The Pro Chef Middle East - October Issue, 2014 by The Pro Chef Middle East

MIDDLE EAST ISSUE 32 OCTOBER 2014

SERVICE TO THE MAX | MORE CELEBS, MORE MENUS, MORE RECIPES | PLUS EXPO PREVIEWS

Contents

UP FRONT

FEATURES

CHEFS

LEISURE

THE EGGS FACTOR Chef for hire and consultant Andy Campbell confesses the secrets of his home fridge.

MARKET FOCUS Are banqueting and OSC the saviours of this year’s F&B revenues. We test the temperature of the market with top chefs.

FACE TO FACE Greg Malouf ﬁnally has his Dubai base, Vineet Bhatia crosses the Creek, Ben Tobitt talks menu design and Mikael Jonsson stuns London.

MEAT SKILLS Dealing with tripe and sweetbreads.

RECIPE CORNER New lower case ideas from jones the grocer and wagamama .

EDITORIAL The lesson is simple: social media is eating into your bottom line because all that photography reduces throughput. Dramatically.

EDITORIAL BOARD Our industry colleagues who help guide The Pro Chef ME.

OUT AND ABOUT With festivals and exhibitions, plus a look back at the Dilmah High Tea Challenge and the launch of Alpine marinos in the local market

www.cpimediagroup.com

THE LAST WORD The food police arrived, claiming to be protecting public health, as the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection targeted local dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger last year. He was charged with supplying a private buying club with raw milk and other fresh produce grown on his farm. What’s going on?

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

UP FRONT / editor’s letter

Just eat it! Recently, in the US, a restaurant posted on Craigslist about how the behaviour of restaurant goers has changed over the years. It started because the staff were trying to find out why their service had slowed so much over the past decade, despite similar customer numbers, a smaller menu and more staff. The issue was becoming critical because customers were started to complain in significant numbers about the amount of time it took to be seated or served. So the restaurant hired a consultancy to find out what the root of the problem was and the first recommendation was that employees either needed more training or that the kitchen brigade just wasn’t up to the job. Luckily, however, like most restaurants in New York it used a surveillance system, today it’s digital but t used to be analog saving footage on tape. On the offchance that it might reveal something, they looked for the old recorders and found ten year old tapes still inside. Next, they set up two lage monitors side by side, one for the footage from July 2004 and one from July 2014, days with very similar customer numbers. In 2004, customers walked in and were seated with three out of 45 requesting a different table. They looked at the menu for about eight minutes and then ordered food, which generally arrived within six minutes. A couple of dishes went back to the kitchen, presumably for reheating. After finishing the meal, they ask for the cheque, pay it and leave within five minutes. Average meal time? 65 minutes. In 2014, customers walked in and were seated with ten out of 45 requesting a different table. Before opening menus, mobiles come out - photos, texting, etc. Seven customers asked for waiters to come straight to the table, wasting five minutes of their time on sorting out WiFi connections. At this point, most menus have not even been opened - average time from seating to ordering is 21 minutes! First food comes out at the same rate as in 2004 but then more than half of all customers spend three minutes or more taking photos of the food and a quarter take photos of each other with the food in front of them or as they are eating - another four minutes on average. Nine dishes go back to the kitchen for reheating. More than half the tables want waiters to take group photos, with half of those requesting retakes - a five minute process, on average. Another 20 minutes until the cheque was requested and another 20 to pay and leave. Average meal time? 115 minutes. Want to increase throughput in your restaurant? The phone is your problem...

CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA CEO NADEEM HOOD COO GINA O’HARA ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DAVE REEDER dave@cpidubai.com M: +971 55 105 3773 GROUP DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL PAUL GODFREY GROUP MANAGING EDITOR MELANIE MINGAS melanie.mingas@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 56 758 7834 EDITOR DAVE REEDER SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION CHRIS HOWLETT PHOTOGRAPHER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION ANAS CHERUR GROUP DIRECTOR OF SALES CAROL OWEN carol.owen@cpimediagroup.com M: +971 055 880 3817 PRODUCTION MANAGER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION JAMES THARIAN WEB DEVELOPER, HOSPITALITY DIVISION LOUIE ALMA DISTRIBUTION MANAGER 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 A publication licensed by IMPZ © Copyright 2014 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.

UP FRONT / editorial board

Meet the board The Pro Chef Middle East is keen to serve its readership by addressing those areas of key interest, To help that task, we have invited a number of respected and experienced members of the F&B world to form an editorial board to help guide us into the future.

BOBBY KRISHNA TM PRINCIPAL FOOD STUDIES AND SURVEYS OFFICER FOOD CONTROL DEPARTMENT DUBAI MUNICIPALITY Indian-born Bobby Krishna brings a real passion to his job enforcing food hygiene and safety regulations to the F&B sector in Dubai.

MARC GICQUEL Regional Director of Food & Beverage, Arabian Peninsula Hilton Worldwide Born and educated in France, Marc Gicguel has wide experience of different parts of the F&B sector, from Disneyland Resort Paris to Jumeirah Restaurants and Nestle Professional before joining Hilton Worldwide.

CHRISTIAN GRADNITZER Corporate Director Culinary Jumeirah Group German-born Christian Gradnitzer moved a couple of years back from kitchens to management and is now a key element in Jumeirah RnB’s plan to establish Jumeirah Group as a leading operator of successful restaurants and bars globally.

MICHAEL KITTS Director of Culinary Arts and Executive Chef The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management UK chef Michael Kitts’ career has combined distinguished work in kitchens, global competition success and a major focus on mentoring younger chefs, all of which make his currenty job an ideal ﬁt.

UWE MICHEEL Director of Kitchens, Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek President, Emirates Culinary Guild German chef Uwe Micheel is a highly visible member of the regional F&B scene with two decades of experience in the Gulf and a key role in driving the success of UAE-based chefs at culinary competitions worldwide.

MARK PATTEN Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage Atlantis, The Palm Dubai In place at Atlantis since pre-opening in 2007, Australian native Mark Patten has had a highly successful and celebrated career across the world. He now oversees more than 400 chefs and numerous outlets at the resort.

SAMANTHA WOOD FooDiva A distinguished ex-Hilton PR executive, British-Cypriot Samantha Wood now combines food journalism, hospitality consulting and the highly acclaimed FooDiva food blog.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

‫ﻣﻌﺮض اﻟﻀﻴﺎﻓﺔ ‪Hospitality Show 2014‬‬ ‫ﻳﺴﺮ ﺑﻄﻮﻟﻪ دﺑﻲ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻀﻴﺎﻓﺔ‬ ‫ان ﺗﺪﻋﻮﻛﻢ ﻟﻠﻤﺸﺎرﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ‬

‫ﻣﻌﺮض اﻟﻀﻴﺎﻓﺔ ‪) 2014‬ﺗﺠﻬﻴﺰات واﻛﺴﺴﻮارات اﻟﻀﻴﺎﻓﺔ اﻟﻤﻨﺰﻟﻴﺔ(‬

‫ا‪2‬ول ﻣﻦ ﻧﻮﻋﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﻄﻘﺔ واﻟﺬي ﺳﻴﻘﺎم ﻓﻲ ﻗﺎﻋﺎت اﻟﺸﻴﺦ ﺳﻌﻴﺪ ﺑﻤﺮﻛﺰ دﺑﻲ اﻟﺘﺠﺎري‬

‫اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻔﺘﺮة ﻣﻦ ‪ 30‬أﻛﺘﻮﺑﺮ وﻟﻐﺎﻳﺔ ‪ 1‬ﻧﻮﻓﻤﺒﺮ ‪2014‬‬ ‫اﻧﻮاع اﻟﻤﻨﺘﺠﺎت اﻟﻤﻤﻜﻦ ﻣﺸﺎرﻛﺘﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻌﺮض ‪:‬‬

‫ أدوات اﻟﻤﺎﺋﺪة وأدوات اﻟﻀﻴﺎﻓﺔ واﻛﺴﺴﻮاراﺗﻬﺎ‬‫ ﻣﻌﺪات ﺗﺠﻴﻬﻴﺰ اﻟﻄﻌﺎم اﻟﻤﻨﺰﻟﻲ وﺣﻔﻈﻬﺎ‬‫ ﻣﻌﺪات ﺗﻘﺪﻳﻢ اﻟﺸﺎي واﻟﻘﻬﻮة‬‫ اﻛﺴﺴﻮارات اﻟﻀﻴﺎﻓﻪ واﻟﺪﻳﻜﻮر اﻟﻤﻨﺰﻟﻴﺔ‬‫ اﻟﻜﻴﻚ واﻟﺸﻮﻛﻮﻻﺗﻪ‬‫ ﻣﻔﺎرش اﻟﻄﺎوﻻت‬‫‪ -‬اﻟﻌﻄﻮر اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﻌﻮد واﻛﺴﺴﻮاراﺗﻬﺎ‬

