 2001 - Junior Sous Chef, Italy&Italy, Ringsted, Denmark 2003 - Outlet Chef, Amici Miel, Helsingor, Denmark 2006 - Executive Outlet Chef, 4-star Hotel Colle Della Trinita, Perugia, Italy 2009 - Executive Outlet Chef, Crowne Plaza, Muscat, Oman 2010 - Executive Outlet Chef, Trident Hotel, Mumbai, India 2011 - Italian Outlet Chef, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City, UAE 2012 - Head Chef, Certo, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City, UAE

His specialises in making homemade cheese and cold cuts, as well as preparing dishes that are truffle-based, being inspired by his surroundings in Umbria, a region best known for truffles.

Wherever he has worked, Daniele has tried to incorporate the best local ingredients available and combine those with the Italian products to retain the true Italian flavour.

This is reflected in the Italian style of cooking in Certo’s in Radisson Blu Dubai Media City, where he is Head Chef.

When he’s not creating culinary wonders in the kitchen, Daniele spends most of his free time shopping, going out for dinner, watching movies or being active playing tennis or football with friends.

What’s in my fridge?

Truffles: A personal supply of Italian truffles from Alba, personally delivered from Cassinetto.

Bottarga: My favourite ingredient since youth. It’s very rare to find in Dubai for personal use and it’s incredibly nice if well prepared. Known in English as red mullet roe.

Rib eye steak: I love the tenderness and juiciness, especially when it’s grilled.

Salmon fillet: High in nutrition and a great source of protein, omega 3 fatty acid and vitamin D! Eggs: Sunny side up for breakfast as an energiser for the day!

Watermelon and strawberries: It’s my thirst quencher.

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Waiters on the platform expect the train

Snacks on the tracks

In what has been hailed as one of the most audacious food events ever, French über-chef Thierry Marx worked with Badoit to deliver a gastronomic feast to homeward bound travellers on one of Paris’ suburban train lines - a triumph of planning and execution.

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Chef Thierry Marx announces the meal

Menus are distributed

Tables are readied by a well-organised team

Commuters wait in anticipation

orn in Paris, Thierry Marx began his career as a pastry chef before joining the army and then being diverted into a number of jobs including security guard and warehouseman. However, he returned to the kitchen, winning one star at both Roc en Val at Tours and the Cheval Blanc at Nèmes. His second star came at the Relais et Château Cordeillan-Bages in 1999 and, a year later, her was Gault Millau Chef of the Year.

Moving to the Mandarin Oriental in Paris in 2011, his main restauranat there, Sur-mesure by Thierry Marx, received two Michelin stars this year. He is also brand ambassador for Badoit.

In September of this year, passengers on the suburban RER-C train heard an announcement that there was a delay to their train. An armada of waiters boarded the train and set up tables, tablecloths, towels and menus, whilst Chef Marx announced the surprise: a special meal, sponsored by Badoit, for all the passengers. Within 30 minutes, with more food being delivered at subsequent stations, 400 passengers enjoyed three courses washed down by 135 litres of Badoit sparkling water. Courses were Veal terrine, Lamb with baby vegetables, lentils and foie gras and Floating islands.

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The eggs factor

“BADOIT IS THE WATER THAT INSPIRES ME THE MOST, BOTH AS A CONSUMER AND A CHEF.” - Thierry Marx

The main course of lamb

Waiters keep diners happy

Badoit for everyone

“THIS PRODUCT HAS LONG BEEN ADOPTED AS ONE OF MY KEY INGREDIENTS. I LOVE THIS WATER. IT HAS BEEN A FAITHFUL COMPANION OF MINE FOR DECADES NOW.” - Thierry Marx

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Out and about

A capital show

ti focus on traditional Emira a , es iv at iti in y ar lin cu w Ne and a new programme of s nt ie ed gr in l ca lo d an ng dini Dhabi, running u Ab et m ur Go th fif e th events underpin e capital’s top restaurants. th in th 20 to h 5t ry ua br Fe

Chef Shinichiro Takagi

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o mark its fifth anniversary, a series of revamped events, highly-focused masterclasses and extensive culinary demonstrations and promotions will be driven by more than 14 international masterchefs, celebrity chefs and dozens of special guests.

Gourmet Abu Dhabi will highlight the Emirate’s leading hospitality partners’ culinary prowess and 20 or more restaurants will participate in next year’s larger-than-ever anniversary bill.

According to recent TCA Abu Dhabi statistics, F&B income for Abu Dhabi’s hotels sector has recorded double-digit growth since Gourmet Abu Dhabi’s inception in 2009. In the first nine months of this year, sector revenue amounted to $339m – a rise of 11% on the same period last year.

The burgeoning sector has renewed vibrancy with the upgrade of existing high-end outlets - such as traditional seafood hot spot, Sayad, at Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, which has been transformed by the hotel’s new Executive Chef Sandro Gamba into a classical brasserie serving seafood favourites with a modern twist - and the imminent arrival of glitzy newcomers, including celebrity Chef Gary Rhodes’ first Abu Dhabi restaurant at The St Regis Corniche and three Super Potato-designed restaurants at the soon-to-open Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal Abu Dhabi.

Voting for the 2013 Gourmet Stars Awards has begun, with 12 hotly-contested accolades, including

two new awards. Dubbed the ‘Oscars of the local hospitality industry’, the awards – voted for by the Abu Dhabi public, international visitors and an expert panel of judges – recognise individuals and restaurants that have contributed most to the UAE capital’s expanding hospitality sector.

As in previous years, ten industry awards are divided into three categories - ‘Chef’, ‘Service’ and ‘Restaurant’ – and include: ‘Executive Chef of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Chef of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Chef of the Year’, ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’, ‘Food & Beverage Manager of the Year’, ‘Regional Cuisine Manager of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Manager of the Year’, ‘Restaurant Host of the Year’, ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Regional Cuisine Restaurant of the Year’. Gourmet Abu Dhabi organisers have also introduced new awards to mark the festival’s fifth anniversary: ‘Best Use of Local Produce by a Chef’ and a ‘Best Sustainability Award’.

The ‘Best Use of Local Produce by a Chef’ will be determined by the best use of dates in recipes submitted by chefs or food professionals based in Abu Dhabi. The judging panel will shortlist three top entries based on five criteria: taste, originality, creativity, presentation and preparation.

The ‘Best Sustainability Practise’ will recognise an organisation, campaign, initiative or establishment that demonstrates leadership and commitment to the enhancement, preservation and protection of

A RISING STAR Chef Shinichiro Takagi – one of Japan’s hottest young chefs – has become the first international A-lister to sign up for Gourmet Abu Dhabi. He will demonstrate his specialty – expertise in the art of ceremonial Japanese kaiseki cuisine – during a special guest spot at Teatro, the five star Park Rotana’s international restaurant. To warm-up for his Abu Dhabi debut, he sampled an Arabic mezze looking for inspiration to add fusion concepts to his traditional cuisine style.

“I am hoping to gain ideas to create Arabic inspired fusion dishes and would also like to contribute to adding another dimension to the local gastronomic field,” he said.

Chef Takagi will also take part in the festival’s revamped masterclass programme, where he will share his expertise in the fine art of kaiseki - a multi-course seasonal tradition that has evolved alongside tea-making ceremonies dating back to the 16th century. Comprising a series of small, predominantly fish-centric courses, kaiseki is now considered haute cuisine and the pinnacle of Japanese gastronomy.

specific produce and indigenous ingredients.

Winners will be revealed at the fifth Gourmet Stars Awards ceremony on February 20th to be held at the five-star, beachfront The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.

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Out and about

Festival finds favour The inaugural International Fine Foods Festival held last month at Meydan saw local producers, chefs, suppliers and food lovers join together in a celebration of taste and culinary skills.

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he debut International Fine Foods Festival was a unique event which combined a market-style shopping area (Posh Picnic), chef competitions (Golden Toque), short seminars and author interactions (Cookbook Club) - a first for the region, with its focus on sustainable, wholesome food.

According to festival organiser Claire Tinston, “The mark of an affluent society is that it has the luxury to question. This region has a high disposable income and so we are able to afford foods which are of the highest value, but it also means that we have an educated consumer who asks questions about those foods and where they come from. As the market is saturated with

processed goods, it is time we should be focused on sustainability and sourcing food as close to its natural state as possible. It is easy to accept what is available but takes courage to question the norm.”

Tinston was driven by her personal passion for the issues and was pleased at the response from both professionals and food lovers.

“We have managed to showcase the smaller producers who are at the heart of food.”

Most visitors were drawn to the Posh Picnic, where local producers and gourmet suppliers provided samples, ranging from honey to cheese, seafood to bread, oils to vegetables.

Participants such as Organiliciouz, an organic farm in Sharjah, got a great response to its

produce. “People in this region have started to become more educated and more conscious about their health and what they are feeding themselves and their families,” says Obaid Bin Ghubash from Organiliciouz. Equally pleased was Lokesh Aswani, founder of Down to Earth Organics Dubai, “The planet has a resource crunch at the moment and our lifestyle is a big contribution to it. The way we live and eat affects the economy and everything around us. Which is why it makes sense to go organic, as well as reduce our carbon footprint.”

According to Tony Colley, MD of gourmet food supplier Oakleaf ME, “Seasonality is key, as you need to put less effort into a dish to make it tasty, when the produce itself is of good quality.”

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Out and about Of major interest to chefs were the various cooking competitions, culminating in the main award, the Golden Toque East 2012, which was judged by a respected panel featuring, amongst others, Salon Director Chef Michael Kitts and Deputy Salon Director Chef Helen Morris, both from the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, award-winning pastry chef Claire Clark, Resort Wellbeing Chef Gabriele Kurz from Madinat Jumeirah and cookbook authors Ariana Bundy and Suzanne Husseini.

