Dynamic and charismatic, he has a keen eye on sustainability
Team Yalla heads over to Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers to meet the hotel’s executive chef, who reveals some surprise answers to our questions.
You have more than 20 years of culinary expertise at some of the world’s top hotel brands, but how did you get into the world of cheffing in the first place?
A very long story short – My dad, his vegetable garden and our kitchen at home.
What do you think makes a good chef, great?
Passion, dedication and commitment.
Tell us about your speciality in the kitchen
I really enjoy working with seafood and in particular with fish. The vast selection of what is available and out there really allows for one’s creativity and passion to be at the heart of my dishes. There’s also a big drive at the moment to ensure that our fisheries are more sustainable, with many great initiatives here locally to ensure that our seafood is still around for generations and chefs to come.
What is the biggest compliment from a diner that can really make a difference to your work?
For me, it’s not the compliments that are important but more so the feedback which is received on where and how to improve a dining experience or a particular dish. Without that, you are not able to continue to evolve and push the boundaries of what is done and delivered each day.
What is your go-to cuisine when dining out?
I’m a huge fan of Italian food – using simple good quality ingredients. I also really enjoy a nice curry every so often.
If you could invite anyone to dinner, who would it be?
Malala Yousafzai – an inspirational young lady who was the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner. She is a spokeswoman for women’s rights and an inspiration for many young, under-privileged women.
Your favourite food
I’m really simple. A few top-quality ingredients are all you need to let the products speak for themselves, be it a quality cheese and cold cut selection or a homemade pasta in a simple pomodoro sauce with fresh basil. That is the key for me.
Strangest thing you have ever eaten
Brined and pickled cow’s udder.