‫ﺗﺎﺑﻌﻮﻧﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ‪DWHCDubai :‬‬ ‫‪#DWHC‬‬

‫ﻟﻠﻤﺰﻳﺪ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت ﻣﻦ داﺧﻞ اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ‪ 800DWHC(3942) :‬ﻣﻦ ﺧﺎرج اﻟﺪوﻟﺔ‪:‬‬

UP FRONT / out and about

A capital expo The annual SIAL Middle East exhibition and conference, part of the worldwide SIAL series of events, returns to Adipec in Abu Dhabi next month, co-located with OnBoard Catering.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

With a 37% increase in visitor numbers last year, SIAL Middle East has cemented its position as a world-class business class event for the food and beverage industry in the region. SIAL Middle East 2013 attracted more than 17,000 attendees over three days to meet more than 700 exhibitors from 52 countries. Growing at an average of 20% in exhibit space and 30% increase in visitors each year, SIAL Middle East is now recognised as a must attend event. Mohamed Ahmed Al Shehhi, CEO of MAN Investments, for example, says that, “We have had great success so far and we have met a lot of serious businessmen and buyers who are very interested in our products. We believe SIAL Middle East is a very important event and have decided to double our stand size for 2014.” More than 1,000 companies will be looking for buyers at SIAL Middle East 2014 including national pavilions from more than 25 countries. Organised by the Abu Dhabi chapter of the Emirates Culinary Guild, La Cuisine by SIAL is now a favourite meeting point for foodservice professionals. The event in 2013 saw more than 650 professional chefs compete across a variety of disciplines in three days of heated competition, under WACS supervision.

Through an independent voting process led by XTC World Innovation, SIAL Middle East will present winning products in an interactive display area on the exhibition floor - a platform to launch and promote new products. Last year, SIAL Middle East hosted 508 prequalified F&B buyers from 39 countries whose sole purpose was to source new products and meet with exhibitors. The SIAL Purchasers Club will continue to grow in 2014, with over 300 buyers having already applied to join the programme. Finally, new industry conferences will become a platform for interactive discussions and industry expertise. Following the recent change in status of International Travel Catering Association (ITCA), ITCA Abu Dhabi has confirmed that the event will go ahead as planned although ITCA Abu Dhabi has been re-branded and will benefit from an overall SIAL marketing campaign which has an extensive list of airlines, cruise and travel catering suppliers. The event will now be called OnBoard Catering at SIAL Middle East. It will feature a dedicated Airlines VIP Lounge exclusively for airline visitors, many of whom will be included in our hosted buyer programme.

www.cpimediagroup.com

Buying cheese from the United States for your culinary creations means much more than just great cheeses. It means a network of partners committed to your success. From the right speciﬁcations to innovative menu ideation, we are here every step of the way.

U.S. Cheese: Taste True Partnership

U.S. cheese is already available in your market. Check today with your local importer/distributor or contact USDEC for a list of local suppliers. USDEC Middle East (AMFI) • Beirut • Email: amfime@cyberia.net.lb • Phone: 961-1-740378, 741223 The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a free resource to help you find additional information on U.S. cheese applications and distribution channels. We are a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders.

ed nd e

UP FRONT / out and about

Taste testing As the next Dubai World Hospitality Championship approaches rapidly, the Championship Committee has been busy sorting more than 1,600 participants whose local dishes should help to promote Emirati cuisine worldwide.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

A series of UAE-wide preliminary workshops has taken place for the final qualification of contestants participating in the second cycle of DWHC that will take place on October 30th. More than 1,600 Emirati contestants took part, hoping to gain a place in one of the various competitions of DWHC, a now annual event which aims to position the UAE as an international center of excellence and creativity. The Emirati Competition is seen of particular of particular importance as part of DWHC as it has been specifically developed to showcase and celebrate genuine Emirati hospitality and authentic cuisine in a bid to promote local hospitality worldwide - a leading initiative for promoting the UAE’s identity and heritage. Local amateur chefs who compete for top places in four different categories are set to showcase their best skills and talents in the preparation of Emirati dishes based on traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation. In each category, contestants will face various challenges to determine their ability to meet criteria such as set timings, quality and traditional taste. The series of workshops began at the Novotel in Fujairah and was attended by HE Ahmed Bin Hareb Al Falahi, President of DWHC, Ahmed Al

Sharif, Vice President of DWHC, Ali Mubarak Bin Abbad Al Abdooli, General Manager and other senior officials from DWHC. Bin Hareb reiterated the importance of using only Emirati ingredients to maintain the authenticity and traditional taste of local cuisine. The second stage of the workshops was held in the Emirate of Sharjah at the headquarters of the Women‚Äôs Union Association in Sharjah and the third workshops were held in Abu Dhabi. Ahmed bin Hareb explained that the Abu Dhabi Workshop was a very important phase given the wide participation of locals and predicted that local representatives would perform strongly and pose major challenges to other participants. ‚ÄúAbu Dhabi is clearly participating with high potential and promising efficiencies in the second cycle of the championship to continuously improve on its performance since last year’s championship. We are honoured by the limitless support of local government which will definitely put the name of the UAE on the map of global hospitality.‚Äù An Umm Al Quwain workshop was also held in collaboration with Umm Al Quwain Charity Association and the Women‚Äôs Society in Umm Al Quwain. According to Hessa Sohail, Director of the Umm Al Quwain Charity Association, “Given the

www.cpimediagroup.com

out and about / UP FRONT

Time for tea The UAE chapter's Dilmah Real High Tea challenge is a step to the Global Challenge to be held in May 2015 in Colombo. Teams from Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek and Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa Oman walked away with the highest honours of the event held at the International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA) Dubai.

www.cpimediagroup.com

This year twelve teams from leading hospitality venues including the Shangri-La, Radisson Blu, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dusit Thani, Grand Millennium and Barr Al Jissah vied for the coveted Gold prize as they presented their take on a contemporary Real High Tea. The Challenge began in 2007 as an exploration of a contemporary high tea and has since travelled across continents, starting in Colombo, Sri Lanka and continuing through Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UAE, Netherlands, Chile, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and England. Sunjeh Raja, Director of the International Centre for Culinary Arts said, "Dilmah is a leading global brand and we are honoured that they chose our venue to host this exciting challenge. We were inspired by the amount of preparation and dedication that went into each contestant's entry, making for a highly competitive yet fun experience. The Emirates Culinary Guild and the World Association of Chefs Societies, both solid supporters of our centre, were on hand to help judge the winning entries. We look forward to hosting many more events of this calibre, as a means of exposing our students to the best of the best." Alpesh Dias and Sunil Kumar of Shangri-La’s

Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa plus Lloyd Aleta and Dammika Herath of Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek took home Gold on the day, so they will move forward to the Global Challenge to be held in May 2015 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Chef Bernd Uber, WACS Reference Chef explained the criteria for choosing the winners saying, “We like to see the tea brewed with respect, knowledge of the tea, where it comes from, why did you pair this food with that tea. The tea in this competition is the Queen and the King of the day. Food is secondary. It's all about tea.” Merrill J. Fernando, founder of Dilmah, shared the reasons for his lifelong devotion to tea with culinary professionals at the event. "Real tea is a herb that is naturally good for you. It is pure and luxurious, being handpicked and inﬁnite in the variety of its taste, texture and strength. I have devoted my life to sharing the pleasure in this wonderful herb and my wish to share the success of my family brand with the underprivileged."