The winners were: DAY ONE OF THE GOLDEN TOQUE CHEFS COMPETITION Barilla Traditional Pasta Dish Bronze: James Ibrahim - Black Linguine in Pumpkin Sauce Silver: Chiyedza Muyaruka - Parsley Tortellini in Orange Sauce Gold: Hossien Najmi - Spinach Cappellacci in Three Cheese Sauce Certificates of Merit: Aikaterini Efsathiou and Sonia Gulati Steelite Amuse Bouche Winner: Amandeep Singh - Bacon Wrapped with Zucchini & Mozzarella Cheese Runner Up: Saranjeet Singh - Mussels in Conghiglioni

Winner: Joshua Tiwan - Coconut Crusted Shrimp in Teriyaki Glaze & Tartar Sauce Runner Up: Satyajit Menon - Avocado Salsa with Smoked Salmon Mousse & Parmesan Cheese Horeca Trade Seafood Challenge Class One Bronze: Sonia Gulati - Venice on a Plate with a Twist of Cream Silver: Vanessa Frisaura - Hoki Tempura with Balsamic Reduction Gold: Aikaterini Efsathiou - Saganaki Midia Class Two Bronze: Thomas Reger Silver: Abdul Malik - Duet of Wasabi Marinated Cold Hoki Cake with Crispy Rösti and Mussel Tempura Gold: Luca Troiano - Mussels with Risotto Nespresso Cooking with Coffee Gold: Fatima Chawla - Mocha Molten Cake with Nespresso Creme Anglaise & Creme Chantilly Silver: Sharzad Ghaderi - Nespresso at its Best Bronze: Abhay Pandit - Coffee Pots du Creme with Creme Anglaise & Vanilla Panacotta Certificates of Merit: Brent Rivera, Amir Atrak and Merit Anam

DAY TWO OF THE GOLDEN TOQUE CHEFS COMPETITION Royal Culimer Sustainable Fish Dish Gold: Tomas Reger Bronze: Edna Ubani, Mona Saadati and Salik Ahmed Certificates of Merit: Anna Firmante and Sonia Gulati Steelite Amuse Bouche Winners: Amandeep Singh and Abdul Malik Runners Up: James Ibrahim, Chiyedza Muyaruka, Ameesha Haneef and Charanpeet Singh

Balqees Honey Warm Dessert Bronze: Salik Ahmed Certificate of Merit: Aditi Kulshrestha Promar Free-range Chicken and Duck Challenge Gold: Luca Troiano Silver: Christopher Fynn and Anna Firmante Bronze: Satyajit Menon and Edna Ubani Certificates of Merit: Sheldon Bradford, Harpeet Kaur and Mohamed Anis Middle Eastern Cuisine Gold: Mona Saadati Gold: Amanda Rodriquez Gold: Marieh Bostanoo Chef Tomas Reger flew in from Beirut for the event. He was awarded three gold medals and one bronze in the challenges and crowned overall winner of the Golden Toque Middle East 2012.

The judges were very complimentary about his combinations of flavours and textures and his methods of working. Congratulations, Chef Tom!

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Sourcing

‘Think - eat - be’ is the mantra

Making a difference Unifrutti is the only major fresh food supplier in the region that has complete control over farming, shipping, processing and distribution of both fresh and exotic food. As one of the largest fruit growers in the world, Unifrutti’s efficient logistics ensure longer shelf life of produce. Now a new green initiative is rewriting the rules.

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hirty years ago, Italian entrepreneur Giancarlo De Nadai started Unifruttii, a fruit and vegetable distribution company.

Today, it is one of the largest fruit growers in the world with a business model based on quality and timely delivery of produce to just about every country in the world. Using a network of trusted suppliers, it has built an enviable reputation

in the business and now runs Unifrutti Asia out of Dubai, as a key distribution hub.

Originally founded in Chile, Unifrutti now ships over 12 million boxes of produce from that country every year, becoming one of the largest producer and exporter of fresh fruit in Chile.

CEO of Unifrutti Asia is Mariana De Nadai and her daughter Maria Olivia De Nadai Albornoz now

heads up the company’s latest initiative, The Green League. “Back in Novemember of last year, I had extra time on my hands. I had studied finance and I went to my mother and asked to be let into the core of the business. She opened the drawer of her desk and took out this whole plan for The Green League, based on organic produce. Until then, we hadn’t done organic but I’d been begging for it for

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Sourcing some years and now she had a full concept of what it should be.”

Maria Olivia quickly realised that this wasn’t just about selling produce but was part of a much bigger picture. “The Green League is never going to be a significant slice of Unifrutti’s business,” she admits, “but I can use it to get customers to become ambassadord to promote and educate. My customers are members of the League,” says the oddly titled Leader Ambassador.

The timing was right - customer demand for organic produce had reached a tipping point with Ripe opening up. “It all came together well. My mother knows me and what I can achieve but I still had to fit in with her scheme. I started by meeting more than 30 growers - the Netherlands is a big central hub and many of them were already selling into this market. Networking worked well - some suppliers already sold to Unifrutti, others had heard of us. The truth is that the market in Europe is pretty much saturated so they were keen to find another market..”

Shortly after, the first mixed pallet arrived in Abu Dhabi and The Green League found its first customers in the capital with Slices restauramt and some local colleges who were keen to promote healthy food to their students. “One month later, we were importing two pallets a week but there was real pressure. In my mother’s mind, after three months I should be selling everywhere! A year on, we still have not achieved our goal but we’re satisfied with our effort. Now, nobody else has our concept and vision so it’s the time to go all out.”

Now, The Green League is importing two tons of produce every week, with more than 1,250 regular customers. “There’s really only me and one girl who does the admin, so it’s hard work. I talk to every hotel and client, then arrange deliveries.

Hotels are the killer volume for us.”

There is, she admits honestly, some tension inside Unifrutti, partly becasue she’s not delivering volume and partly because she sells what the company doesn’t grow. “However, I presented a whole feasibility study on the benefits and the image for shareholders. They were pleased with the concept, but want more results. But the vision is not to have an open market - my responsibility is to use this opportunity to educate. You need to think about it - ‘green’ is a metaphor for a much larger concept that fruit and veg. We need to be thinking about waste, about electricity, about food, about cost and so on. If you understand this, then you understand what you must eat. The final result

The Green League is more than a supplier

Great produce - great taste! of all this is ‘to be.”

She reacts to comments about The Green League’s carbon footprint. “Yes, people criticise it, so help me find another solution. We need to be competitive but we will not be like other people.

How many colours are there on the market? I want to choose mine. We have to be the example.”

But Unifrutti as a whole is not a company that supports her principles, except insofar as it has funded the initiative. “I want to be associated with Unifrutti. It may not be organic but it is committed strongly to CSR - that’s my father’s ethical vision.

At his villa on the Palm, he grows organically mangoes, pineapples, cucumbers, papayas and so on on, but the cost of running an organic farm here would not be justified. He has to think of the company’s 15,000 employees worldwide.”

One thing is certain: she is determined not to be a trend. “Education never dies and I say ‘Let’s do more, let the world know we have an image’.

Organic is never going to be a volume business, but let’s share this niche with people and set an example. However, I’m not a charity though my prices are very competitive.”

“I WON’T BE A SIMPLE SUPPLIER - I REFUSE TO DO THAT. I’M GOING THE LONG WAY THROUGH PEOPLE’S HEARTS. THE GREEN LEAGUE IS A NEW CONCEPT AND, WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT US, THEY WILL THINK ABOUT HEALTH.”

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Sourcing

2. Oak chips for smoking

1. Initial cleaning room

3. Salmon in the smoking process

Hand crafted With two decades of experience, Salmontini takes pride in running a largely manual operation, despite a weekly output of five tons from its facility in Dubai Investment Park.

We smoke out the story.

J

oe Bassili returned to his native Beirut to open a small restaurant more than 20 ago after a successful career as a chef in Europe working in restaurants such as Le Meurice.

Dismayed at a proposed 100% tax on imports and despite a complete lack of experience, he decided to open his own smokehouse. After nine months learning the craft in the Shetlands, he was ready.

There was just one problem, explains his son Jason, Co-owner of Salmontini and in charge of the Dubai end of the operation. “He couldn’t afford to buy the equipment!” Undaunted, Bassili built his own smoker in a cupboard in the family’s house, using odds and ends of pipes and whatever else he could find. “From the start, he was determined to do things properly. The smokers in the Shetlands had taught him the value of quality ingredients,

personal care, attention to detail and traditional methods and he duplicated as much as he could what he had learned, innovating when he had to.

To cool the pipes, for example, he used cold wet towels wrapped round them!”

He also developed his own programme, fine tuning the traditional methods. “In fact, when he revisited the Shetlands and showed them what he had done, they went crazy and said his system was better than the one they had been using for centuries!”

Jason, raised in England, helped him during summer holidays spent in Beirut. “At the age of six, I was working the vaccuum machine,” he recalls.

“Later, I’d trade time working with my father for time on a jet ski! I loved it and helping my father with the small fish restaurant he ran on a tiny

island off the coast. We’re a very strong family and we now have two smokehouses and five dining outlets between here and Beirut.”

For some time, smoked salmon was imported into the UAE from Lebanon, but the opening of an outlet in Mall of the Emirates in 2006 was the impetus to consider local production. “We were doing very well, selling what many people told us was the best smoked salmon on the local market.

So the opportunity was there for us to build the business here and also export from Dubai.” The Dubai smokehouse opened in June of last year, this time with professional not handmade equipment. “We wanted to ensure we got it right, so the whole operation is based on the correct flow of fish through the operation. From the moment that the fish arrive at the loading bay to the point where the finished product is shipped out, nothing goes backward.”

The salmon are sourced from the Hebrides at three years old. “They are farmed but in a very good way. They spend 18 months in a hatchery and then another 18 months swimming in natural sea water in a loch which is sealed with a net - so they

Jason Bassili, Co-owner of Salmontini

“WE’RE A VERY STRONG FAMILY AND ND WE ND FIVE NOW HAVE TWO SMOKEHOUSES AND RESTAURANTS BETWEEN HERE AND BEIRUT.” T

C E R M ra

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On the passe

5. Pin bone removal

4. Salmon rests after smoking

aren’t caged and overcrowded. A lot of people think that wild salmon are better but, to be honest, by the time they have returned to their spawning ground their flesh is rotting as they don’t eat and they’re bruised and torn from swimming upstream.

