WG February 2018 Issue

FEBRUARY WG MAGAZINE 2018

PAUL BOCUSE 1926 - 2018 www.wgmagazines.com

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THE CULINARY MAGAZINE BY ALFREDO RUSSO

IT’S ALL ITALIAN...

FROM ITALY & AROUND THE WORLD!

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info@extraordinaryitalian.com I www.extraordinaryitalian.com

WG MAGAZINE

OUT ON 05 MARCH 2018

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STUFFED BABY SQUID / PHOTO © PHÉNIX

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MAGAZINES

PRESENTS

FRESH FROM JAPAN IMPORTERS OF JAPANESE PRODUCE

EX.IT EXTRAORDINARY ITALIAN

Summit Trading Co., L.L.C. P.O. Box 2390, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tel: +971-26743100 Fax: +971-26743992 www.summit-trading.com

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For more than 80 years, Bragard supports women and men who give the best of themselves everyday at work to ignite their client’s taste buds.

Combining tradition and inovation, professional workwear from Bragard gained unparalled reputation thanks to its quality and make the biggest names of the culinary and hospitaly world proud.

BRAGARD LLC OFFICE 604 BEDAIA BUILDING AL BARSHA 1 PO BOX 214338 DUBAI UAE Tel : +971 4 395 16 11 Fax : +971 4 395 16 12 fabien.firetto@bragard.com

www.bragard.com

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Contemporary Italian cuisine by

World Renowned Three Michelin Star Chef Heinz Beck

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For reservations call +971 4 8182 155 | +971 4 818 2222 | Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah | www.waldorfastoria.com/Dubai

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Together we stand strong, dream big and create greater change for causes worldwide.

CharityStars is the international platform specialising in fundraising through digital auctions promoted in collaboration with celebrities and large companies.

All the proceeds are donated to charity.

A different way of raising awareness about the many charitable causes worldwide.

CHECK OUT OUR AMAZING AUCTIONS

www.charitystars.com

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Jean-Georges Dubai showcases a comfortable indoor layout with a jade, cozy garden.

While providing a fine atmosphere of an outdoor vivid lounge and stunning interiors, Jean-Georges Dubai offers its guests the chance to enjoy multiple evenings with live entertainment, a Friday brunch with an exquisite menu created by 2 Michelin Star Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten paired with impeccable service. The restaurant presents a warm ambiance that captures Dubai’s affinity throughout the day to uphold a late night.

JG Dubai is a preferred venue for many celebrities who have chosen it as a trendy destination to celebrate their events or simply to enjoy the exquisite dishes and service. Guests who have joined us in the past include key members of royal families in the UAE as well as international names such as Russell James, Franca Sozzani, Nargis Fakhri, Paolo Maldini, Clarence Seedorf, Dwight Yorke, and Christian Louboutin.

Four Seasons Resort Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai

Book at +971 4 343 6118

info@jean-georges-dubai.com | www.jean-georges-dubai.com

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Good taste isn’t expensive

S P A C E S

F O R

B E A U T I F U L

L I V I N G

conceptplus INTERIOR DESIGN

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Suite 214, Hamsa (A) Office Tower, Za’beel Road Karama, Dubai, United Arab Emirates P.O.Box 300450, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel.: +971 4 3705269 I Fax: +971 4 2947442 - WG February 2018E-mail : info@conceptplusstyle.com I osama@conceptplusstyle.com www.conceptplusstyle.com

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Dubai Chefs

A Comprehensive Dining Guide

AWARNESS IS FINE BUT ADVOCACY TAKES YOUR BRAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

info@wgkonnect.com

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Bon Vivant Communications

A global gastro embassy specialising in culinary diplomacy, exclusive dinner parties, star chef world tours, cultural marketing, filmmaking and entrepreneurism.

The core expertise is in brand management and PR of gourmet restaurants and star chefs, but also of resorts, châteaux and food festivals.

Creator of Dining Impossible and the San Sebastián Dinner Series, as well as the 2016 Diego Muñoz Exploration and 2017 Kamilla Seidler Expedition.

Culinary Producer of “Michelin Stars - Tales from the kitchen”.

