DOMENICO SANTAGADA ALLICI
Having worked his way through the kitchen ranks, Domenico Santagada found the art of cooking very special, he was immersed at a young age into the natural beauties of vegetables and locally sourced products. Growing up in Calabria, Southern Italy, Domenico got his first opportunity to embark on his culinary adventure with Francesco Mazzei in London, giving him his first fine dining experience insight into the arts of culinary. Following that, he moved to Dubai as part of the pre-opening team of Conrad Dubai, where he had the pleasure to work with Massimo Mantarro. He then moved to Marco Pierre White Steak House where he rose to the rank of sous chef. Domenico then joined Meraas where he brought to life a homegrown concept from scratch as a head chef. During this time, he had the pleasure to meet, discuss, elaborate on concepts and broaden his knowledge with renowned chefs such as Tim Raue, Galvin Brothers, and Virgilio Martinez. This melting pot of experiences allowed him to assemble his kitchen from renderings, fittings, equipment and subsequently develop and curate a southern Italian seafood menu with its touches of elegance and simplicity. Foraging, hunting, and fishing played a big part in Domenico’s upbringing, giving him a different approach to how to see things in a kitchen. These inspirations from his childhood helped him to create dishes as he enjoys discovering new flavours, products, styles of cooking, expanding his culinary savoir-faire. He heads the kitchen of Alici at Bluewaters Island, where he features Amalfi Coast and Southern Italian specialties.
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