We work very closely with the producers to ensure premium quality and I make regular, unannounced

3. Trimming the belly fat before slicing

visits to check on them,. We refuse to accept any lessening in quality.”

All the salmon are smoked with oak, which Salmontini sources from Kent and Stuttgart. The Dubai smokehouse uses about eight tons a year.

Ten tons of salmon are delivered every week to the smokehouse, which results in just five tons of

finished product by the time the fish have been gutted, cleaned and trimmed, plus water has evaporated. The fish are between four and five kilos and come packed five to a box, approximately 250 to a ton. Throughput in the smokehouse is about one and a half tons a day.

Fish arrive and are gutted and deheaded before

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21 www.mkn.eu 20-22 Sourcing.indd 21

12/5/12 12:28 PM

Sourcing

8. Sliced salmon needs blood lines removed

7. Slicing - the D cut

11. The final product ready for shipping

9. Weighing salmon

10. Vaccuum packing the sliced salmon

being taken off the bone - two minutes per fish!

- and then salted in sea salt from the Camargue in southern France. “We inspect the eyes and gills carefully to ensure the quality,” Bassili explains.

“After salting for between 14 and 18 hours, the fish are washed and then racked for smoking. We do two sorts of smoking both using oak wood: the traditional uses a side to side distribution of the smoke which penetrates the fish and gives a full balanced flavour. Then there’s another where smoke moves vertically, which gives the light smoke, more like a cure really. The latter takes 14 hours and the traditional anywhere from 18 to 26.”

A ton and a half of salmon is smoked in a batch, which happens in a temperature range of 21 to 36 degrees. “Things vary depending on things like humidity and so on.” After that, the smoked fillets are allowed to rest for a day before moving on to the slicing room where up to two dozen highly trained workers trim the salmon of fins and belly fat, then remove the pin bones before the fillets are sliced, mostly in the standard D cut (50% of production). Fillets are cleaned up in 11 minutes and then sliced in another 11, before vaccuum

packing and storage ready for shipment.

Bassili is insistent that hand slicing is the only way to go. “Yes, the end product is more expensive but you can get more slices from the fish and at a much higher quality. Machine slicing just rips the fish and you get large amounts of wastage.” Hand trimming also produces waste, of course, from both the belly fat and the bloodlines, but Bassili recoups some cost by selling bones and salmon scraps to a third party.

Although the products are available in some retail outlets, virtually all the smoked salmon is sold to certain hotels such as the Hyatt Group and Atlantis The Palm.

“We also export - a ton a week to Qatar, another ton to Saudi and half a ton to Hong Kong. Then, once a month, we ship a ton to the Seychelles and another to the Maldives.”

The smokehouse has unused capacity and production could be doubled. The company’s latest initiative is a boutique smoked salmon store in London.

“I eat it every day,” Bassili says. “I love it and it’s good for you!”

THE CUTS Salmontini prepares four types of smoked salmon: Light smoked salmon - this light smoking extends the shelf life of the salmon which is typically used as a substitute for fresh salmon filets or tartare. Supplied as a whole side of fish.

Smoked salmon D cut - the bulk of sales, this is cut following the natural flow of the fish in a D shape.

Smoked salmon long cut - this is cut in one slice from head to tail. It should be thin enough to read through.

Smoked salmon loin (Tsar Nikolaj cut) - a cut from the top part of the fillet.

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Market focus

I scream, you scream...

The legend is that the Roman emperor Nero, in the first century, used to send slaves running to the mountains to collect snow and ice to make flavoured ices, the precursors to ice cream.

P

er capita, Americans consume the most ice cream in the world - from 1924 when the average America ate eight pints a year, they’re now scoffing down more than a pint a week! Consumption in the Gulf is rising fast too, which celebrates the Arab’s invention of sorbets and builds on a local love for foreign fast food and comfort brands.

And few foodstuffs bring us more comfort than ice cream, which is why a selection of increasingly intriguing flavours is found on just about every restaurant menu.

So let’s review some fun facts about everybody’s favourite dessert: In the ice cream heavyweight country, the USA, vanilla is the most popular flavour, with anything up to 30% of sales. Chocolate comes in a distant second, with 10% of the market. European immigrants at Ellis Island were served vanilla ice cream as part of their ‘Welcome to America’ meal.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest ice cream sundae in the world was made in Alberta, Canada, in 1988. It weighed nearly 55,000 pounds. The same year, a baking company and a sheet-metal firm in Iowa, teamed up to produce the world’s largest ice cream sandwich, which tipped the scales at nearly 2,500 pounds. And, in 1999, Baskin-Robbins created an ice cream cake at a UAE beach hotel that weighed just under 9,000 pounds.

Most people believe that the ice cream cone was invented at the 1904 World’s Fair in St Louis, however a New York City ice cream vendor seems to have created the cone in 1896 to stop customers from stealing his serving glasses. He patented the idea in 1903 and it took off in popularity at the World’s Fair the next year. Ice cream novelties such as ice cream on sticks and ice cream bars were introduced in the 1920s - in total they represent about 50% of the adult market.

One of the major ingredients in ice cream is air. Without it, it would be as hard as a rock and almost impossible to eat

Among the most unusual flavors of ice cream ever manufactured are avocado, garlic, azuki bean, jalapeno, and pumpkin. Weirdest of all? Dill pickle ice cream, marketed to expectant mothers.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, sales were disappointing.

to polish off a single-scoop ice cream cone.

Forget how to tell the difference between ice cream, sorbet, yogurt and custard? Ice cream is made from milk fat and milk solids. Sorbet is nondairy and usually high in sugar. Yogurt is usually tart with low or no fat milk substitute. Custard is rich and smooth with lots of egg in it.

Ice cream has molecules in it that can defeat the messages in the brain that tell our stomach that it’s had enough. A study by the UT (University of Texas) Southwestern Medical Center found that foods high in fat can send fatty acids to the brain that become resistant to insulin and leptin, two hormones that involve weight regulation. A sure way to combat that insatiable desire for ice-cream is to know how much to eat: three cups of dairy each day.

It takes 12 pounds of milk to make just one gallon of ice cream. It takes an average of 50 licks

Forgot to take the ice cream out of the freezer to soften it up? Just microwave for ten to 15 seconds.

ICE CREAM HAS MOLECULES IN IT THAT CAN DEFEAT THE MESSAGES IN THE BRAIN THAT TELL OUR STOMACH THAT IT’S HAD ENOUGH. 23 23 Market focus.indd 23

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Produce focus

Many chefs wish that diners would order something other than beef at times, as preparing it doesn’t give them a real challenge. However, ‘a good steak’ is always popular as a main protein choice, so it’s important to choose your produce wisely. We asked a number of chefs and industry players about their attitude to beef.

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Produce focus

O

ur panel of beef connoisseurs consists of Andy Campbell, chef for hire in Dubai; Paul de Visser, Executive Chef, Ruth’s Chris Steak House; Jamie Robertson, Head Chef, Gaucho; Cinu Shandran, Chef de Cuisine, W14th; Roy Soundranayagam, Executive Chef, The Meat Company; and Tarek Ibrahim, Business Develpoment Manager - MENA, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

Firstly, is your preference for grain or grass fed beef?

Andy Campbell: Grass fed is naturally fed, grain fed is to bulk up the beast. Our pastures in the Northern hemisphere are lush and full of nutrients.

So farmers only use grain to muscle up the beast.

Paul de Visser: Over the last few years working for Ruth’s Chris, I’ve really got used to the flavour of the US grain fed beef. It’s not that I don’t like grass fed beef as I grow up in Holland and the whole beef market there is predominantly grass fed. For me, it’s just that grain fed beef is less overpowering in flavour which I prefer.

Jamie Robertson: Grass fed. All the meat we serve in my restaurant is grass fed and I believe the taste is infinitely better Cinu Shandran: Depends, both have their own characteristics. Grain fed beef has more tender meat, while grass fed beef has more flavoursome, leaner meat.

Roy Soundranayagam: Grain fed meat, grilled in a restaurant, as this will always deliver a much better flavour.

Tarek Ibrahim: We are comparing apples to oranges. I do like both of them, as each has its own particular characteristics that define the product.

Grass fed has a stronger character displaying more robust flavours and the grain fed a more subtle flavour with a finer texture. It is important to note that within every category there can be inconsistencies, that is why I research the supply chain and choose the grass or grain fed brands that make me look good as a chef This is the secret.

Do you see any difference in taste between organic and conventionally reared beef? If so, do you see consumers willing to pay a premium?

Campbell: Where I come from beef is virtually organic and the difference is in the price. Good animal husbandry and careful butchery may go further than ‘Organic’. Some people are obsessed with organic and then smoke a cigarette after discussing their views! de Visser: Yes, there is some difference between the two but I think it’s more a question of conscience why people are buying or preferring organic beef. I do get why some consumers will pay a premium price for this product but, as of now, the demand is very low. Also beef prices keep on rising and this makes it difficult for restaurants to charge even more for this particular product.

Robertson: No I don’t see any difference. Our beef is from the Pampas region of Argentina and this region is ideal for producing top quality beef thanks to adequate moisture, mild climate, rich soil and vast terrain. The livestock graze freely over the grassland and do not require any hormones. This

OUR PANEL OF BEEF CONNOISSEURS

ANDY CAMPBELL Chef for hire Dubai

PAUL DE VISSER Executive Chef Ruth’s Chris Steak House

JAMIE ROBERTSON Head Chef Gaucho

CINU SHANDRAN Chef de Cuisine West 14th

ROY SOUNDRANAYAGAM Executive Chef The Meat Company

allows Argentina to deliver tasty and tender steaks that contain 10% less cholesterol and 25% less intra-muscular fat without a premium price to the consumer.

Shandran: The difference between the two does not lie in taste but rather in the way they are reared. Health conscious costumers opt for the organic reared beef as it does not contain any artificial chemicals and has leaner meat and are willing to pay a premium price for it.