Daily serving partnerships in Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Madrid, San Sebastián, Moscow, Macau, New York City, Mexico City, Lima and La Paz.

www.bon-vivant.dk

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‫ﻣﻔﻬﻮم اﺑﻴﺎت ﻫﻮ اﻟﺠﻤﻊ ﺑني اﻟﻄﻌﺎم واﳌﻮﺳﻴﻘﻰ ﰲ أﺟﻮاء ﻣﺜﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻣام ﻳﺠﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﺗﺠﺮﺑﺔ ﻣﺜﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﰲ‬ ‫ﻟﺬﻳﺬ اﳌﺬاق اﻷﻃﺒﺎق اﻟﻠﺒﻨﺎﻧﻴﺔ اﻷﺻﻴﻠﺔ وﻟﺬﻳﺬ‬.

The concept of Abyat is to combine food and music in the perfect ambiance making it the ultimate ex�erience in savouring authentic and flavorf�l Lebanese dishes.

‫ﺳﺎﻋﺎت اﻟﻌﻤﻞ‬

‫ﻣﻦ اﻷﺣﺪ إﱃ اﻟﺨﻤﻴﺲ‬

Sunday to Thursday 12pm to 1am

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OPENING HOURS

‫اﻟﺠﻤﻌﺔ واﻟﺴﺒﺖ‬

Friday - Saturday 12pm to 2am

Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah, Shoreline Apartments 10 For Reservation Call : 04 5588 428 info@abyatdubai.com, www.abyatdubai.com - WG February 2018 Abyat-DXB

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DUTY DUTYFREE FREE PRODUCTS PRODUCTS & & BONDED BONDED STORES STORES

5, Vyzantiou, Spyrides 2064Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus 5, Vyzantiou, Spyrides Tower, Towers, 2064 Cyprus Tel:+357 +35722210828 222 108 28 I I +44 +44 745 745 228 Tel: 22868 680202 www.brandhouse.uk.com www.brandhouse.uk.com

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Simply Italian brings to Dubai, the ultimate Italian experience, exploring the superior culinary skills with mouthwatering dishes. With a vibrant & colorful terrace, Simply Italian offers a charming atmosphere while dining by the beach.

Opening Hours

Sunday to Thursday : 12pm to 1am | Friday to Saturday : 12pm to 2am

Club Vista Mare, Palm Jumeirah, Shoreline Apartments 10 For Reservation Call : 04 55 88 354 info@simplyitaliandubai.com | www.simplyitaliandubai.com SimplyItalianDubai

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simplyitaliandxb

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Culinary Arts can give new life to children... we make it our mission to identify talented, underprivileged children with culinary ambitions and provide opportunities that otherwise would have been beyond their reach‌

Grant MacPherson

WO’GOA Foundation Ambassador An inspirer, innovator and perfectionist - Grant encompasses all the qualities that deserving children can glean from a role model!

The Pearl Martin Benn - Sepia, - WG February 2018 Sydney, Australia

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partnered with SKD ACADEMY the culinary institute in the Philippines

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Avani and Bala #VisitSpain #Andalusia #Sevilla #Giralda #Architecture #BeautifulView

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“IN OUR CITIES, WHEN YOU LEAVE ONE EMBLEMATIC SPOT, YOU ENTER ANOTHER. YOU WILL SOON DISCOVER THAT ALL OF THEM ARE PART OF YOU”.

spain.info

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FRESH FROM JAPAN IMPORTERS OF JAPANESE PRODUCE

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Summit Trading Co., L.L.C. P.O. Box 2390, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tel: +971-26743100 Fax: +971-26743992 www.summit-trading.com

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#TRUFFLEMANDUBAI

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TRUFFLES and everything nice We source the best fresh truffles in season and produce a superior line of black and white truffle oil, truffle butter, truffle sauce, truffle carpaccio and truffle honey, Apart from truffle we carry vinegar, oil, pasta and other gourmet products, the best Italy has to offer, Used by the top chefs across the UAE and beyond.

Call italtouch (The Truffle Man) today: +971 4 887 9969 or email: italtouchdwc@gmail.com

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From 20 to 2,000 meals a day.

Always the right solution.

Find out more: rational-online.com

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Real Madrid Café is a space where the passion for Real Madrid, football and socializing becomes one.

