5 minute read
Robert Rathbone
by EDGYMAG
& HIS DIVINE FOOD AFFAIRS
By Jane Stevens
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An exclusive interview with the multi-award winning group executive chef
Food has always been our first and forever love. And the one who brands good food holds heaven in his hand. Good food is for the foodie, and responsible is the chef. A chef musters up in winning hearts. Taste and talent both fit well with the traits of a great chef.
Edgy magazine extracted one of the prodigious chefs, “Robert Rathbone”, and exchanged a few words with him. He shared his journey how he became a chef, and how his love for food emerged.
Robert passionately told us that as an ambitious and driven individual with over thirteen years of international experience, he followed his love for food at a young age. Relocating from Nottingham to London and now to Dubai, saying yes to every opportunity, he has grown from a commis chef to the Group Executive Chef for Solutions Leisure. During my years in the F&B industry, his passion for excellence, determination to excel, and continual desire to push boundaries have seen him develop his ever-expanding knowledge and love of fine dining into all ranges of cuisine.
Edgy Team asked Robert how different it was to be a chef in comparison to other professions, is it true cooking It is more of a love affair for the chef than a job. He answered that working in a tough kitchen gives him all the adrenaline. He enjoys the challenge of putting himself across such a diverse portfolio of venues — from homegrown restaurants to internationally acclaimed, fine dining brands. He looks forward to growing with a fast-paced group that has ultimately changed the game in the F&B industry in Dubai.
EACH CULTURE IS SO UNIQUE. The UK is home
- it has an upmarket and inspiring dining scene,
ALWAYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Find a career
Robert shared his likes about cultures of different countries. He says that each culture is so unique. The UK is home - it has an upmarket and inspiring dining scene, whilst Dubai is far more experimental and explorative. Kazan was an entirely new experience for him – he loved the country, the people, and the culture. It was fascinating to learn about the traditional culinary scene and bring back new skills to apply across my trade. But, at the end of the day, Dubai has my heart. He added that he met the owners of Kaz Beef at Gulf Food, and they named him “brand ambassador” last year ahead of their product launch in the UAE from Kazakstan. Well, we are also eager to know what kind of person Robert is. He talks about himself that he is creative and tenacious in his sector. He is pretty outgoing and opinionated. He thinks that’s a key attribution to where he is today – He excels under pressure and thrives in a competitive, fast-paced environment, so working for a group as vast and dynamic as Solutions Leisure is my bread and butter.
His family lives back in Nottingham, UK. He grew up in a pretty close-knit household, with his brother, sister, and Mum. His grandparents were around the corner, so he saw them often. It’s always good to get home.
Asking him about his views on multicultural lifestyle and living with people from various origins in one place. He replied that there’s no real reason to elaborate on this one. He is of the view that we are in the 21st century - everyone is equal, and there is never any place for discrimination. Dubai is as multi-cultural as it comes, and he is so grateful. for being exposed to such diverse cultures, lifestyles, and ways of living.
His vision is that joining such a fantastic, driven and motivated group offers him the opportunity to grow and to push boundaries, developing his skillset to branch into a diverse portfolio of cuisines and dining styles. In his time with the group, he has learned a tremendous amount, from leadership skills across a major group to expanding on his cooking styles to bettering the brand menus at hand. Solutions Leisure has inspired his vision for the future. He wants to own his own hospitality company creating venues and concepts. Telling about his future business plans and goals he said that he wants to continue his passion for developing unique, flavourful, and surprising menus, influenced through his life experience. He would love to own his own business one day – create an opportunity that showcases his flair for unique flavors while remaining uncompromised on quality and craftsmanship, and of course, brand.
He is a bit of a designer snob – whilst he loves Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, etc. He’ll team it with basics from Zara and a good pair of sneakers. That is when he is not in his whites.
Wrapping it here he dropped an artistic message to the readers, “Always think outside the box. Find a career that you love every element of in a company that supports your growth. Keep your eyes open to inspiration. Say “yes” to every opportunity. Create the moments, people live for.”