Soundranayagam: Quality grass fed beef that I tried in Tasmania had a similar taste to organic beef I once tried in Dubai, which had originally come from Ireland. I think the premium charged in Dubai does not justify the selling price that would be needed in a restaurant or hotel. Most guests would not agree that the quality was warranted by the menu price.

Ibrahim: I do believe that we should feed our animals the best natural grain or grass whether it is organic or not. My experience during my farm visits down under has shown me some unbelievable production systems. In one cattle feedlot, I had some hot steamed rolled barley mixed with honey for breakfast from the same pen where they feed the animals. Regarding organic taste differences in meat, the difference is more difficult to pick than say vegetables or fruits grown where growth rates are sped up, limiting flavours and sugars to develop, in organic meat there is still a wide range of different feed rations that a beef cow or lamb may be grazed on that can affect the flavour profiles, as long as the feed is organic then the product can still be organic and still perform.

Preferred country of origin? Or do you buy based on price and market availability?

TAREK IBRAHIM Business Develpoment Manager - MENA Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

Campbell: There is some very good beef now from all over the world, so you get the best choice for each season. Different breeds, different density in the meat fat content, marbling and so on. de Visser: We as Ruth’s Chris only buy American USDA Prime Beef so that’s an easy one to answer!

As regards to me personally, I do think that several countries have got great beef - the US, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand to name a few.

Robertson: All our beef is Argentine Black Angus which is the Gaucho staple and this will never change due to its consistent excellent quality and impeccable flavour.

Shandran: As West 14th is a New York concept steak house I mostly have a preference towards purchasing the US USDA approved beef.

Soundranayagam: I prefer Australian beef. For the restaurant, we need to provide choices to guests on different budgets and people’s ethical choices so we offer grass-fed beef from New Zealand, grainfed beef from Australia and USA and this allows us to have varying price levels across our menus.

Ibrahim: Of course I do not buy based on price. I have been buying only Australian meat for the last seven years as it is the only country in the world that I truly trust the Halal and food safety systems.

Also, of course, it is delicious and I can always find an affordable cut for the cooking application that I choose.

How much of a problem is consistency and quality of beef required from suppliers? Is it hard to find a reliable supplier? How do you solve that problem?

Campbell: In Dubai, we are really lucky due to our location so we are in constant supply from the new and old world. de Visser: When we first opened up over four

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Produce focus years, ago it was quite a challenge to get the beef here with the same consistency and delivery times, every time. Now that we have overcome all the issues like halal certification and municipality clearing approvals, it has become quite simple to get the right consistency and quality here. I have got two local suppliers who order and store my beef and the beef I order is a special selected USDA Prime beef approved by Ruth’s Chris and used by all the outlets all over the world. As a steakhouse which has been in the market for the last 48 years and is the largest American fine dining steakhouse, I would like to think that they know what they are talking about.

Robertson: We deal directly with farmers and all of our imported meat is with us within 21 days of slaughter and is Black Label. That means it is the highest quality of meat that the country produces.

All of our meat is wet-aged and vacuum packed so the quality is extremely consistent. Only very occasionally is there a minor deviation in the quality and the meat is replaced immediately.

Shandran: Reliable suppliers are abundant but issues such as shipment delays and change in climate in the producing countries are unavoidable and negatively affect the consistency and quality of the beef. Some of these issues can be avoided by having accounts with multiple suppliers.

Soundranayagam: If you use well known suppliers, such as Country Hill, Suma Gourmet and Aramtec, you can always be assured of good quality at an agreed price. Is it hard to find a reliable supplier?

No, if you are willing to pay the correct price for the quality of goods you want to receive. We do not buy meat from just anyone, instead we work with longterm suppliers and treat them like partners and they treat us the same way.

Ibrahim: You should consider your suppler like your partner. I then consider the meat brands available and choose one that suits my, and my customer’s, budget and quality expectation. These brands then become my partners also, as it’s their consistency that is the backbone of my businesses performance.

Like any product a brand is based on consistency which in essence is what the consumers are looking for, no surprises … even with meat.

What is your view on chefs wishing to buy a whole carcass given that most consumers want the popular cuts? What are they doing with the rest of the animal?

Campbell: Good luck to them if they have the time, space and skilled staff to cut up the beast. A lot of chili and burgers, I would imagine. de Visser: I think it’s great if chefs are using the whole carcass, especially if you work in a hotel with several outlets from casual to fine dining as you can use all the products from the whole carcass.

From prime cuts like the filet and ribeye to the slow roasts of the brisket and using the chuck beef for delicious burgers, just to name a few of the things you can do with everything.

Robertson: In recent years there has been a big trend given the economic downturn for chefs trying to get the most out of the carcass, serving all the different cuts to provide more affordable dishes. This means there is very little wastage from

the carcass so it is actually economical for chefs to buy the whole carcasses. We do not do this at Gaucho as our meat is slaughtered and cut in Argentina before exporting to ensure it remains of the highest quality.

Shandran: Due to customer demand and chef convenience, I believe that purchasing a whole carcass is inefficient and leaves plenty of residuals.

Personally, I prefer ordering popular cuts. However, the animal remains can be used for sauces, stocks and glazes.

Soundranayagam: In the UAE, you cannot bring in the whole carcass, but you can buy all the parts already packaged. I think it is a great practice to use, but not all chefs have the knowledge or a willing to learn what to use all the cuts for. There are some great dishes, such as Osso Bucco (shin beef), flank steaks, braised oxtail, plus numerous others that use less popular cuts to create fantastic dishes.

Ibrahim: The trick is to match the correct cooking methods to the non-loin or secondary cuts, remember every cut on the carcass will perform beautifully if the right cooking application is applied. To buy the whole carcass is not a bad idea if you have a full utilisation of all the cuts. The next

step is the expertise in breaking down the carcass, if in whole carcass form, or maybe just consider buying the actual secondary muscles already deboned and vacuum sealed that you require.

What every chef should learn is the use of the nonloin cuts they are delicious and affordable. That is what we do.

Does it make sense to try and cut out the middleman and deal directly with suppliers in other countries?

Campbell: You may find that the middlemen deal with all the import licences and work with the municipality, transportation, etc. Maybe we should stick to what we do well? de Visser: I don’t really think it’s smart to cut out the middleman, especially if you just have one or two outlets. To bring in any of the products into the UAE you need tons of paperwork and approvals according to the DM laws. Having a specialised organisation who does everything for you makes a lot of sense in this market. Yes, it seems a bit more expensive but I think if you are really trying to do everything yourself with all the extra hassle it won’t make much of a difference.

Robertson: Yes and no. We deal directly with

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GEF: your key to the quality and abundance of French livestock products WHAT WE OFFER Preferred partner status Simplified dialogue Effective negotiation The power of the industry at your fingertips

CERTIFIED PRODUCTS A choice of over 20 selected breeds Chosen to meet your needs From breeding stock to fat stock From carcasses to vacuum packed muscles 100 years of experience

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Genetics

Untitled-1 1

Livestock

Beef and beef products

12/3/12 9:20 AM

Produce focus

Photo credit - la-viande. fr Laurent Rouvrais.

selected farms but we also use an importer given the geographical location we are in and the stringent importation laws.

Shandran: Dealing directly with suppliers in other countries is very time consuming and I prefer having middlemen based in the UAE who provide me with that service. Having middlemen makes obtaining supplies easier and more hassle free.

Soundranayagam: No, in the UAE due to the issues with clearing the goods, plus the buying power, it is better to buy through the reputable suppliers as for one, they are guaranteed to have the correct hygiene standards in place.

Ibrahim: Let us be professional and practical - a chilled sea freight container weighs 25MT. If you are larger enough to use this volume every two weeks and you own a warehouse and trucks, then yes you should; if you do not and 99% of the market does not then partner with your importer/ distributor for long lasting sustainable business growth for both companies. It is important to know the brands of the products that you are purchasing. Get to know the owners of the brands but respect the middleman, as they are the glue between two pieces of wood and take the complexities out of your business.

How important are correct animal husbandry matters to you?

Campbell: Very - just look at all the diseases that develop from poor living conditions of the beast. de Visser: I think it’s very important, as controlling the breeding and managing the life stock and feeding of the cattle is very good. This maintains the consistency and quality of the beef which is for any restaurant or for us as Ruth’s Chris is a must!

Robertson: Correct animal husbandy is very important due to the effect it has on the meat.

Also, the consumer is very conscious nowadays of exactly what is going into their bodies and

“CORRECT ANIMAL HUSBANDY IS VERY IMPORTANT DUE TO THE EFFECT IT HAS ON THE MEAT. ALSO, THE CONSUMER IS VERY CONSCIOUS NOWADAYS OF EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING INTO THEIR BODIES AND THE EFFECTS IT MAY HAVE. PROPER ANIMAL HUSBANDRY MEANS HEALTHY WELL-BRED ANIMALS THAT ARE IDEAL FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.” - Chef Jamie Robertson, Gaucho

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Produce focus

THE RETURN OF FRENCH BEEF France is well known as a country of culinary excellence, thanks both to the talents of its chefs and also to the quality of its food products. Among them, beef is no exception with the UAE market now open to French beef after more than a decade of absence.

The leading producer of beef and veal in Europe, with more than 20 million animals, French farming mainly consist of cattle for meat production. The French herd is characterised by its diversity: the famous Charolais, Limousin, Salers, the tough Aubrac or Gasconnes, the Blonde d’Aquitaine and the Bazadaises. This is a diversity that is unique in the world, but with a common knowhow based on the passion of French breeders, wide respect for animals and livestock grazing.

In France, suckler breeds are raised on grass.

Depending on the regions, cows spend a more or less long winter in building and then go to pasture, veal walk at spring while the grass growth resumes.

Thus, up to summer and the dry period, grass is their sole source of feeding.

Another specificity of French farming is its high requirement level for traceability. The animals are identified and listed under a unique number, in a national database and this number will follow the animal from birth to plate.