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

UP FRONT / out and about

Cups overﬂowing With over 4,000 coffee shops and tea houses boasting a true café culture in the UAE, this business sector is worth of almost $500,000 annually. The International Coffee & Tea Festival (ICTF) will incorporate specialised training programmes, national-level coffee championships and world coffee champions amongst other features.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

As the only dedicated trade event for the coffee and tea industry in the Middle East, the ICTF annually hosts the region’s only SCAA-certified coffee training, intended to share a wealth of knowledge, experience and cutting-edge techniques with participating professionals and novices, so that they can expertly prepare and serve the best coffee to their customers and guests. These training sessions will integrate the broader topics of coffee preparation, coffee grading as well as coffee roasting, catering for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. All workshops are conducted by instructor-certified industry professionals and administered by SCAA, to impart hands-on training experience to attendees who receive a formal qualification and certification with worldwide acceptance, upon completion. Along with the training sessions, the ICTF will also host the yearly National-Level Coffee Championships, which include the UAE National Barista Championship and the UAE National Latte Art Championship. This year will also see the first National Cezve/Ibrik Championship in the UAE. Sanctioned and licensed by World Coffee Events (WCE), the Championships offer an effective platform to professional baristas to showcase their skills of brewing the perfect cup of coffee. The

winner of the UAE Barista Championship will be sponsored to represent UAE at the 2015 World Barista Championship in Seattle, competing against 56 countries. Another first at the Event will be the WBC All Stars, an exciting feature brought by the World Coffee Events (WCE) committee, welcoming four World Champions and recurring finalists in categories of World Barista Championship, World Coffee Brewers Cup and the World Latte Art Championship. This will feature onstage demonstrations and activities designed to engage the local coffee community and educate the region through beverage demonstrations, on-demand performances, reflections on their champion year, Q&As, interviews, surprise challenges and more. Ryan Godinho, UAE’s National Liaison for World Coffee Events and Special Events Coordinator (Training & Championships) with ICTF, commented: “With the growing popularity of coffee shops and the increasing demand for high quality coffee and service, there has been a need for connoisseurs who have a passion for coffee to expertly serve customers.” Supported by SCAA, ICTF is the one-stop destination for all facets of coffee, tea and café products, equipment and services in the region.

www.cpimediagroup.com

UP FRONT / out and about

Mountain ﬂavour A new taste from New Zealand's famous high country has been launched in the UAE by Silver Fern Farms, a leading New Zealand processor, marketer and exporter of premium quality red meat products, via Country Hill International (CHI), its local distributor.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

Little more than 15 years ago, merino sheep in New Zealand merely produced commodity wool for the local market. It took local firm NZM (New Zealand Merino) to change perception and turn it into more of a luxury high-end product. The logical next step was to create a luxury meat brand and so it partnered with Silver Fern Farms as Alpine Origin Merino to market the new luxury meat brabnd, Silere Alpine origin merino with the aim of doubling the current $150m merino industry over the next five years. The meat has long been acclaimed by high country farmers for its superior qualities but has remained a secret to the wider market. Thanks to its habitat and diet, the meat delivers a distinct flavour and silky texture that is lean and healthy. The intention, apparently, is to position it in world markets in a similar way to Wagyu beef. Silver Fern Farms CEO Keith Cooper says the merino meat project is part of a wider programme to maximise the value of New Zealand sheep. "Our goal is to turn the traditionally volume-based sales approach characteristic of the New Zealand lamb industry on its head by pursuing premium opportunities in higher-value micro-markets. Part of this shift in thinking involves adding value to cuts traditionally perceived as lesser value. We

need to challenge the thinking that we can only ever achieve top dollar for racks and loins.” Merino graze on a diet of native herbs and grasses such as tussock and wild mountain thyme, which results in meat with a unique flavour infusion. Brian Hore, a merino farmer explains: "Our sheep grow naturally with plenty of space and minimal human intervention and develop a flavour that is pure high country. This helps to explain why merino is fast becoming a culinary sensation, with diners in a handful of select premium markets around the world now able to enjoy this delicacy. It was recently introduced to the UAE market at a launch at St Tropez restaurant, Mall of the Emirates, attended by chefs and officials such as the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Regional Director, Clayton Kimpton. Introducing the product, Sharon Angus, General Manager Marketing at Silver Fern Farms, said that "we know consumers care increasingly about the source of their products and these merino sheep that roam free-range in a very special part of New Zealand - our high country with endless landscapes under a vast and silent sky, plenty of fresh air and pure water, which combines to produce a very distinctive product with a real point of difference”.

www.cpimediagroup.com

UP FRONT / out and about

18 year-old Emirati baking sensation Bader Al Awadhi looks forward to showcasing his skills

Celebrity chef Eric Lanlard will perform live cooking demonstrations at Taste of Abu Dhabi

Celebrity chef Jun Tanaka is conﬁrmed to wow the crowds at Taste of Abu Dhabi

A taster for Taste Last month, Taste of Abu Dhabi called on popular local chefs to serve up a tantalising taster of the food-ﬁlled festival, which makes its debut in the capital at Yas Island's du Arena from 6th to 8th November 2014. Guests enjoyed live cooking demonstrations and savoured delicious samples of what's to come at the al fresco food, drink and music festival.

According to Chris Fountain, Managing Director of event organisers Turret Media, "Taste of Abu Dhabi is set to serve up the diverse flavours of the capitals vast and thriving culinary offering for everyone to enjoy. We are delighted to be working with international and celebrity chefs such as Michel Jost, Jun Tanaka, Eric Lanlard and Steven Edwards, who are looking forward to thrilling Abu Dhabi with their talents and creations." Added to the line-up, Food Network's Reza Mahammad and Jonathan Phang have become the latest celebrity chefs to confirm their participation at Taste of Abu Dhabi. The roster of restaurants has also been bolstered by new confirmations from Rozanah, Sho Cho, Flooka, Belgium Beer Café, Caramel Lounge, Koi and Safina.

"Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi is relishing the opportunity to showcase our worldclass food" - Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi's executive chef Michel Jost

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

Providing an overview of the evening and menu was Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi's executive chef Michel Jost. "Taste of Abu Dhabi provides a brilliant platform that will bring together the capital's chefs and restaurants and reinforce Abu Dhabi's blossoming position as a culinary hub in the region,” he said. “Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi is relishing the opportunity to showcase our worldclass food offering to visitors from Abu Dhabi and beyond." A team of Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi's Angar and Noodle Box restaurants' ﬁnest chefs cooked up a storm as guests watched on and enjoyed the results, kitted out in special Taste of Abu Dhabi aprons. Emirati baking sensation Bader Al Awadhi attended the event and looks forward to showcasing his skills during live cooking demonstrations at the open cookery school. "There are no age limits when it comes to achieving your dreams. I will be more than happy to prove that by showcasing my work and sharing my knowledge during Taste of Abu Dhabi," he said. Taste of Abu Dhabi will showcase 20 of Abu Dhabi's top restaurants, a host of international celebrity chefs and more than ﬁfty exhibitors, as well as a packed schedule of live entertainment for three days.

www.cpimediagroup.com

out and about / UP FRONT

Busy time at DWTC Four shows will be co-located at Dubai World Trade Centre next month as Gulfood Manufacturing joins the annual Speciality Food Festival, Seafex Middle East and Sweets & Snacks Middle East, offering a one-stop shop for the industry.

www.cpimediagroup.com

DWTC's annual Autumn food shows will be colocated with Gulfood Manufacturing this year. The Speciality Food Festival caters for producers, suppliers, importers and exporters of gourmet, halal and organic products eager to showcase lines to a target audience of buyers, gourmet chefs, distributors, delicatessens and retail outlets. Seafex Middle East is the region's biggest trade fair and sourcing platform for the international seafood industry. And Sweets & Snacks Middle East is a dedicated platform for the international sweets, confectionery and snack industries across the MENA region. All shows will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre between 9th to 11th November 2014. Gulfood Manufacturing is the new home for ingredients, processing, packaging and food logistics providers who service the rapidly growing food and beverage production industries established in the Middle East, Africa, Far East and the Sub-Continent. Like the other shows an outshoot from Gulfood, it will provide food manufacturers with the ingredients, equipment and business improvement tools that enable more efďŹ cient production and distribution. It has three focused sectors namely Food Logistics Middle East, ProPack Middle East and Ingredients Middle East.

The GCC's rising per capita seafood consumption will come under the microscope at this year's Seafex, as a host of regional and international aquaculture companies showcase technologies - such as hatcheries, harvesting of plants and animals, processing and trading - designed to enhance future production of regional seafood products. According to a report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the Middle East - particularly the GCC - saw its per capita average seafood consumption almost double from 2010 to 2013. With the regional average only 14.4kg per year back in 2010, the UAE and Oman's per capita seafood consumption were among the world's highest at 28.6kg per year last year. SigniďŹ cantly, the GCC's per capita average seafood consumption is expected to increase year-on-year in-line with Gulf countries' population growth - the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) forecasts the GCC population will reach 53.5 million by 2020 - rapid economic development, market demand and robust regional logistics capabilities. To meet the increasing regional demand for seafood, various GCC governments have already implemented developmental initiatives designed to foster greater domestic production.

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

UP FRONT / the eggs factor

Handy Andy Well known around Dubai as a private caterer and a regular contributor to BBC Good Food Middle East, Chef Andy Campbell is passionate about local ingredients, trying to always include one locally sourced product in every dish. But whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in his fridge?