With two levels and two massive screens, Real Madrid Café, The Beach, JBR is the ultimate hangout for live matches while enjoying the beachfront location. Offering all-time comfort food favorites like burgers & wings, a wide selection of creative mocktails and shisha flavors, Real Madrid Café creates the perfect setting for Madridistas and sports enthusiasts a-like to gather and support their teams.

The extensive range of Real Madrid merchandise, including over 40 exclusively signed

pieces of memorabilia, ensures to give all shoppers and diners the ultimate football experience. Real Madrid Café also hosts a variety of events and is a popular place for birthday parties of all ages.

THE BEACH AT JBR, DUBAI U.A.E. TEL 04 277 5625 www.realmadridcafedubai.com realmadriddubai@ginzarestaurants.com

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THE ULTIMATE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE

The perfect destination for authentic Italian cuisine overlooking the Dubai Fountain and full views of the Burj Khalifa SUNDAY - THURSDAY 12 pm - 12:00 am info@Serafinadubai.com | www.serafinadubai.com SerafinaDubai serafinadxb

FRIDAY - SATURDAY 11 am - 1:00 am

BOOK NOW! CALL 04 363 8447

AT SERAFINA SOUK AL BAHAR, DOWN TOWN DUBAI

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PARK PLACE TOWER | LEVEL 15 | SHEIKH ZAY WWW.GINZAHOLDINGS.COM | INFO@GIN

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YED ROAD | DUBAI | UNITED ARAB EMIRATES NZAHOLDINGS.COM | TEL +971 4 315 8100 WG February 2018 -

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Editor

Fabian deCastro

Lifestyle Editor

Doug Singer

Feature Editor

Oilda Barreto

Contributors

Elisabete Ferreira Michael Hepworth

Photography

Victoria Shashirin Majella O’Connell

FJMdesign WGkonnect Photography Consultant Creative Design Studio Publisher IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

‘

WG™ is an online digital publication published by: Izzy Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Unit 14, Agnelo Colony, Kerant, Caranzalem, 403002 Goa, India Tel: +91(832) 2463234 Fax: +91(832) 2464201 sales@wgmagazines.com

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Identifying underprivileged children with culinary ambitions...

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©IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Editorial material and opinions expressed in WG™ digital publication do not necessarily reflect the views of IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. WG™ and IZZY Publishing Pvt. Ltd. cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or errors and do not accept responsibility for the advertising content.

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Cover Image Credit: PAUL BOCUSE PHOTO © JEFF NALIN

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WG February issue is a “Tribute to Monsieur Paul Bocuse” The world has lost one of the greatest culinary references. Paul Bocuse wrote one of the most influential chapters in culinary history, not only in France but also around the world. It would be no understatement to say that he was the first chef to step out from behind the stove and bring his profession to greater public awareness, while developing France’s reputation for culinary excellence by opening Bocuse-branded restaurants in other countries.

A special thank you to Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy, Heinz Beck, Carme Ruscalleda, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Reif Othman, Alfredo Russo, Manoella Buffara, Josean Alija, Yannick Alléno, José Avillez, Colin Clague, David Toutain, Sven Elverfeld, Yoshihiro Narisawa, Peter Goossens and Laurent Manrique for their tributes to Paul Bocuse.

Sam Aisbett is part of a new generation of Australian chefs, transforming the notion of Modern Australian food with his flavor-driven approach to international ingredients with a distinctly Asian touch.

Cooking for David Myers has always been about the journey, travel has always been at the heart of the unique culinary experiences crafted by this global restaurateur and celebrity chef. His gastronomic artistry and distinct flavours, his signature collection in Dubai with three well-defined concepts – Bleu Blanc, Basta and Poppy.

A chef on a mission to make authentic Japanese cuisine more accessible… Elisabete Ferreira catches up with Masaharu Morimoto who opens his first Dubai restaurant.

Gilad Peled brings his classic Franco-British cuisine, influenced by new trends from around the world, to Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7 this February.

Konstantin Filippou’s cuisine is puristic, straightforward, based on Austrian products and characterized by an unbridled passion for ingredients. Always aiming for the essence of taste. A cooking that reflects his multicultural background and allows for a unique approach to food from both of my worlds. He takes us on an eight course journey.