Finally, France is recognised to have the most strict veterinary control in the world, which also checks the healthy animals and meat from farm

the effects it may have. Proper animal husbandry means healthy well-bred animals that are ideal for human consumption.

Shandran: I put a high emphasis on only purchasing beef that was subjected to correct husbandry.

It contributes significantly to animal welfare, production and even health of the consumers.

Soundranayagam: It is extremely important for the health of the animal as well as the beef being produced. Correct animal husbandry will ensure that the animals are disease-free, well formed and the best eating meat will be produced and the farmer will also benefit as he will have good breeding stocks for the future.

Ibrahim: It is very important! That is why I use Australian meat. Every management decision made by the farmer essentially effects meat quality and consistency. The animals should be raised with a rising plain of nutrition developing muscle growth and fat deposition at the correct stages of the animal’s development. One of the greatest contributors to meat quality is stress, stress causes high PH levels and high PH levels causes dark and inconsistent meat tenderness and potentially a reduced shelf life. The easiest way to reduce the PH affect is to ensure the animal has high glycogen levels at the time of slaughter, as this is directly attributed to nutrition and animal health.

Photo credit - la-viande.fr Laurent Rouvrais.

Photo credit - la-viande.fr Laurent Rouvrais. to consumer. Thus, in recent years France has had no health problems or public health problems for exporting.

Selected from decades in pure breed, according to strict genetic patterns, the pure bred beef cattle have thus obtained higher percentages as grilled pieces, their bodies being more elongated and their backs more developed. Beside this quantitative work, there is constant research to produce a better meat that has recognised gastronomic qualities and meet the expectations of the consumer.

The new Bovine Meat Certificate signed by the UAE’s Ministry of Environment and Water and the French Ministry of Agriculture has again opened up this market to French cattle meat producers.

All imported beef meat products will be halal certified by French organizations authorised by local authorities.

GEF, a group founded in November of last year

by INTERBEV to represent the interests of French beef meat, cattle and genetics exporters through enhancing French cattle farming and conquering new booming markets, has set itself as a priority to win over the cattle meat market in the UAE, which consumes 18 times more meat per capita than the worldwide average and depends on imports for 80% of its cattle meat needs. Meat consumption is expected to increase by 28% from 2011 to 2015, when it should reach 439,000 tonnes.

FRENCH AND TASTY Celebrating the French pavilion at the Speciality Food Festival, the French Trade CommissionUbifrance in the UAE organised ‘So French So Tasty’ with an exclusive dinner at the Pullman Deira City Centre. From foie gras to cheeses, caviar to bread, chocolate to shellfish, 150 guests enjoyed fine French food and drink.

And guests could taste French beef thanks to three French meat producers attending the trade show: SVA Jean Rozé, Elivia and Deveille SAS. According to Christelle Labernède, Head of the Agribusiness Department – Ubifrance UAE & Qatar: “Thanks to this VIP dinner, the French exhibitors at the Speciality Food Festival had also the opportunity to continue their discussions with local importers and chefs they met at the show.

Christelle Labernèd and Executive Chef Pullman Andreas Mensh The UAE agrifood market is still growing and our food industry exports to the UAE are constantly rising year after year and are now worth close to €215m, up 20% from 2010.”

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Pimp my plate

Trading up This salad originated in Nice on the French Riviera.

Classically, it uses only fresh, raw vegetables, but many variations now incorporate cooked produce.

The use of tuna made us think of Asia, so what could be more fun that see how Executive Chef Manoj Kumar of Trader Vic’s approached the Pimp My Plate challenge.

I

nspired by his father who was a very good hobby chef, Chef Kumar grew up in Kerala before studying hotel management in Bangalore. “After that,” he recalls, “I went straight into the kitchen at the Taj Residency and stayed there for two years. Almost 20 years later, I can say that I’ve enjoyed every step of the journey. I began in the kitchen prepping for a

very old style chef and I learned lot from him.”

He moved to Dubai in 1994 as a demi-chef for the opening of Trader Vic’s Crowne Plaza and, even then, found it a bustling city. “I worked there for four and a half years for a ‘proper’ Swiss chef. People think that the menus at Trader Vic’s are Polynesian or whatever, but the truth is that, from the first, many of the

STEP BY STEP COOKING GUIDE

Step 1: The mise en place

Step 2: Slicing the palm hearts

Step 3: Slicing the sashimi grade tuna

Step 4: Base ingredients ready

dishes are classical but with a twist to them. So, for example, a filet mignon marinaded in soy sauce boiled with garlic and ginger and then grilled.” After Dubai, he moved to Bahrain to help open a new Trader Vic’s there. “Our menus are pretty similar but Bahrain has diners who spend very highly, so ingredients tend to be more expensive. I moved from Chef de Partie to Sous Chef and it was very good experience with GCC summits and so on.” Two years later, he was on the move again - this time to Trader Vic’s in the InterContinental in Muscat.

“The way the Trader Vic’s operation works is that, worldwide, there is a base menu which is set at a corporate level and has all the traditional Trader Vic’s dishes. But we are encouraged to specialised locally on top on this, appealing to the local palate: traditional dishes with a local twist,” Kumar explains.

His next move took him out of the Trader Vic’s orbit: Executive Sous Chef for a luxury Starwood property in Addis Ababa. “It was a huge property - a completely different world for me. There were six restaurants in the hotel from Indian to French, Italian to Pan-Asian, all fine dining. We were serving government ministers and catered conventions with up to 25,000 people! I even cooked for the Black Eyed Peas!”

After three years, in 2010, he got itchy feet and decided to head back to India, stopping off in Dubai with his family for a short break.

“We went for a meal at Trader Vic’s in Madinat Jumeirah and I bumped into one of the senior managers. On the spot, he offered me a job there as Executive Chef! In the nine years I’d been away, Dubai had really grown up and we had to work hard to keep the Trader Vic’s profile up and make people realise we were offering fine dining, albeit in a casual style.” He is now opening the new Trader Vic’s in Dubai Festival City as Executive Chef.

So how did he face the ‘Pimp my plate’ challenge? “I think with classic dishes you don’t really change them, that’s hard to do because they’re classics for a reason. Instead, you evolve

The finished dish

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Pimp my plate them. You make something similar but with a twist. For this dish, as soon as I thought of the tuna, I went Asian. I love Japanese food, in fact all Asian food like Burmese or Vietnamese. My wife is from Thailand so I’m very influenced by pan-Asian flavourings and herbs. So my first thought was a French/Japanese dish. Tuna is a fish you can do wonderful things with and I really didn’t want to cook it fully as in the traditional recipe. Would tuna tartar work?

I considered it and then realised I wanted something with more colour for the eyes.”

The finished dish just came to him in a moment. “That French/Asian feel works really well for the restaurant because, as you know, the French were in Polynesia. I’m very happy with how it worked out. Would I put it on the menu?

I’d give it a try - I think it’s the kind of dish that our customers would try if they saw it - it’s fresh, healthy and looks good!”

Would it work with any other fish - salmon, perhaps? “No, it has to be tuna. When you give a chef a dish to play with, he can be classic with it but a good chef can always ‘twist’.”

“WE WENT FOR A MEAL AT TRADER VIC’S IN MADINAT JUMEIRAH AND I BUMPED INTO ONE OF THE SENIOR MANAGERS. ON THE SPOT, HE OFFERED ME A JOB THERE AS EXECUTIVE CHEF! IN THE NINE YEARS I’D BEEN AWAY, DUBAI HAD REALLY GROWN UP.”

Tuna Nicoise Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 5oz tuna fillets 1/2 tsp dried tarragon 1/2 tsp salt black pepper to taste 2 small potatoes 5oz green beans, cut into two inch pieces 8 romaine lettuce leaves 2 small tomatoes, quartered 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered 8 black olives 2 tsp capers vinaigrette to taste Method: 1

2

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3

Step 5: Preparing to wrap the beans

Step 6: Mixing the vinaigrette

Step 7: The dish comes together

Step 8: Ready for the dressing

Simmer tuna, tarragon, salt and pepper covered over medium-high heat in one inch of water for eight minutes. Remove tuna to a plate, reserving liquid in pan and chill for at least one hour before serving.

Bring water in the pan to a boil and add potatoes and green beans, covering with a lid.

After four minutes, remove the green beans and refresh in cold water. Cook potatoes for another six minutes then allow to cool, slicing when they reach room temperature.

Place lettuce leaves on plates, then divide ingredients equally. Arrange all ingredients on the leaves and drizzle with vinaigrette.

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Salad Nicoise with a Trader Vic’s Twist (Palm hearts, green beans and oshinko in a roll of sesame marinated raw tuna seated on top of a tarragon boiled potato and topped with anchovies and capers) Serves 1 Ingredients: 120g Saku tuna (three slices) 25g palm hearts 25g green beans 20g oshinko 1 quail egg 3 black olives 3 capers 3 canned anchovy fillets 45g potatoes 5g tarragon 1 tsp sesame oil salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for vinaigrette: 15g black olives, chopped 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp soy sauce 50ml olive oil salt and pepper to taste Method: 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

First blanch the green beans for two minutes then remove the beans, place in chilled water and set aside. Drain once cooled.

1 Add tarragon to the same water, bringing it back to boil. Cook the potatoes for six minutes then remove, place in chilled water and set aside.

1 Place three slices of Saku tuna (sashimi grade yellowfin) flat on a chopping board then

1

1

1

1

1

season with salt, pepper and sesame oil. In the centre of each slice, place a selection on the green beans, oshinko and palm heart and roll each piece of the tuna tightly together.

Boil the quail eggs until cooked, then place in chilled water and set aside.

Drain and peel once cooled.

Remove the potatoes from the chilled water, season with a dash of sesame oil and place on a chilled plate.

Place the chopped black olives, sesame oil, Dijon mustard, soy sauce and vinegar in a mixing bowl and begin to whisk, slowly adding the olive oil to the mixture to create a vinaigrette.

Top the potatoes with the rolled tuna individually and drizzle over the olive and sesame vinaigrette.

Garnish with anchovy fillets and capers.