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

the eggs factor / UP FRONT

rained at the famous Westminster College in London, proud Scot Andy Campbell then started cooking in the capital in the 1980s, with a career that spanned his own restaurants, famous outlets and a private members’ club, before relocating to Dubai to set up his own company as a private caterer. For the last few months, he has been busy in Ras Al Khaimah as Head of Food & Beverage for Arabian Health Care, working closely with dieticians and nutritionists to set up new patient and a la carte meals plus a low GI friendly cafe at AHC’s new hospital. A similar project will follow in Dubai. Campbell opened his first restaurant at age 23 and then worked as Head Chef for a number of fine London restaurants including following Marco Pierre White at the Café Royal as well as the Michelin starred Mènage a Trois and the famous French House in Soho - “One of my favourite sites,” he recalls. He also did some work on BBC TV, notably on Saturday Morning Kitchen, before becoming Chef/Patron of Andy Campbell @ 23 Romilly Street - an old school and prestigious private members clubs harking back to the premedia days of Soho. as Tracy MacLeod put it in her review in The Independent, “this sultry little restaurant is the nearest thing you’ll find in Soho to an underground dining club, and as soon as you cross the threshold, you’re made to feel like a member”. However, itchy feet meant a relocation to Dubai

What's in my fridge? - Truffle oil as Maximo from Italtouch always brings a bottle when coming round for dinner. It’s great for spuds and pasta. - Coconut water as it is good for rehydrating from your chosen weekend indulgence. - Lemons and limes and Badoit for sparkling drinks. - A block of parmesan cheese. - Pickled herrings in various flavours from IKEA. - Eggs - quail, hen, duck - whatever I can get! - Duck fat or lard. - Tinned duck legs. - Butter.

after a period in Lyon cooking and writing his first book. His first Dubai gig was at The Jumeirah Garden where he marked out a menu typical of his style - the Seven Signatures menu where each day was represented by just one dish but each dish being a true signature of value and flavour. Since then he’s been busy working on everything from Dine in the Dark at Taste of Dubai to private catering for F1 on Yas Island. Does he even have time to shop for ingredients to fill his fridge?

- A variety of oils - avocado, flax seed and fine olive oil. - Dark chocolate. - Salad cream. - A selection of mustards. - Salad stuff and greens. - Home cured meats. - Volvic water. - Cheese.

market focus / FEATURES

How many covers? It's one of the anomalies of the regional F&B scene: just as F&B Directors are looking to match changing trends in customer demand by downsizing from ﬁne dining to smart casual, so banqueting chefs are catering for old-fashioned, high-end demand. Will the two trends ever meet?

hen you have the perfect storm of unbearable summer heat, Ramadan and strained financial resources for many customers, hotels have it rough. Look at this year’s disaster, for example: in Dubai, many properties were reporting just 50% occupancy. And with an increasingly over-supplied F&B market, in many cases they couldn’t even count on in-house dining to help cover operating expenses. It’s at moments like that that F&B Directors really begin to appreciate their banqueting and off-site catering operations, long seen - after in-room service - as the ugly sisters set against the Cinderella of the property’s signature fine dining restaurant. The reality is that, although the summer months and financial restraints may have some effect on banqueting/catering revenues, that effect is merely a blip when compared to the disaster of restaurant earnings. Whatever the season, whatever the weather, people still get married, companies still launch luxury products, conferences and summits continue year-long, birthdays are no respecters of months and so on. Big tickets dining events are still with us. That’s true even though we’re starting to see

www.cpimediagroup.com

inroads into the traditional customer base by smaller, more cutting edge and nimble players like Marta’s Kitchen and Ghaf Kitchen, although these will never scale to a full-on 1,000+ seater event. Even a reasonably small company like CPI Media Group - publishers of this magazine - will, over a year with events, award ceremonies, hotel-based seminars and roundtables, golf days and more across its stable of magazines is pumping the best part of $2m a year into the local F&B coffers. But what is the state of the market. We asked a good handful of key local players to shed some light on trends and how their operation’s banqueting/catering business is going. The panel consists of: t Uwe Micheel, Director of Kitchens, Radisson Blu Dubai Deira Creek and President, Emirates Culinary Guild. t Harald Oberender, Director of Kitchens, Event and Hospitality Services, Dubai World Trade Centre. t Patrick Lanteigne, Chef de Cuisine, Banqueting, Conrad Dubai. t Antonello Manca, Executive Chef, Dusit Thani Dubai. t Adam Ruman, Director of Catering and Events, Park Rotana Abu Dhabi. t Sascha Triemer, VP - Culinary, Atlantis The Palm.

How wide a choice of banqueting/catering menus do you offer and how often are these refreshed and updated? Uwe Micheel: Lots of offers are custom made to suit the guest's needs. As a general standard, you can say that our menus are adjusted regularly according to market needs. Harald Oberender: We have extensive catering menu selections for the MICE segment, onferences, weddings and OSC of any size up to 6,000 pax. All are released on a six month validity basis. Patrick Lanteigne: Our menus are extensive. We update them every year, but from my experience, every client is looking for a tailored menu. Antonello Manca: In Dusit Thani we offer hundreds of options from coffee breaks to working lunch and weddings to gala dinners, but these are always just starting points. Personally I prefer to tailormake menus following guests’ requirements, nationality mix, etc. By working closely with our catering sales colleagues we are always able to meet the client's expectations. Adam Ruman: Menus cover the whole spectrum of different cuisines to cater for a wide choice of palates of our clients as well as different styles, such buffets, food on the table, outside catering, cocktail receptions and so on. We do plan and set

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

FEATURES / market focus

the menu offering for a year ahead, with regular revisions and often adjustments depending on the client's preferences and requirements. Sascha Triemer: We have a wide selection of menus available to our guests and a large amount of ﬂexibility in order to accommodate special requests, nationality and cultural preferences as well as any special dietary needs. An example would be the wedding menus: we have per package, options of Indian, International, Iranian and Arabic menus - with the option to tailor these as well. Our chefs also create menus depending on the occasion, venue, type of guest, format wanted for the event and food preferences. Is there a change in demand from customers on the types of meals they want or the style of service? Micheel: Yes, there is always change, plus there is a difference in requirement depends on guests’ age, nationality mix, indoor or outdoor events and of course budget. we’re seeing a trend going back to traditional or original cuisines. Oberender: Healthy choices and allergens are the most current concerns of our clients. Emirati cuisine is becoming much more in demand as well. Lanteigne: We do many plated set menus. During pre-opening, my colleagues spoke of the countless Indian buffets I would see with endless biryanis and butter chickens. But people seem to want to sit and have food brought out to them. Manca: Buffets are always in demand and, thanks to our strong reputation in Thai cuisine, we often asked to include Thai options as appetisers and main courses. Recently the style is evolving where we are also asked for Thai fusion plated set menus and it seem to work well for certain events. Ruman: The variety of food items tends to remain the same, with slight variations of course, but what changes is the demand for the particular presentation of the food/meals and decoration of the items. As clients are becoming more aware of new trends and with better and more comparison from other catering providers, the requirements for service style and manning is changing and becoming more focused from the client's side. Triemer: The demand is dependent on the occasion of the event as well as nationality and culture of the guest - these factors play a large inﬂuence on the type of service wanted, menu style and food types to be taken into consideration when meals been offered. One of the most important changes we have is with events requesting buffets = there is high interest in interactive live stations with a wide range of food in terms of style and type. The healthy food aspect is becoming a much more important factor when guests choose menus. Are catered events becoming more elaborate or more initimate and focused? Micheel: Special private events are becoming more intimate and focused. Oberender: Events are as per the individual budgets of organisers with a wide range of

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

requests which we are always try to satisfy. Lanteigne: Deﬁnitely a focused precise dinner. Manca: It really depends of the type of event - it could vary from a coffee break in a boardroom for top executives to a staff party event, however it is paramount to pay attention to all clients’ needs, whether is 20 people or 200. Ruman: This very much depends on the request, but generally we can say that clients nowadays know more and more what they want, what type of food and arrangements, what the mood should be like and what impression they want to make. Triemer: We have a balance of both - it is very dependent on the client and the purpose of the event. Clients are becoming much more saving orientated though and want a lot more for what they are spending than previously expected. What are the major challenges you face in providing banquet and catering services? Stafﬁng? Sourcing? Co-ordination with external suppliers, for AV etc? Micheel: Different events bring different challenges. Much is budget related as customers expect market prices to drop and do not see that actual cost has gone up year by year - the cost of food and drinks, payroll and so on. For bigger events, a key challenge is to get trained staff.

