Here’s Why

THE MICHELIN GUIDE IS A BIG DEAL FOR MALTA. HERE’S WHY

by Ivan Brincat

VALLETTA: The news that Malta has three one Michelin star restaurants will change the gastronomy landscape on this small Mediterranean island for ever. This is a big deal for Malta and its culinary sphere.

Whether you love or hate Michelin and what it stands for, there is no question that to date this remains the most authoritative guide for restaurants worldwide. Before Michelin, there was one restaurant guide in Malta but this was survey driven and therefore did not carry the weight that Michelin or any of the other established world guides has.

Restaurants, chefs and owners were more focused on getting a high ranking on Tripadvisor, also important, but by no stretch of imagination as important in terms of driving food enthusiasts to the island.

Malta relies heavily on tourism and food over the past years has become a very important driver of tourism destinations. There are many people who centre their travel experience around food experiences worldwide and competition for this market is becoming more and more intense.

Michelin will help Maltese restaurants, owners and chefs to work towards a new benchmark. That benchmark is quality whether it comes to produce, technique, service or wine.

Today, that benchmark in Malta has been set by De Mondion in Mdina and Noni and Under Grain in Valletta who all have 1 Michelin star. 3 other restaurants got a Bib Gourmand. The latter, maybe less known in Malta is a restaurant that serves quality food and a good value (the ability to order a two-course meal or a menu and a glass of wine or dessert for less than around EUR 40).

20 other restaurants got a mention in the guide. There are two sides to the coin and one can look at the glass either as half full or half empty.

Having three restaurants awarded with a Michelin star is of course a very important step in the right direction though having only three restaurants that get a Bib Gourmand could

be considered a slap in the face for quality/price ratio in restaurants around the island.

That can be rectified next year if some restaurants adjust their business model to include the ‘menu’ of the day as hap- pens in many other restaurants around the world.

The 20 restaurants that have been mentioned in the guide have the possibility to up their game and to decide in which direction to take their restaurant.

What is sure at this stage is that Malta is very far from hav- ing a restaurant that is capable of attaining a second Miche- lin star, let alone a third.

Without wanting to downplay the achievements of the three restaurants that clinched their first Michelin star because they have made history, one can safely say that the journey for them starts now. A Michelin star is not a given, the restau- rant will at the very least need to retain the same quality from the previous year if it is to retain its star.

There will be some who will want to aim higher because Michelin also awards restaurants with 2 Michelin stars and with 3 Michelin stars. But these stars are considerably harder to attain and can prove to be elusive for many years. What is sure at this stage is that Malta is very far from having a restaurant that is capable of attaining a second Michelin star, let alone a third.

First, it is extremely rare for restaurants to go from one to two Michelin stars in quick succession. Second, there are many restaurants in the world including some that feature very highly on the World’s 50 Best list that are stuck at 2 Michelin stars. Noma is maybe the most famous of them but you need to remember that even Mauro Colagreco’s, cur- rently No 1 on the list only attained three Michelin stars last year despite featuring highly in the World’s 50 Best restau- rants list for successive years.

There have been exceptions. The highly acclaimed The Al- chemist got two stars within the space of a few months but apart from the fact that this is a multi-million investment, it is the exception rather than the rule.

For Malta, the arrival of Michelin presents restaurants and chefs with a huge opportunity to shape things in a different direction to what exists today. What this is likely to mean for the three restaurants that have attained a star is more bookings in advance and also a more international crowd. It also means that the expectations are going to be higher

and therefore the margin of error becomes narrower. What it also means is that the teams of the restaurants in question will need to put everything into question. If they want to evolve, they will need to think very carefully about the creative process, about finding a balance between signature dishes and dishes that are new. It also means that they must work on building a narrative and a story.

One thing that I’ve often heard in conversation with Maltese chefs is the difficulty to source local produce, including high quality eggs, fish, meat and more importantly vegetables. There are of course lots of challenges including those linked to mass tourism but if restaurants are to progress they will need to be able to work in a complete eco-system working with producers and ensuring they can find the quality produce they need.

