CHEF SHELDON SAMMUT SCALA

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to learn from some of the most talented chefs in Malta, including Victor Borg and Joe Vella. These chefs taught me the art of culinary creation, but also the hard realities of operating a fine-dining restaurant. The sacrifices and time required to establish my own restaurant, Scala, have taken a toll on my personal life, especially when important family occasions coincide with restaurant obligations.

While I believe Michelin has had a positive impact on the local culinary scene, achieving a star is only the beginning of the challenge. It’s essential to maintain consistency in delivering an exceptional dining experience that encompasses food, service and ambience to retain a Michelin status. Furthermore, I believe that Malta might have already reached its limit of Michelin-starred restaurants. This may come across as a controversial view, but I question whether fine dining is genuinely profitable in Malta. With the small size of the island, sustaining so many fine-dining restaurants may be difficult. And as a chef who aspires to offer diners a fine-dining experience, I am curious to see whether there is sufficient demand to keep such restaurants alive.”

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