Oberender: We are a one stop venue and all services are provided in-house including AV and rigging, as well Kosha design and build for weddings. Our main concern is a shortage of qualified staff. Lanteigne: My challenge is getting the contract signed and the menu approved well in advance. Last minutes are a lifestyle out here. Special requests the day before or day of an event are becoming the culture. Manca: I think Dubai hotels have a good AV set up and outsourcing special equipment is not difficult at all. One area I think could do some improvement is the use of casual staff during events - the companies that provide manpower have to invest more and more in preparing their staff to work in a 5-star establishment. Ruman: The level and availability of well skilled and professionally trained extra staff is the main challenge we are facing nowadays as, despite a few well established companies, the quality of the labour force is not always up to our expectations. Triemer: We have a major challenge with outside suppliers, from sourcing items for menus, to sourcing staff for events especially as Dubai has become a city for a lot of last minute confirmations and a place where clients believe anything can happen in any time period.

www.cpimediagroup.com

FEATURES / market focus

How experimental are you able to be with your menus? Micheel: Verily, it's all about guest needs and expectations. Oberender: Guests with the right budget can utilise the full options and skills in our team from 21 different nationalities and ethnic cuisines. Lanteigne: I have been blessed with the ability to do things that I would do in a seasonal hipster restaurant on massive Dubai gala events. It doesn't always have to be chicken and mash. Manca: If the client give us a green light, we could provide very alternative and trendy menus. Ruman: Depending on the client's requests, we do not have any limits, provided there is a supply of necessary produce and sufﬁcient budget on the client's side. Triemer: We try to be innovative with all the menus - however, how experimental we can be, is very much dependent on the client and not a lot of clients are very experimental with food. How conscious are you of what your competitors are offering? Micheel: You need to be aware what the competitors are offering. Oberender: We do regular competition surveys and restaurant shopping to be aware of market trends as well overseas trips to other international convention centres. Lanteigne: I know what they offer, but I try not to emulate them. Otherwise we might as well offer a competitor's banqueting pack. Manca: With so many hotels opening up in Dubai every year is quite a job to follow up, but we deﬁnitely keep an eye on the closest competitors. Ruman: We do monitor competition and offerings on regular basis, hence we are very conscious and

we try as much as possible to make sure that there is this extra thing that differentiates it. Triemer: We are conscious of what competitors are offering, as we need to know what is on the market in Dubai so that we can ensure we are ahead of the market. How easy is it to differentiate yourself in this market? Micheel: It is not easy at all. We all cook with water and facing similar challenges, you need to try to be ahead in quality of food, in service or else offer better equipment. Oberender: We believe you must know your USB and develop it and not try to compete in all segments at the same time. Instead, focus on your key strengths and activities. Lanteigne: Setting ourselves out in the market has been a fun challenge. Ours has been having the kitchen team taking themselves out of the back of the house mentality and really get involved with the service. Ours is striving for that effortless and personal touch. Manca: It is not so easy. Our strength in Thai, Italian and Far Eastern food attracts clients and make us stand out. It is also crucial to be very flexible, accommodate demands and always gain the client's trust. Ruman: Looking at the fierce competition taking place, it is not easy. However, we believe very much in our professional and personalised service that keeps our guests coming. This relationship it key to us and it is what keeps us going. Triemer: It is very difficult as here in Dubai we have a wide of range of banquet facilities and competition is very high. For this we need to be flexible and try to be more understanding of our clients as their expectations of quality and value

are high - and their options many. As a proportion of your operation’s total F&B revenue, roughly what percentage derives from banqueting/catering? Rising or falling? Micheel: Approximately 20%. Oberender: Our catering is 70% of our business activity and rising. Lanteigne: Two thirds is events, I want more. Manca: It is 25-30% and quite stable but I am not foreseeing a rise due to new ballrooms and meeting spaces opening up in the market. Ruman: Last year 16.9%; this year, to date, 17.3%. Triemer: In our F&B revenue the banquet operation is between 10-15%. It does fluctuate, however it is generally on a rise. What do you see as the key trends in this type of operation over the next year? Micheel: I believe the live station trend will stay for a while longer. Oberender: We are developing much more our Emirati skill set and encouraging Emirati dining besides banqueting events. Lanteigne: The trend next year is more personalised menus. Extra focus on nationalities and more variety for each one. Manca: It really depends on the type of the event - weddings, for example, will probably continue to maintain a certain classic set up and traditional menus, while corporate events could be more adventurous and try new setups. I personally would suggest to keep it as international as possible, using the fresh and healthy ingredients and keep a minimalistic setup, let the food speak for itself. Ruman: The main trend will be the ever increasing focus on the quality of provided services, the venue uniqueness as well as customer loyalty programmes and flexibility. Triemer: More guests are becoming health conscious - they still want extravagant and rich food, however with the healthy options. Buffets are always a predominate menu type - however guests are expecting more variety and are much more interested in live and interactive stations. Is there over-capacity in the local banqueting/ catering sector? Micheel: Not sure if it's over supply but there are more players in the market than five years back. Oberender: Not at all. Quality caterers such as DWTC are still in short supply. Lanteigne: Definitely not, I can bank on the other chefs saying the same. Look at the UAE and you see growth, meaning there is still demand. Manca: There will be and this competition will keep prices down and clients will definitely benefit from it. Ruman: I would not say so, not in Abu Dhabi as yet and there is still enough space for new players too. Triemer: Yes, definitely in Dubai. This makes it even more important to impress the clients and ensure they leave satisfied, as there are too many other options for them to go to.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

Taste Elevated The wonder of SILERE alpine origin merino comes from its connection to its elevated New Zealand source - a pristine mountain environment of space, stillness and silence in New Zealand’s alpine regions. Here the merino roam freely, foraging on native herbs, grasses and wild thyme. The result is a rare delicacy that truly captures the essence of the land. Merino mature more slowly than other breeds, so our expert growers raise them to a maximum of 18-months of age. This allows the Merino to develop naturally, giving SILERE alpine origin merino a supremely silky texture and intensifying the distinct ﬂavours.

From New Zealand’s high country

To experience SILERE alpine origin merino visit Prime Gourmet Butchery next to First Gulf Bank metro station, Gold and Diamond Park.

CHEFS / face to face

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

face to face / CHEFS

Unlocking a taste experience With Middle Eastern food high on the local dining circuit for the past year - following the opening of Qbara, the Dubai World Hospitality Championship and Omnia by Silvena - it seems a long wait for the heavy hitter of contemporary regional cuisines, Greg Malouf, to open his own restaurant. Now the wait is over.

ebanese-Australian chef Greg Malouf has been a major player in the contemporary Middle East food scene for the past decade and a half, albeit from his base in Melbourne. Now Clé Dubai is opening in Dubai International Financial Center as both restaurant and an arts and performance venue with bar and lounge. Born in Melbourne to Lebanese parents, Malouf is widely seen as a modern Middle Eastern master and a deﬁning force, with seven best-selling and award-winning food and travel books to his name. Now settled in Dubai, he will deliver both a full a la carte menu or dishes modern banquet-style. "This is my home, my new destination and my dream to ﬁnally cook in the Middle East,” he says. “This is a place where I can put Middle Eastern cuisine on a pedestal. Clé's food is truly an expression of an ancient culture done graciously and generously. My life's work has arrived."

and foraging for fruits. At the time, you could buy basic veg but the quality was good. However, olive oil came from the pharmacy! And some things like avocadoes were really unusual. True Lebanese ingredients like zattar or sumac or pomegranate molasses would be smuggled in by friends and family.

Let’s start with your family’s story. My father was born in Australia and became a penpal to my mother who was in Lebanon. They later married there and returned to Australia. This was the early 1950s and Melbourne was a pretty dull city then, very different to what it became post-Olympics. By the time I came along, there were three generations of the family all together , all of us with massive appetites for Lebanese food. My father worked in the rag trade and we lived out in the suburbs, with food from the backyard

Were you cooking as a child? No, I wasn’t allowed to help. At school, we all used to take food in and I was afraid to showcase who I was because there was a lot of racism back then. At Christmas, for instance, we’d mix up the food and have turkey with tabbouleh! As I grew up, something clicked in my head and I began to appreciate food more and see the creative side of it. I just began to be more and more appealing to me, so I went to trade school when I was 16, running away to Sydney to do it. Remember, I’d

www.cpimediagroup.com

And you loved food? Oh yes. I had a massive appetite, I think that's what brought me into cooking. Whenever I entered the kitchen, I'd pick at whatever they were making, so I'd usually be given a few little treats and ushered away. Meals were big family events and I always had a chair next to the fridge so I could just jump in! I wouldn’t say we were obsessed bby food but as a family we had big appetites and there always seemed to be food around. I thought it was normal, that every family made its own yoghurt, for example.