Slice the hard boiled quail eggs into two and place in the right corner of the plate with the black olives.

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On the passe

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On the passe

Down by the Creek Christopher Bateman, Executive Chef of Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, is no stranger to new projects. He was the Senior Executive Sous Chef as part of the opening team for the Meydan Hotel and joined Jumeirah Creekside acting Food & Beverage Director during the initial stages of planning and development. Now he’s focused on finetuning the hotel’s dining options.

F

rom serving as Chef de Cuisine for three outlets at The Four Seasons Resort in Maiu to being Sous Chef for The Pierre Hotel in New York, Christopher Bateman’s already racked up some pretty good experience, including time in other restaurants and catering companies in the United States.

An American national, he now oversees and manages the culinary aspect of the various outlets within the new Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, the group’s new art-focused property adjoining Irish Village and the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

How and why did you become a chef?

I was a 16-year old in Stanford, Connecticut, and I guess I just stumbled into it, as we knew a local chef. I did five years of that - really eclectic cooking of all sorts - and then went to The Culinary Institute of America in New York where I majored in Culinary Arts. School really rounded out my experience and it was the best two years of my life.

It made me realise the possibilities there were.

The Tomahawk Carver with sides What were the main lessons you learned?

To be authentic as a chef and use the freshest ingredients. From the Institute, I joined a Golf Club and we cooked mostly American-Italian food. This was again in Connecticut and I used to travel down to Manhattan once in a while and really began to understand what a huge world of flavours and foods there was out there. I had to see everything, which meant I had to travel and eat as many different cuisines as I could.

How old were you then?

I was 26 and it was time to move out. I was coming up in the profession, making a decent paycheck but I had to get out. So, from being a Sous Chef in Denver, I moved to Maui - it’s still the US but it’s

very definitely not the same kind of place. I mean, you’re six hours on a plane from Los Angeles!

There I was cooking a lot of Japanese/Thai food and I lasted three years.

I’d think it would be a paradise kind of place…

Yes, but produce was hard. I’d come from a culture where everything was so fresh and now it was difficult to find a lot of things - you know, it’s an island in the middle of the ocean. Sure, there’s fresh local produce and that’s really easy to serve raw but anything flown in was at least a day old!

It was a busy job - we did 450 covers a la carte with just six of us on the line, plus a lobby lounge and room service.

“FINE DINING IS STRANGE - CHEFS NEED TO KEEP THEIR EGOS IN CHECK AND PUT THEIR CUSTOMERS FIRST. THE KEY QUESTION IN ANY PRE-OPENING IS: WHAT WILL FILL THE RESTAURANT?”

What were you cooking?

Hawaiian flavours, of course, but also a lot of Asian tastes that we played with, mixed with French style. So a typical dish might be Char sui beef Wellington or local fish trhat I smoked myself or Peking duck with local flavours. I remember a Pork quesadilla with mayo and taro root - that’s a mix. I lasted there three years.

Then where did you head?

New York City and Jumeirah Essex House, helping Kerry Hefferman open a $10m restaurant. Fine dining is strange - chefs need to keep their egos in check and put their customers first. The key question in any pre-opening is: What will fill the restaurant? Fine dining didn’t really work in Maui - they wanted more casual. It was a great learning experience for me with Kerry and we finetuned the menu by using daily specials and seeing how each one sold. And then you start to spot a trend and you just follow that. Then, in 2008, I moved as Senior Executive Sous Chef to Jumeirah Emirates Towers which had a very different clientele and lots of really large banquets - we had 10,000 for the World Cup, for example.

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On the passe How do you define your cooking style?

I do like to mix seasonality with freshness in a creative way. It’s good to push the envelope as much as we can and we should insist on getting the products that we want. You have to keep pushing - I think it’s easy for chefs to get into what I call the loop of laziness. You have to keep growing - I learned that in Manhattan where I saw this great spark in many of the chefs.

What are you trying to achieve here?

Well, as you see, the hotel has a rather different feel to other Jumeirah properties - lots of art, very design led - so we’re going for a completely modern, very contemporary feel with the food. So our all-day space Nomad isn’t a single style : there’s a deli area, a bar, buffet and live stations and then an Asian grill out by the pool. We’re building some BBQ stations in the grounds too - it’s a great location with the lake. And i’m really excited by the Cooking Pod in Blue Flame, our seafood/steak fine dining outlet - basically you get a group of diners into the Pod and they’re taught by one of our chefs how to cook their own meal, with TV screens showing other diners qwhat’s going on. It’s a very different concept for Dubai and it’s proving very popular even in our soft opening period.

You seem to like interaction with guests…

Yes, I think that’s important. We can talk about sourcing and sustainable issues, especially with the seafood. You can say that steak and seafood have been done to death but I think we’ve put a great new twist on it. And speaking of sustainability, I won’t allow hammour into the hotel, not even for banquets. What I find encouraging is that we’re getting a good proportion of Emirati diners - you might think they’re coming for the grilled meat but increasingly they’re being adventurous with the fish like Artic char and salmon.

Finally, what sort of food do you seek out when not hard at work here?

Whatever tastes good! I like Japanese, Chinese and Italian but, you know, I don’t see the point of very expensive food. I want it simple with good ingredients. Look, with a hotdog, do you even know what’s in it?

CREEKSIDE DINING Nomad - This Puccini designed restaurant offers four diverse and unique experiences: a dedicated Asian tapas wine bar, a 24 hour New York-style deli, Asian a la carte or buffet, or the Asian pool grill with dim sum trollety.

Blue Flame - steak and seafood, plus a stateof-the-art Cooking Pod, offering guests the chance to learn the finer skills in food preparation and plating from the restaurant’s top chefs. Open kitchen and ‘meatelier’ trolley, as well.

Cu-Ba - rooftop lounge for drinkss and tapas.

The Cooking Pod in Blue Flame

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Face to face

As he moves from restaurant to restaurant in South Africa - now at the Saxon Boutique Hotel as Executive Chef - David Higgs is helping to change the food culture of the country, based on his belief that food preparation is an art, balanced between the mundane and avant-garde.

D

avid Higgs believes that “a successful restaurant is based upon repeat business and the presentation of its food.

Although the dish may be something classical, eye-catching presentation is crucial, whether it is visually colourful or offering different textures. The objective of the new menus at The Saxon will be to entice guests; not only from a flavour point of view, but also that they should return, knowing they will always be personally welcomed. Relationships are vitally important and our guests should feel at home, surrounded by the ambiance of the hotel.”

That was certainly a lesson he tried to pass on during the Stars, Food & Art event in Amsterdam.

He found time to explain to us about the changing food landscape of South Africa.

Tell us your childhood food story.

I was lucky. We grew up in Walvis Bay on the coast of Namibia - we caught fish and hunted game, but my father died when I was ten years old and my mother and I moved to Cape Town. I was a different life but we ate well with the whole family nearby. My mother made fish cakes and lard, bread and sugar seemed to be staples. I just loved eating but at that age I just didn’t inderstand that food came from shops! And the first time I went to a restaurant, I just couldn’t believe that there was a place where you could eat anything.

What kind of place was that?

Zorba the Greek - a great open kitchen serving steaks, lots of flaming food and real culinary theatre. I loved watching the timing of the service and the interaction of chef and customers. I really

can’t understand why some chefs don’t see the value in talking to customers. I certainly couldn’t work in a closed kitchen again - it’s great seeing what’s going on and being able to deal with things if you see a problem developing. It makes you responsible as a chef and customers do like the feeling of being greeted.

Can you give us an overview of the food scene in South Africa?

Well, traditionally it’s not been well developed, despite some great produce. We just don’t have the skill level there that produces great restaurants and we need exposure to Michelin level dining. I guess that in a country of 51m, we have only about 30 real quality restaurants and most of those are in Cape Town. Of course, that means we have a real opportunity, but also that we have to keep

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Face to face

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Face to face pushing. Yet it’s a slow process to develop a food culture. we don’t have lots of food shows on TV and I do what I can - after 22 years in the business, people know that they can trust me. Food needs to be real and honest.

You’re a brand ambassador for San Pellegrino.

What’s the appeal?

It’s a great brand, a huge brand. I get some flack from people that it’s not a local brand but I like the way it complements food. It’s not aggressive. It’s delicate. Just very pleasant. Yet at the same time, we have great water in South Africa.

How did your career start?

I was very lucky to start in a three star hotel - a great start cooking breakfasts and I could have stayed there some time but realised after a year that I need training, so I went to culinary school and then was taught by Bill Stafford - a great chef.

I got more training with him as we opened a chain of restaurants but he left adfter three years and I went into industrial catering. Then I moved into teaching students which I loved - it’s great dealing with people.

How do you describe your style?

I don’t like to overcomplicate so I keep things pretty simple and clean. My food isn’t fussy. You know, Marco Pierre White’s ‘White Heat’ really took a proud place in my library. I love that style - the contemporary take on classics. I also admire Thomas Keller and Adria, of course. To me, presentation is key and should simply enhance the food. A dish doesn’t revolve around foam or gel.

Now you’re back behind the stove at Saxon. How

Cape Town is it working out?

As I’ve moved from fine dining to industrial catering to seven years of teaching and now back to fine dining, I’ve felt a growing confidence in my abiulity. I want to use all my expertise to create something truly special. I think I needed the challenge of hotels. Food has certainly come a long

way here since I started in the late 1980s, when it was all tomato roses and parsley garnishes. The reality is that, in South Africa, we have the most incredible produce and some amazing indigenous ingredients. Chefs are always excited by fresh seasonal produce so I hope more South African chefs get more creative and raise the bar.

“TO ME, PRESENTATION IS KEY AND SHOULD SIMPLY ENHANCE THE FOOD. A DISH DOESN’T REVOLVE AROUND FOAM OR GEL.” Lamb, Chasseur Serves 4 Ingredients: 800g lamb loin 1 garlic clove bunch of thyme 500g large potatoes 150g butter salt 500g spinach Method: 1 Strip all bone and fat from the meat and chill. 30 minutes before serving, seal meat in a hot pan with butter and oil and a clove of whole garlic and thyme.