This may not come cheap but it is not only essential but necessary if the whole culinary scene on the island is to improve. There are of course choices that can be made. There are other countries and regions around the world which focus purely on top quality ingredients that are imported from all corners of the world. But that we believe is an outdated trend and one that is not likely to age very well.

So Maltese chefs and restaurants will need to think very carefully before adding fois gras, lobster, wagyu beef and caviar on their menus in the hope of clinching a star or more.

The good thing is that chefs like Jonathan Brincat, Kevin Bonello and Victor Borg will get more international recognition in the weeks and months to come. Jonathan Brincat has already spoken in an international symposium in the

past but the three are likely to get more invitations abroad. While they needed no introduction locally, their status will help them to make new connections that can help them grow both as individuals and as chefs.

There are others ready to push the bar including some that have been involved in very recent openings of restaurants or the much anticipated restaurant by Iniala which is set to open in June.

What I am interested in seeing is a drive to showcase lo- cal ingredients that put the producer or the fishermen at the forefront of what needs to be done. Maltese chefs would do well to follow the example of the North Sea Chefs, a collec- tive that encourages chefs to use fish that are not commonly used in restaurants.

There needs to be a conversation between chefs and farm- ers, chefs and fishermen, chefs and growers.

Michelin has presented the island with a unique opportunity to shape the way Malta’s gastronomy evolves over the next five to 10 years. This is a unique opportunity for ambitious chefs and restaurant owners to push the bar further knowing that there is a guide like Michelin that has the potential to recognise their work.

This is a golden opportunity. The journey may be uphill be- cause there are many challenges but as they say the journey is more important than reaching the destination. Let the fun begin.

In Pursuit of PERFECTION

INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN BRINCAT CHEF DE CUISINE AND CO-OWNER AT NONI RESTAURANT

After serving the crowds of several prestigious eateries in Malta and abroad, Chef Jonathan Brincat has made his home at Noni, in Republic Street, Valletta. Jonathan’s work is impressive and highlights his culinary flair and sharp eye for detail. His style of cuisine is described by many as modern yet with a classical touch primarily using local seasonal ingredients. Indeed, every dish prepared at Noni is a work of art which exalts the beauty local seasonal produce. Jonathan shared with us his thoughts about the food industry and his plans for the future.

How did your culinary journey begin? I must say that my love for cooking started at a very young age watching my mum at work in the kitchen. Nevertheless, my culinary journey began at the age of 15. It started in a local hotel as a commis.

What lies behind the nickname “Noni”? Noni was my grandfather’s nickname. He had a shop in Msida called “Noni” and it eventually ended up being my own nickname. It somehow stuck and that’s how I am known.

You had the opportunity to work with Chef Gary Hollihead. In what way has such an experience helped you develop further your culinary skills? Working with Gary Hollihead was a great experience. He made me look at food from a different perspective we were generally accustomed to in Malta. He used to emphasise mostly on sustainability and freshness of the ingredients selected. He also had a straight forward plating approach which gave the ingredients selected and their flavours the possibility to stand out. This is a philosophy that I still adhere to. Where do you get your inspiration? Inspiration can be a strange beast; it comes when you least expect it. Inspiration can spark from a walk out in the countryside, or at a local kaÿin whilst having a cup of tea (which is incidentally where I got my inspiration for my dessert called “Te Fit-Tazza”). Nevertheless I am generally inspired from ingredients in their own environment.

Who was your biggest inspiration in the kitchen growing up? I consider myself very lucky because I have more than one inspirational figure in my life. I worked alongside very good head chefs both locally and internationally but I must admit that my biggest inspiration is my mum as she is the only person who manages to cook amazing food with whatever she has available. She always does an excellent job.

René Rendzepi once noted that, “Chefs have an opportunity and perhaps even an obligation to inform the public about what is good to eat and why.” To what extent do you agree? I perfectly agree with Chef Rendzepi. This obligation is part of our job and we must inform people about the origins of food. Sadly, nowadays, we eat food of which we have no idea of its origins and how it was cooked.

What word of advice you would give to someone wanting to become a chef? Work hard, keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, read a lot of books, show up every day in the kitchen, respect everyone around you and definitely taste everything.