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

CHEFS / face to face

never done anything more than put together a few thingsb from the fridge but as soon as In put on chef’s whites for the first time, I loved it. It was a three year course and I targetted the best restaurants in town to see what great chefs were doing, rather than cafes and bistros. By this time, some beautiful produce was available and, when I left school, I was lucky enough to fall into a great place with an excellent executive chef. I had the dream and the drive - I was just so desperate to learn. How did you start to gain your international reputation? I just started to travel, first to France. I had an aunt in Paris so that helped and I ended up in a small place in Meaux where I was treated like one of the family. A tiny hotel but putting out high-end food. It was tough at first but, to be honest with you, I’ve never been in an easy kitchen. Then I spent a couple of years in Austria before heading back to Australia, At this time, Europe still seemed pretty remote so my experience there meant I could easily get a sous position in a high-ennd place. This was just the time that produce was starting to be seen as really important and we gave it a lot of respect. It was a really interesting time, with the scene just starting to explode, but I still saw it as part of my training. That’s where I began with the Middle Eastern dishes, putting out a mezze plate, for example. What had you thought Europe? Well, I travelled round quite a bit - a two-week holiday in Salzburg and I did a stage in Milan that came out of a casual conversation. Venice? The food there was the best. I don’t cook German food but I even spent a year in Vienna though it was horribly racist - everyone thought I was Turkish! After that I went to London to improve my English, back home for a while then three years in Hong Kong as Head Chef cooking Middle Eastern food with a Chinese brigade! Then in the late 1980s, I went back to Melbourne to MoMo and the press just picked up on our experimental food and it went crazy! We got awards, everything. I did nine years there and loved it, but it destroyed my marriage. But, since then, there's been no looking back. The books and your time at Petersham Nurseries Café in London, with its Michelin star... It got the star in 2008, before I got there. It’s a beautiful place but the staff were out of control and the dream had gone wrong. All the amazing produce grown there went to the private house not the restaurant, even though there were five full-time gardeners. I was asked to come and sort it out and we had one simple rule: best produce, best staff. I wanted the food to be judged on its merit, not because the place was Michelin. Of course, on one of the few days I had a day off, the inspectors came back! I did enjoy my time there, though. It had the location, but not the concept.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

Chefs need to understand they can go on a great journey, putting a bit of their character and personality into their dishes. At the end of the day, food is about putting a bit of yourself on a plate.

So what brought you to Dubai? As you’d expect, I’d always wanted to work in the Middle East and Dubai provides a wonderful platform. I was here in 2006, doing some work with Grand Hyatt and even then I was thinking about whether I could live here and make it work. Dubai, of course, is a hub but could I carry a restaurant here. I don’t see myself as a celebrity chef - any name I have comes from the books I’ve written with my ex-wife Lucy - but I knew I wanted to pay my respect to Middle East food traditions and show how I see it. There's a common thread running through, from Persia to North Africa - one is that of generosity, the other is the aromatics and spices that originate from the spice trade routes. However, each country has a different way of

doing things - the way a dish is spiced, and even the way they are eaten. One needs to have respect for these differences. Most of the cuisines in this region are peasant or street food, it's food of the homes. Turkey is the exception as Ottoman cooking is of the palaces What’s your take on Emirati food? I think it’s fascinating. I’m working on a book on food of the Arabia peninsula and it’s a big challenge to get to grips with. I see Emiratis having walked out of their lives to some extent and now want to return, want to reclaim more touches of their culture. Food is a part of that, but there’s a lot of explanation that needs to take place. A key part of what we’ll be doing at Clé Dubai is explaining the food, having the staff take customers on a journey through the cuisines. We’re also very focused on a non-elitist approach so sharing banquets will be important. What about the location? I think we’ll be different enough to attract business people and tourists, nationals and residents - it’s all about the food and, frankly, that’s why we want people to be here. And local sourcing? I’ve tried local produce but, on the whole, I found it lacking in taste and quality. I’m a seasonal chef who demands quality.

www.cpimediagroup.com

CHEFS / face to face

Piloting to success There is still some discussion about whether the ﬁrst Indian chef to gain a Michelin star for his restaurant was Vineet Bhatia or Atul Kolchhar - they both gained one in 2001, in London - but Bhatia was certainly the ﬁrst to hold two simultaneously. Now, he’s busy expanding his culinary empire, with Ashiana by Vineet at Sheraton Dubai Creek the latest outpost.

ong a popular celebrity chef in Dubai with Indego by Vineet at Grosvenor House and regular appearances at Taste of Dubai, Vineet Bhatia is constantly pushing himself to reinvent India cuisine. He believes his desire to mix and match tastes and styles from across India comes from his childhood. "The wonderful thing about growing up in Bombay was the eclectic inﬂuence all around you. It is a melting pot of culinary delights from all over the many different regions of India. I'm delighted to be able to weave a truly ﬂavourful story into the Ashiana menu, combining tastes of the north, south, west and east of India and providing diners with a truly unique culinary experience." Bhatia won a star in 2001 at Zaika in London, winning another for Rasoi also in London in 2006 and a simultanwous second star in 2009 for Rasoi by Vineet in Geneva was awarded the star in 2009. Now he has multiple restaurants around the world, as well as consulting on the menu for First and Business Class passengers of Qatar Airways. We caught up with the culinary whirlwind when he was last in Dubai.

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

Take us back to your childhood - were you obsessed with food? Not at all, I used to eat just to survive. In fact, I was very fussy and ran away from food. My mother was a good cook and prepared simple, healthy dishes but it was never a priority for me. However, I did like street snacks probably because of the burst of ﬂavours. It was only later that I realised how much I had missed and how much food I had to try, which is maybe why I like to travel so much to taste everything. My older brother was the same - he’d rather play than eat! I was quite withdrawn as a child - the smallest in my class in both size and age. I hated crowds, though I was okay one on one with people. When did you decide to become a chef? It was never part of my plan - I dreamed of being a pilot. I sent in my application and wanted to ﬂy - back then, in the early 1980s, in India it was still very much a luxury thing and maybe I saw it as a way of being away from crowds. My decision was a disappointment to my parents - like most Indian parents they wanted me to be a doctor, a

www.cpimediagroup.com

face to face / CHEFS

www.cpimediagroup.com

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

CHEFS / face to face

lawyer, an engineer but I wanted to be different, to be more creative. Then I went for the physical interview and was told I couldn’t train to be a pilot as I was too short. So what did you choose next? Again, the creative streak in me came out and I thought being a barman would be fun, making new different things for people. I didn’t drink - in fact, I rarely drink even now - but it was the service aspect that appealed. So I joined the Oberoi School of Hotel Management in New Delhi only to be told pretty quickly that I was too short for bar work! So I was sent to the kitchen. Straight away the structure of the kitchen appealed to me - I just loved the way we were taught and very soon I was hungry to learn. We cover all sorts of cuisines like French and Italian but I found myself wondering, ‘Why aren’t we creating authentic Indian food?’ It was strange - the staff meals were the best food but our focus was on creating luxury food for an elite audience. Why couldn’t Indians make Indian food better? What we were doing in the kitchen was inspiring and I learned a great sense of discipline and respect but it felt wrong to think of fine dining merely in terms of butter, cream, gold leaf and a dining room full of chandeliers. What di you do then? After my training, I started travelling, from New Delhi to, first, the Taj in Mumbai and then the Overoi. Then, ten years after I started my training, I was headhunted and got on a plane to Heathrow. I absolutely loved London and knew it would be my home for ever. I’m not a lover of heat so a climate full of rain, mist and clouds was perfect! We lived in Chelsea above the Star of India and every day I could watch Concorde flying above us! We had 95 dishes on the menu and all the other chefs from Silit, so it took me about three months to change the menu - at that time, Marco Pierre White used to come in for takeaways and he put me in touch with Nico Ladenis who at the same was consulting for the Cinnamon Club. He told them they didn’t need him but should hire me for the best Indian food around and I moved there as Executive Chef

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

“Before we opened in Dubai, I walked around a lot to get a sense of the place and local produce. Fish here is good. Spices are good - so important for an Indian chef! I can understand the local food because of centuries of trade between this area and India - our common factor is spice.” after five years at Star of India. I’ve always been lucky in working with chefs of the highest calibre at that level you share a common platform and by nowI was really coming to understand that Indian food could be put on the same podium. It’s not about the chef’s ego but about your guests and what works best on the plate. You didn’t last long at Cinnamon Club. I had to do my own thing. I had my first restaurant for three months and then opened Zaika in 1989. We didn’t look for accolades but got the Michelin star in 2001. So who did come first, yourself or Atul? I always say I was the first Indian chef/restauranteur to win. To be honest, the Michelin star came out of the blue and we hadn’t been working for it. The truth is that a star brings its own problems there’s isn’t a great return in fine dining and the overheads are very high somewhere like London so the star added to that problem. All we were thinking was what we could add to what we offered on the plate. The next step, in 2004, was Rasoi by Vineet Bhatia and we had problems. Such as? Work visas are a nightmare. It’s very hard to get staff, especially when you decide that you won’t play the poaching game. On the other hand, that’s worked well for us - we develop homegrown talent which gives us the basis for a good team whenever we expand. Of course, when chefs leave and I see versions of my dishes on other menus, then I’m flattered but I think it more important

to prove myself. Now we have ten restaurants spread around the world and I spend half the year travelling. What more can I do? Keeping the quality high is critical but if I look at Dubai, for example, I could open four more restaurants here. It will come. If you hate the heat, why Dubai? When I ﬁrst came in 1993, I hated the place but things change. Now the next step is opening in Riyadh before year end. We have a two year plan going forward but things have to be right. Before we opened in Dubai, I walked around a lot to get a sense of the place and local produce. Fish here is good. Spices are good - so important for an Indian chef! I can understand the local food because of centuries of trade between this area and India - our common factor is spice. What do you do when not in the kitchen or planning new ventures? I spend time with the family, but really I have no time for hobbies. I do love to travel and photography is a passion. Where do you stand on the current mania for diners photographing every morsel of food? Everything now is social media. Any food favourites? I enjoy all types of food that doesn’t bite back! It has to be tasty, clean and well-presented, however. A challenge for me is how to create a casual restaurant that is volume-based but puts out quality food. For me, the key is always simplicity.