Place into oven at 180C till medium - about ten minutes - then leave to rest on a rack 2 Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly as for

3

potato bake then place slices into a bowl with 150g butter that is melted. Season with salt and layer into an ovenproof dish that has been buttered, as you would with a potato bake.

Place into oven at 160C until soft - test with a toothpick Cool in the fridge, remove from the dish and slice into four pieces. As needed, place into a non-stick pan and fry till golden.

Remove all stalks from the spinach and wash properly. Plunge spinach into boiling salted water until wilted and then straight into a high speed blendr, blending till beautifully smooth. Chill on ice till needed, then heat gently in a pot.

50ml olive oil 50ml meat sauce (strained gravy) Method: 1 Combine all ingredients and heat gently at service time.

Warm salad

Dressing

Ingredients: 200g white asparagus, blanched in hot boiling water till al dente 60g baby tomatoes, peeled 200g porcini mushrooms, peeled and cleaned salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients: 5g tarragon, chopped 15ml sherry vinegar

Method: 1 Pan fry mushrooms as needed for service and add the asparagus and tomatoes to warm through

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Serving up fresh ingredients since 1868.

A dash of creativity. A pinch of inspiration. Add to that the delicious range of Knorr seasonings, sauces and soups and you get the perfect meal that will keep your guests coming back for more!

Unilever Food Solutions: Tel. +971 4 881 5552 | UAE Distributor: +971 4 347 0444 / +971 4 347 3455 For more information, email: mohammad.shanawani@unilever.com

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5/31/12 6:05 4:19 PM 5/30/12

Face to face

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Face to face

From bay to marina As the stunning Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi continues to reinvent itself, Filipina Jennie Lorenzo has arrived from San Francisco as Chef de Cuisine at Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi to take charge of Nautilus.

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erhaps one of the UAE’s best kept fine dining secrets, Nautilus at the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi has a stunning position overlooking the marina, a light airy space and an established reputation for good seafood.

Unfortunately, it is somewhat hidden in the hotel, requiring a lift and a walk, none of it boldly signed. However, new Chef de Cuisine Jennie Lorenzo hopes that her new modern and evolving menu will bring the food lovers in.

“The menu is something that is highly personal to me,” she says. “It is a reflection of my work and food memories inspired by my travels. I use subtle seasoning to enhance the natural flavour of every ingredient, thoughtfully chosen to reflect a particular sense of place and bringing a seasonal dimension to the menu.”

Integral to what she is trying to achieve is a match of the restaurant’s innovative setting and the clarity of how she deals with quality seasonal produce. Arriving from San Francisco, she is determined to bring the California mindset of cooking ethically by using sustainably sourced seafood. She’s also determined to educate her team, so that diners become involved in tyhe selection and treatment of food.

All part of GM Heiner Werdeling’s desire to give the hotel in general and F&B in particular into a creative and vibrant perspective. “We want to bring a progressive dining journey,” he notes.

From San Francisco to Yas Island - for a chef committed to sustainability, not an obvious move.

I know, but the hotel is such a great place. I’ve done a lot of travelling and I love to work in a different region. Just looking at the development here, it’s a lot fancier than other places but very vibrant. Sourcing is definitely going to be a different business for me here. I’ve spent the last two and a half months testing ingredients , starting to learn about the different tastes here in the region. It’s very interesting to see the changes, but I do have days out of the loop where I can’t find the right flavours to pair.

And the move?

I needed to open up my mind and shake myself out

of my comfort zone. I am used to using spices in my cooking but they use them here in a very different way - at first I thought it was aggressive, but now I appreciate the balance. You have to learn and keep learning - it’s fascinating seeing different ways of working in the kitchen.

Tell us your food story.

Well, I was always interested in food. I was born in Manila and there you see every type of food.

Like Balut?

Yes, like Balut [laughs]. It’s rather like a concentrated duck consomme, very good indeed but just don’t look at it! In fact, I try not to eat too much meat as I think it’s better

“YOU NEED TO GET REAL AS A CHEF. IT’S TOO EASY JUST TO ALWAYS ADD CAVIAR OR GOLD LEAF. INSTEAD, BE HUMBLE AND APPRECIATE PRODUCE FOR WHAT IT IS. HOWEVER, I HOPE WE WON’T DO WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT - THE FLAVOUR PROFILE NEEDS TO BE WIDE.” 43

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Face to face for the environment not to do so. My way is a confirmation of produce, not wasting it. Abu Dhabi won’t change me on that.

So, back to your story…

After my education, I left the Phillipines for the US and just started to cook there. I was always very independent and I have to say my parents weren’t psyched that I didn’t want to go on studying. This is back in 1997 and a place called Blackbird, sort of neo-American style and really quite progressive for its time. It was an ‘in’ place, with hip design. I was really eager, hungry to learn more and get a better foundation. I think you need the training to fall back on and I felt I needed the structure of school.

Gradually my style evolved. It’s like with every chef, things just pop into your head and it’s all about getting the right combination of tastes and ingredients. It’s a challenge but I’ve always tried to put the season into the menu.

Of course, you had great produce in San Francisco.

Oh yes, it really allowed a chef to look at the seasons. We were always seeking out the latest thing - you know, heirloom carrots, or organic poultry, or sprouting our own beans. With great produce, a chef can reinvent easily - use the peppery taste of carrot tops, for example.

So your style is simple?

Yes. You need to get real as a chef. It’s too easy just to always add caviar or gold leaf. Instead, be humble and appreciate produce for what it is.

However, I hope we won’t do what people expect - the flavour profile needs to be wide. Making all the changes I want to make will take some time.

You can’t do it all in three months, but we’ll make the switch.

You obviously miss the produce. What else?

I really miss the street culture with inexpensive, tasty food. Good times! I need to find more local

food here. However, despite the population mix here, I don’t do fusion food. What I like to do is talk to people and ask them the kind of flavour profiles they like, then I can give the recommendations from the menu. One difference I’ve really noticed between California and here is that people here don’t eat as many vegetables.

Where are the simple salads? I’m very careful with what I eat myself and always read every ingredient on the packet.

What is your key influence?

I think I’d have to say Japan. I love the way they do things there. It’s an artisinal approach that really respects ingredients but there’s so much pride and focus and skill in what they do. Everything tastes so good! They also have another characteristic I like and follow - a quiet kitchen and great teamwork.

I need the quiet - an open kitchen just doesn’t suit me. At the end of the day, it’s about what we deliver on the plate.

“ONE DIFFERENCE I’VE REALLY NOTICED BETWEEN CALIFORNIA AND HERE IS THAT PEOPLE HERE DON’T EAT AS MANY VEGETABLES. WHERE ARE THE SIMPLE SALADS?”

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Travel

Celebrating the stars of food The latest in the on-going series of Sofitel hosted Stars, Food & Art extravaganzas saw the event return to its birthplace, Amsterdam, for a two-day celebration of the best of the past and the promise of the future, all amidst the stunning setting of the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam.

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reamed up by Dutch food writer and author Lise Timmer, the Stars, Food & Art events combine the talents of Michelin-level chefs, musicians and artists to deliver an evening of taste and style, all in aid of charity.

Although the event is normally fixed for one day, in November 2012, Timmer decided on a two-day celebration of the growth of the concept - earlier this year the first non-European event was held in Dubai and next March it moves to London for the first time.

The Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam hosted the culinary event ‘Stars, Food & Art: The Global Edition’ over two evenings. Eleven internationally famous chefs from all over the world prepared their signature dishes, with the event hosted by cuisinier Alain Caron and his co-host, the actress Jolanda van den Berg. A substantial part of the price for this exclusive dinner event was donated to the ‘Together in Amsterdam’ project supported by

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Travel the Netherlands Red Cross in Amsterdam.

And new to the event were chefs from countries not represented before: Margot Janse and David Higgs from South Africa. During the dinner this year, artist Mariska Meijers presented eleven gigantic mosaic Christmas tree decorations, each of which represents one of the chefs. Between the courses, music performed included fragments from the musical Grand Hotel under the direction of director Ursel de Geer. This musical about the luxurious hotel life in 1928 was performed earlier this year in The Grand by musical stars that included Jamai Lohman, Trudy Klever, Ad Knippels and Tony Neef.

The internationally famous chefs attending were: Frank Rosin - Frank Rosin (Dorsten, Germany) ** Kiko Moya Redrado - Restaurante L’Escaleta (Cocentaina, Spain) * Vincent Farges - Fortaleza do Guincho (Portugal) * Jérôme Nutile - Le Castellas (Collias, France) ** Margot Janse - Le Quartier Francais (Franschhoek, South Africa) Ron Blaauw - Ron Blaauw (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) ** Atul Kochhar - Benares (London, UK) ** Wolfgang Becker - Becker’s (Trier, Germany) ** David Higgs - David Higgs (Johannesburg, South Africa) Claire Clark - Ex-French Laundry (London, UK) *** Joe Barza - Chase (Beirut, Lebanon)

Claire Clark’s stunning dessert

Each dish must be plated exactly

A FIRST COURSE OF REINVENTED LEBANESE MEZZE FROM CHEF JOE BARZA BROUGHT A NICE MIDDLE EASTERN TOUCH TO THE EVENING AND A NOD BACK TO THE SUCCESSFUL EVENT HELD IN DUBAI EARLIER THIS YEAR. 48 46 - 53 Travel.indd 48

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THE MENU - NOVEMBER 3RD 2012 - DAY 2 MEAL Champagne and canapes

One of Mariska Meijers’ chef decorations

Mezze trilogy Joe Barza Culinary consultant, Lebanon Wine: Ixsir Altitudes Rose, Lebanon, 2011

Scallops with shaved truffles and artichoke puree Wolfgang Becker Necker’s Restaurant, Trier, ** Wine: Riesling, Becker’s, Mosel, Germany, 2010

Smoked duck breast with chaat of pear and spring onions Atul Kochhar Benares Restaurant & Bar, London, ** Wine: Pinot Gris, Reserve Particuliere, Domaine Weinbach, Alsace, France, 2005

Grilled North Sea sole, cauliflower, veal marrow and cepes in vin jaune Ron Blaauw Ron Blaauw Amsterdam, ** Wine: Tilly’s Vineyard, Henschke, Barossa, Adelaide Hills, Australia, 2008

Roast filet of fawn, baby poached radishes, corn and quince David Higgs David Higgs at the Saxon Hotel, Johannesburg Wine: Columella, Eben Sadie, Swartland, South Africa, 2009

‘Floral mania’: Steamed rose yoghurt, raspberry, pistachio and rose petals Claire Clark Patissiere Wine: Kracher, Cuvee Auslese, Burgenland, Austria, 2010 Money for The Red Cross

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Travel In The Grand’s kitchen, where chef Ron Blaauw will be working closely with The Grand’s restaurant Bridges starting in January 2013, every chef prepared his or her own signature dish, with other chefs jumping in to help along with Bridges’ own brigade. What makes this formula so unusual is that most of these chefs hardly knew each other before the event yet worked together intensively in symbiosis and harmony.

