OMAR BASION

OMAR BASIONY

LDC KITCHEN + COFFEE

Omar Basiony’s introduction to the world of culinary arts began at the age of 13 where he spent summers through high school working in one of Padova’s oldest and most classical osterias that belonged to a family friend. He was also able to take a culinary course that ran parallel to his last year of high school. It was the early exposure to great food at the unpretentious and simple Italian restaurant that sparked a passion that continues to this day. In 2005, his family migrated to United States and Basiony sought opportunities to further develop his own creativity. It was in Boston that he was able to get a position as a commis at l’espalier, an institution for fine dining at that time in New England. The work ethic, technique, attention to product and seasonality were all critical in shaping Basiony’s chosen profession. Basiony’s culinary repertoire flourished when he moved to Chicago for an opportunity at RIA in what would become the Mandarin Oriental. During his stint at the globally influenced upscale restaurant, the culinary team earned many accolades including two Michelin stars. Omar went on to refine his culinary techniques in other stared restaurants in the city before deciding to make the move to the Middle East. The past six years in Dubai saw Basiony worked under the tutelage of Izu Ani at La Serre, as well as working at award-winning chic Japanese restaurant Zuma Dubai, The Park Hyatt, and most recently Flamingo Room in Jumeirah Al Naseem. Omar Basiony has taken on a role as Head of Culinary, driving the creative development in the culinary department of the all-day dining venue, LDC Kitchen + Coffee (formerly London Dairy Café). Basiony loved the challenge of working at a café that was scalable and had the strength of multiple outlets yet still managed to maintain quality and attention to detail. He shares the group’s vision of making great quality food accessible. Building on his extensive culinary experiences with different cuisines and styles of operation, Omar will be spearheading new projects and continue to elevate LDC’s diverse selection of familiar food favourites.