www.cpimediagroup.com

CHEFS / face to face

Changing seasons In common with most restaurants, September/October marks the introduction of the autumn menu - a chance for chefs to start introducing stronger tastes and darker textures to their dishes. As he comes up to nearly three years in place as Head Chef of The Ivy Dubai, Ben Tobitt talks us through the development process of his new menu.

n the fast-moving world of F&B, some restaurants appear rock solid. After an initial slightly shaky start, due mainly we believe to location rather than concept or menus, The Ivy Dubai is now a firm fixture for business lunches, after-work relaxation, musical events and a different take on brunch. It may be stressful at times but, as Head Chef Ben Tobitt is happy to acknowledge, “the guys are really settled in and just keep going”. The kitchen can certainly put the food out. Joining the restaurant for a late lunch tasting of some of the new dishes, a party of 12 came in just as the brigade were winding down, but you’d never have guessed it. Service as always is a treat and the new dishes have the expected Ivy feel but are different enough to get regulars coming back for more. Talk us through the development of a new menu... The Ivy has always been seasonal - seasonal as in British seasons - and so we have four new menus a year. For the new menu, we began work in July although, of course, there are always new ideas coming. Back home, a new autumn menu would focus on produce for cold evening and we try to mirror that but with a lighter feel to match our climate here. How much do customers affect the development of new dishes? Are they being more adventurous? In general, yes. We find them a great inspiration and they’re certainly getting more experimental in what they’ll order - sweetbreads, for example. When we first introduced octopus, we didn’t think it would go particularly well but now it’s one of our bestsellers. So we’re able to keep trying new products - eel, for instance - partly because

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

face to face / CHEFS

Apple cider sorbet

Goats’ cheese salad

Chargrilled halibut

Chargrilled octopus

“I remember loving when the new season produce came in back home - fruits and their short seasons. I think you appreciated the produce more.” customers are listening more to the servers and they’re willing to push their boundaries.

produce more. However, we are starting to give the menu a more Asian feel.

Okay, we’re in July with a clean sheet of paper. What next? We have classics that have to be on the menu - Shepherd’s pie, Shellﬁsh cocktail. Thai-baked seabass, Deep fried haddock - otherwise they’d be a riot! That said, we do tweak dishes. The dressed crab now has an Asian twist and it’s selling better than before. Next, we remove dishes that are out of season - asparagus and heirloom tomatoes as ingredients are off for the autumn and winter. Yes, we could source from the southern hemisphere but we’re basically a British restaurant and we stick to British seasons. I remember loving when the new season produce came in back home - fruits and their short seasons. I think you appreciated the

What inﬂuence does The Ivy London’s menu have on you? We’re aware of it, of course. Some dishes work here but for the autumn they’re using a lot of game and we have a problem with that here because of the halal regulations. Instead, I get all the guys involved and they put all their ideas for new dishes into a hat, although if we add a dish then we do it like for like. A salmon dish might have a new garnish, but we’ll still have a salmon dish on the menu. After that, all the proposed dishes are cooked and tasted by me, including my own. Then we break them down for costing, sourcing and a tasting description.

www.cpimediagroup.com

Is sourcing an issue? No, not really. Since 2009, availability in Dubai has increaed ten-fold. It’s amazing what you can get here now - we get through half a ton of turkey at Christmas, for example! Anyway, after the final selection of dishes, we cook them again for the final tasting panel. Do yours win over? They’re blind tasted so nobody knows which are mine! Then the new menu comes out and the final judges are our customers, about a fifth of whom are regulars. What trends are you seeing in the market at present? Sharing and tasting concepts, definitely. I’ll think we’ll also see a lot more plated brunches. I guess the key trend is ‘quality casual’. Finally, where do you enjoy eating out? I’m very big on fish so I love Rivi, LPM, Al Mahara, Pier Chic and Scott’s.

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

Under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority

THE AUTHENTIC BUSINESS CLASS EVENT

24 – 26 November 2014 Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE

FOR THE REGION’S FOOD & BEVERAGE SECTOR

Images by:

www.stockfood.com

Strategic Partner

Over 1000 food, beverage and equipment companies

From more than 50 countries

national pavilions

Covering 5 continents

650+ chefs competing

World’s most innovative food & beverage display at ‘SIAL Innovation’

Industry conferences, seminars & workshops

Co-located industry events for travel catering

at ‘La Cuisine by SIAL’

and packaging sectors

VISITOR REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

SIAL, a subsidiary of Comexposium Group

Diamond Sponsor

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Retail Partner

Lanyard Sponsor

Culinary Partners

Ofﬁcial Publications

face to face / CHEFS

Pan fried Dorset wild seabass, shavings of raw and pickled baby fennel, black olive

Fresh English raspberries, cinnamon ice cream, lime and coconut sorbet, hibiscus, vinegar reduction

Cévennes onion, Williams pear, Sarawak pepper (from Malaysia), Amalfi coast lemon zest

Back to the source One of hottest restaurants in London over the last couple of years, Hedone looks more like a neighbourhood find than a 1-star Michelin discovery, also listed at 63 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list. All thanks to former solicitor and food blogger, Chef/Patron Mikael Jonsson who is passionate about ingredients and, despite being Swedish, doesn’t deliver Scandinavian food but delicate and inspired Modern European dishes.

www.cpimediagroup.com

hefs who have Hedone explained to them tend to close their eyes and purr with pleasure. A quiet family restaurant during the week but a destination for food lovers at the weekend, the 28 seat brick and wood space combines a new menu every day following the lead taken by Astrance in Paris, based on Chef/Patron Mikael Jonsson’s daily market finds, together with a carefully curated wine selection that, for once, is keenly priced most notably in the pairing menu. And that’s just the start. Before opening, Jonsson spent a year touring and sourcing key ingredients and he makes no compromises over quality, traceability or seasonality. Everything is made fresh every single day. The food itself is sublime - subtle, nuanced and often playing with a single core ingredients with different temperatures and textures. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that, not only had he nottrained as a chef, Jonsson had only ever

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

CHEFS / face to face

worked in a kitchen for five days (at The Sportsman as stagier), switching career instead to become a lawyer, albeit one who was passionate about food and spent a reasonable part of his salary on food related travels across Europe. His Gastroville blog was so well received by the industry that he advised a number of Michelin starred restaurants across Europe on ingredient sourcing. The result if all this focus? A Michelin star within eight months of opening and Hedone was widely tipped to take a second in the 2015 guide, but no new 2- or 3-stars were given this time round. However, it is hard to see what more Jonsson can do to raise his game. The bread, for example, is exceptional - he spent time training in Lille with France’s best baker - Alex Croquet - who himself acknowledges that Hedone’s bread is as good as his own. If this is a neighbourhood restaurant, then every neighbourhood should have one. What prompted you to open Hedone? I had gained a reputation for knowing produce, with some chefs using me to source from Rungis market. But I wated to do more than that - what’s important for me is to be the very best I can. Take our bread, for example, it took time but now we know our bread, especially our sourdough, is extremely good. Hedone is quality driven and doesn’t stand still - to match the breads, we change our butter every season. But why a rather overlooked part of West London for the restaurant? To be honest, I had no grand plan. I think I was very riomantic, thinking that if we opened and put out great food then people would come. The food we