The Grand’s sommelier Jasper van den Hoogen selected appropriate wines.

The Pro Chef Middle East was invited to the second evening and, like previous Stars, Food & Art events, I was stunned by the organisation and the quality of the food on offer to the 100 or so guests.

Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is the perfect setting: created from two 16th century convents, the building served as a time as Amsterdam’s Town Hall and the event took place in the old council chamber, the setting also for the first Stars, Food & Art in 2007.

Chefs working in harmony

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www.cpidubai.com

News and analysis for the Middle Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality professionals

THE MAGAZINE FOR GULF-BASED HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS *TTVF t +VMZ t XXX DQJEVCBJ DPN

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'FBUVSF Save energy, save money: Green Globe help light the way to creating a sustainable future

*TTVF t 0DUPCFS t XXX DQJEVCBJ DPN

'FBUVSF Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman reveals his plans to increase inbound tourism and change peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perceptions of Dubai

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'FBUVSF The right tableware - revenue generator or last minute budget-conscious panic. We talk to the market leaders in the UAE

*OUFSWJFX St Regis Saddiyat Island on creating Abu Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;first true beach resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

*OUFSWJFX General Manager Luigi Romeniello introduces us to the Rosewood Abu Dhabi

*OUFSWJFX The H hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Manager , Guy Bertaud, aims to capitalise on his unique address, One Sh Zayed Road

2 " Are Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diners still swayed by a celebrity chef?

2 " Procurement - how, when and how much? Hotels share their best practices when it comes to furniture and fittings

2 " How do some of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top chefs keep their menus evolving in order to drive business and keep things interesting

5SFOET The latest home furnishing trends from the States; how to market a jazz club; Jumeirahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new fitness concept; the design tricks that make a menu work

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5FOEFST 23 tenders you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to miss out on

5SFOET Dusit Thani talk Emiratisation; Rezidor feel the benefit of the Box Appeal and we reveal the hottest Q4 restaurant launches

/FXT BOE BOBMZTJT GPS UIF .JEEMF &BTU T IPTQJUBMJUZ QSPGFTTJPOBMT

GLOBAL HOTEL INDEX: Asia Pacific 65.5% - Americas 63.4% - Europe 70.5% - Middle East/ Africa 60.4% (Average room occcpancy May 2012)

GLOBAL HOTEL INDEX: Asia Pacific 68.1% - Americas 67.9% - Europe 71.3% - Middle East/ Africa 53.8% (Average room occupancy August 2012)

5SFOET Dubai hotel boom continues; Crusing season begins in style; and we hear of hotel success in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 5FOEFST 25 tenders you need to know about this month!

5FOEFST 28 tenders and new MENA projects you need to know!

GLOBAL HOTEL INDEX: Asia Pacific 67.5% - Americas 63.4% - Europe 76.6% - Middle East/ Africa 60.7% (Average room occupancy September 2012)

$-"44*'*&% Majid Sager Al Marri, Director of Hotel Classification at DTCM, shares his vision for the hotels of Dubai

SOLVE THE REVENUE MANAGEMENT PUZZLE We investigate the data heavy world of revenue management. Is your property optimised to make maximum advantage of all your potential revenue streams?

In association with...

In association with...

In association with...

Publication licensed by IMPZ

Publication licensed by IMPZ

Publication licensed by IMPZ

Hospitality Business Middle East is a different magazine at the cutting edge of the hospitality sector, offering in-depth news and analysis for the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospitality professionals.

It delivers the tools and information you need to stay on top in this competitive market. With a focus on business dynamics, it looks at key revenue drivers and pain points via a mix of news, interviews, reports, buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guides, networking events, round tables and analysis. Drive profits up while keeping costs down!

To advertise within Hospitality Business Middle East , please contact: Alex Bendiouis, alex@cpidubai.com +971 50 458 9204 Antony Crabb, antony@cpidubai.com +971 55 338 7639 Read every monthly issue free of charge via: www.cpidubai.com

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Travel Up the imposing marble staircase, we enjoyed half an hour or more of champagne and canapes before being ushered into the beautifully decorated dining hall, laid with specially designed plates from RAK Porcelain. A first course of reinvented Lebanese mezze from Chef Joe Barza brought a nice Middle Eastern touch to the evening and a nod back to the successful event held in Dubai earlier this year. More courses, more carefully chosen wine and entertainment led us to the auction which raised a significant amount for The Red Cross.

WORKING TOGETHER One of the most fascinating parts of the behind the scenes look at the kitchen was seeing chefs, who had only just met, collaborating together without egos in order to present the best dishes for diners.

Even with the deadline of service counting down, here’s one example of how Chef Joe Barza’s reinvention of mezze became something even more.

Chef Barza plates up

The dish as envisaged

Organiser Lise Timmer

Chef Andrew Gaskell tries a different approach.

Freeze dried chick peas are added.

The new presentation.

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Feeding Beirut Personal chef Tomas Reger decided not to spend the summer this year in Dubai. Instead, he worked on a pop up restaurant concept in Beirut, focused on daily changing menus and a casual vibe.

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Travel

W

anting to try something new, Chef Tomas Reger decided to use the summer to expand his interests in Beirut. “I have a restaurant consultancy company in Beirut together with Mario Haddad called Food For Thought,” he explains.

“We are developing concepts, menus and recipes and some of our projects are Le Sushi Bar, The Jasmine Room and 2012 season Sky Bar menu.” For summer 2012, he worked on the Pop Up. “The Pop Up was a project I wanted to do for a while. The idea was to have a restaurant that is cheap to set up with great ingredients. We opened the Pop Up on the 27th of July after about two months of preparation - it took a lot longer to set up then expected as we faced a lot of issues.”

He already had in place a great number of local small producers and was fortunate enough to be able to buy fish directly from the boats. The menu had only eight items that changed daily depending on the best ingredients available on the market.

The restaurant was designed and build by a cousin of Mario, Rami el Khazen, from recycled and reclaimed materials. He is not a professional designer but owns a arak factory.

Now back in Dubai, Reger recalls: “The best thing about the Pop Up was that it united people from all areas of life, from the arty crowds to business people. Everyone seems to relax there.”

It is still open, at least until Beirut’s rainy season begins and makes it untenable.

Fresh fish every day.

Simple flavours.

Using simple ingredients.

The Pop Up in place.

Photography by Anthony Rahayel from No Garlic No Onion blog

Stylish plating.

Tomas Reger in Beirut.

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The last word

Object of desire The FlexiChef is a revolution for professional kitchens that took four years to develop.

Adaptable and individually built to fulfil the demands of any business, this new award-winning appliance has a host of devices to ensure that life in the kitchen runs smoothly.

C

hefs looking for speed in the kitchen should check out the FlexiChef, which manufacturer MKN claims is twice as fast as competitors and as easy to use as a smartphone. It enables chefs to cook an entire menu in only one operation and is suitable for everything from grilling, roasting and frying to boiling and simmering. The bottom line? It allows chefs to increase cooking speeds, ensure hygiene standards are met and saves money.

The multifunctional device includes an array of revolutionary features, including SpaceClean, ReadyXpress, FlexiChef Team and Magic Pilot.

Available in a number of differently-sized models, it can also be purpose-built to suit the needs of your kitchen. Typical of the new features is TurboPowerBlock, which provides 20% more power and a 50% increase in performance during the searing and browning stages of cooking. Critically, it aims its power at specific targets and therefore lowers energy consumption because performance has been improved.

The ReadyXpress function also helps to speed up the production times of cooking saving up to 50% of energy compared to pressure-less cooking and a 300% increase in speed which delivers a higher

AT A GLANCE: MagicPilot: Touch, scroll and slide like a smartphone - a high level of user comfort and at the same time robust and solid.

SpaceClean: The first automatic cleaning system for horizontal cooking technology with an intermediate cleaning cycle which takes only two minutes, plus set-up time.

ReadyXpress: Fast production times as well as short and gentle pressure reduction.

Turbo PowerBlock: Intelligent heating system - power is only applied where it is required, specifically targeted use of energy.

production volume and reduced energy wastage.

SpaceClean is claimed to be the first automatic pressure cleaning system for bratt pans, which uses chemical free water pumped out at high pressure to create an automatic, immediate cleaning system that only uses 26 litres of water and two minutes.

ZoneControl allows cooking zones to be divided into up to four zones, which can then be heated individually, reducing the connected load by up to 75% and also reducing the energy consumption in the process. Finally, MagicPilot lets you touch, wipe and slide controls like a smartphone - a major step forward in usability.

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The perfect recipe for success from our chefs

At Unilever Food Solutions, we constantly dish out new ingredients, new recipes and new ideas to serve every need of the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading professionals. Solutions that save your prep time, keep your menu fresh and exciting as well as help you grow your business, naturally healthy.

Unilever Food Solutions: Tel. +971 4 881 5552 | UAE Distributor: +971 4 347 0444 / +971 4 347 3455 For more information, email: mohammad.shanawani@unilever.com

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