"Any chef not led by ingredients and the seasons needs a good talking to.” - Chef Mikael Jonsson serve is the food I like to eat, rather like Chez L’Ami Jean in Paris. Surely it was a major gamble? Yes, I’d had five days training in a kitchen over two decades. Maybe experience gets in the way sometimes. What I had, rather than training and experience, was a belief that I thought I knew what good food was. I had eaten all over the world, including at a number of 3-stars. Before London, I lived and worked in the south of France and then Malta - I moved here to open Hedone. I knew I could cook and it went from there. What was it like when you opened? Well, we weren’t on the map and then about three weeks in Fay Maschler came in and reviewed us and it just took off from there. We were busy but I just couldn’t get the staff! Then a review from AA Gill really changed everything - a couple of days after his review appeared, we were booked solid for four months ahead! After a while, we had a visit from a Michelin inspector and he gave me really useful feedback on a dish by dish basis. All the attention did put pressure on us, of course, so I asked the Good Food Guide to remove us. There wasn’t any pressure after the Michelin star

but being on the San Pellegrino list did ramp up the pressure quite a bit. Accolades are a bit of a distraction, to be honest I know you travelled widely before Hedone, but what food did you like as a child? I was interested in food before I could even walk! My grandmother was a great cook and, growing up in Gothenberg, we have access to great produce. I remember going to the market on a regular basis from about the age of eight. As a teenager I suffered a number of food allergies. Then, when I started to travel I began to think, how good could I be at cooking? Even then I had self-belief and for a year I immersed myself in food. Where do you go from here? Continue to develop my own style. And I want to do more with our bread - I have a lot of other chefs calling for it and, at present, I’m talking about supplying half a dozen restaurants. I’m a great enthusiast of Chef Alain Passard - 3-star restaurant L’Arpège in Paris - and his menus a la minute. I love doing that, using different produce. Gradually I’m understanding more and more that you should always put less on the plate than you think you need. I try not to waste anything and, at the end of service, the aim is to have an empty fridge. Quality produce has a short life span - use it simply and the result will be exceptional. I still like to eat out, but I’m afraid I’m getting blase and losing interest in the work of many chefs. I’d also love to have more time to write about food, but this keeps me busy... Photographs © Mikael Jonsson (dishes) and Richard Haughton (chef)

Provence fresh figs, elderflower, lemon and thyme Roasted loin of venison (fallow deer), chestnut and juniper purée, fresh and pickles Provence

The Pro Chef Middle East / October 2014

www.cpimediagroup.com

G o ld-Fi ltered Mi neral Water

www.gize.com Contact CALIDRIS 28 AAS-FZE Tel: +971 4 3712659 · sales.uae@calidris28.com

Gize – The Luxury Drink

09 ~ 11 NOVEMBER 2014 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE /Â&#x2026;i Ä?Â˝Ă&#x192; Â?>Ă&#x20AC;}iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152; iĂ&#x203A;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152; vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC; Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;i }Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x152; >Â&#x2DC;` wÂ&#x2DC;i vÂ&#x153;Â&#x153;` Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17E;

Explore exquisite gourmet products at the Speciality Food Festival

lit ci

r st e

www.spe

er ~ vi si ist FREE ENT R TO T Y HE SHO W!

y.ae/r e

THE ONLY EVENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO GOURMET PROFESSIONALS Over 50 countries offering the very best gourmet products, meet and network with new suppliers, source the TKIJV RTQFWEVU HQT [QWT EWUVQOGTU Ć&#x201A;PF PGY Ć&#x192;CXQWTU HTQO CTQWPF VJG YQTNF YG JCXG KV CNN

Engage with over 100 gourmet specialists and maximize your opportunity to expand your business

Learn the latest market trends in the high calibre free conferences

Walk through the appetizing gastronomical features and be inspired by the Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS: Enjoy FREE ENTRY to SEAFEX, Sweets and Snacks Middle East and Gulfood Manufacturing ORGANISED BY

OFFICIAL PUBLISHER

OFFICIAL TRAVEL PARTNER

CO-LOCATED WITH

EXCLUSIVE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

Meat skills / FEATURES

VEAL SWEETBREADS - STEP BY STEP Sweetbreads consist of the two thymus glands on both sides of the throat. The sweetbread is derived from a young animal and is pale. The sweetbread is trimmed of surrounding fat and connective tissue. Step 1 Soak the sweetbreads in cold water until white. Change the water two or three times until it remains clear - this may take up to ﬁve hours.

Step 2 Bring them to the boil in cold, salted water and, at the ﬁrst sign of boiling, drain and refresh under cold water.

An offal you can’t refuse Offal refers to the entrails and internal organs of an animal. It doesn’t refer to a particular list of organs but instead includes most internal organs, apart from muscles and bones. Last issue, we looked at the brain and tongue; here we focus on tripe and sweetbreads.

Step 3 Remove the skin and ﬁbres.

HONEYCOMB TRIPE - STEP BY STEP Honeycomb is derived from tripe with the membrane removed by scalding with hot water. This is usually done at the point of purchase. Step 1 Choose a thick cut of tripe if buying raw. The muscular stomach tissue should be white in colour. Step 2 Wash the tripe multiple times to rid it of particles of food or other pieces of matter. It may take three to four vigorous washings before the tripe is ready to be cooked. Step 3 Simmer the tripe for at least four to ﬁve hours in a stock pot of water. Tripe is a notoriously tough offal, however the longer you simmer it, the more tender it becomes.

3 SPONSORED BY

www.cpimediagroup.com

October 2014 / The Pro Chef Middle East

FEATURES / Meat skills

1 bunch white asparagus cut at angle 3cm from head 300g fresh peas METHOD

∙ Soak sweetbreads in milk overnight, then rinse. ∙ Put white wine, celery, carrot, and onion into a small

Beef Calamari

BEEF CALAMARI SERVED IN A MINESTRONE STYLE BROTH WITH A PASTRY SAIL - RECIPE BY APPRENTICE CHEF MARIOLA DUBERY - WINNER OF MLA'S MASTER APPRENTICE COMPETITION 2010

in tripe soup for about an hour.

∙ Combine tripe and vegetables, add remaining spices and cook for another ﬁve minutes.

∙ Roll out puff pastry then brush with egg and season with salt. Cut into sails and place in the oven on a ﬂat oven tray at 180C for ﬁve to eight minutes. ∙ Place tripe soup in a prepared bowl and serve with pastry sail.

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 2 brown onions 50g celery 70g carrots 1.2kg beef tripe 3g black peppercorn 1 tsp marjoram 1 tsp salt 1 tsp paprika 1/3 cup plain ﬂour sprig of parsley 300g pastry 1.5lt chicken stock 3 eggs METHOD ∙ Wash tripe. ∙ In a large saucepan immerse tripe in cold water, cover and bring to boil. Once boiled pour off the water and cover tripe in half the chicken stock, then cook again for three to four hours until tender. Take tripe out and cut into strips, then place back into the tripe stock. ∙ At the same time, in another pot cook the vegetables with the remaining chicken stock Keep stirring and check till tender. Add marjoram and cook all together

A SWEETBREAD SALAD - RECIPE BY CHEF MAURICE MAFFEI, ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA SERVES 4

saucepan and bring to the boil. When it comes to the boil let it cook for a minute or two, then add the water. ∙ Put the sweetbreads into the pot while the liquid is cool and let the pot come to boil. When it has boiled, turn the heat off and let the sweetbreads cool down in the liquid. ∙ When cold take the sweetbreads out of the liquid and place on paper towel to absorb the liquid. Once cold pat dry then peel off the thin membrane. ∙ Mix the egg and milk together. Mix the almond meal, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and half of the ﬁnely sliced sage together. Flour, egg and breadcrumb the sweetbreads. ∙ Boil the peas in just enough water to cover them. When cooked drain half the liquid and pour the rest of the liquid and peas into the vitamiser and puree until the mixture is still a little bit coarse. Check the seasoning at this stage and put puree aside to keep warm. ∙ In a frying pan put 20g of salted butter and a splash of olive oil and let it heat up. When the butter starts to sizzle add the asparagus and cook until it is al dente to touch. Take out of pan and keep warm. Wipe out the pan and put half the left over butter and another splash of olive oil in. Let it heat up until the butter starts to sizzle again then add some off the sweetbreads, fry on both sides until golden brown, transfer to a holding dish, wipe out the pan and complete the process again until you have fried all the sweetbreads. ∙ Wipe the pan out again and add the last of the butter and the chopped sage together and cook until the butter starts to foam and turn golden. ∙ To serve put a dollop of pea puree onto the plate then add asparagus and sweetbreads, pour over the butter and serve.

MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA

INGREDIENTS 500g veal sweetbreads 200ml milk 1 stick of celery, chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1 onion, peeled and chopped sprig of Italian parsley 1 bay leaf 100ml white wine 250ml water 150g almond meal 150g breadcrumbs fresh 1/4 bunch of sage, ﬁnely sliced 100g salted butter 150g parmesan, grated 1 egg 150ml milk 1/2 cup seasoned ﬂour

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is a producer-owned company whose mission is to deliver world-class services and solutions in partnership with industry and government. Promoting the quality, safety and nutritional value of Australian red meat both domestically and internationally, on behalf of the meat and livestock industry, MLA manages and operates a portfolio of marketing activities aimed at maintaining and increasing demand for Australian meat and livestock. MLA in the Middle East North African region works with retailers, foodservice operators, importers, manufacturers and Australian exporters to maintain and increase the demand for halal red meat and livestock to the region.