Filip Langhoff is a new breed of young Finnish chefs helping to make Helsinki a gourmet destination for travellers. His New Nordic Cuisine highlights the purity of flavors, inspiration that comes from nature, the environment and local produce.

Eszter Palágyi creates a fine dining gastronomic culture that connects classic Hungarian cuisine. Without compromising on quality, Eszter’s cuisine is contemporary based on a gastronomic culture that combines Hungarian specialties based on International trends .

Our last stop is the Philippines with Jordy Navarra, a highly-talented chef, forward thinking, passionate with his country’s cuisine and produce. A chef that one can look up to and he is a culinary superstar in the making.

Bon Appétit

FdeCastro

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FEBRUARY 2018

CONTENTS 38

Tribute to Paul Bocuse

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Modern Australian

82

Creator Of Culinary Experiences

108 Authentic Japanese Cuisine 116 No Shortcuts To Success 124 Eight Course With Konstantin Filippou 136 Making Helsinki A Gourmet Destination 160 Classic Hungarian Cuisine 172

Sustainable Filipino Cuisine

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WG MAGAZINE

RED BRAISED CHALLANS DUCK, EGGPLANT CREAM, CANTEEN NOODLES, WATER CHESTNUT, CHINESE JELLY MUSHROOMS An inspiration while on holidays in Hong Kong at Yat Lok roast goose restaurant. The goose had an amazing flavor, but it was the texture of the goose that really caught my attention. It was always in the back of my mind to recreate a dish inspired by the flavor and texture of this roast goose. I tested many types of ducks and a lot of different cooking methods before I got the right texture of the meat that I wanted. As with most of my dishes, texture plays a big role in the finished dish and I think the juxtaposition between softening of the red braised duck and the Chinese jelly mushrooms is amazing.

RED BRAISED CHALLANS DUCK SAM AISBETT - WHITEGRASS RESTAURANT PHOTO © NICHOLAS EE

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PAUL BOCUSE

Our trade literally won its spurs thanks to Paul Bocuse who put a capital C to cuisine. He was amongst a few precursors and pioneers of a new world, who, brought together by the energy, creativity, generosity and sense of sharing that inhabited our elders, lead the great evolution of French cuisine. He preserved and nurtured this spirit throughout his life, shaping the DNA and building the foundations of French gastronomy, that has been since carrying, beyond the rankings, the universal values of gastronomy in the world.

I would also like to pay tribute to the crew of the Auberge du Pont de Collonges, where the spirit of Paul Bocuse rules and everything is perfect. We have to go there and to go there again and, each time, keep this thought in mind: “Merci Monsieur Paul”.

ALAIN DUCASSE

Merci Monsieur Paul! por motivarnos a los chefs del mundo entero, para apostar por la cultura y los productos locales, y por convertirnos en comunicadores gastronómicos.

Merci Bocuse!

CARME RUSCALLEDA enero de 2018

Kind and generous, a preternaturally talented cook and mentor; the light of Paul Bocuse will remain undimmed in our planet’s collective memory.

GUY SAVOY When you speak about French gastronomy masters, it is natural to think directly to Paul Bocuse; his genius shines all around the food world not only because the direct relationship with movement but essentially for the value of his innovative research.

Bocuse was a titan in the kitchen, his masterpiece the truffle soup remains one of most celebrated dish in the world, a lesson for every one of us about a new dimension in what is possible to call “classic”.

We miss him, his lessons, his greatness.

“Paul Bocuse helped us absorb the idea of market cuisine and he was able to give prestige to French cuisine. The fathers of the modern Basque and Spanish cuisine; Juan Mari Arzak and Pedro Subijana both learned in his kitchen in Lyon.

Something like a spontaneous tribute occurred in San Sebastian the day Bocuse left us. Thousands of citizens celebrated San Sebastian day, in their chefs outfits whilst playing drums as tradition calls.

A legend has left us all”

Quando parli di maestri della gastronomia francese è naturale pensare direttamente a Paul Bocuse; il suo genio risplende in tutto il mondo del cibo non solo per il rapporto diretto con il movimento, ma essenzialmente per il valore della sua ricerca innovativa.

Bocuse era un titano in cucina il suo capolavoro la soupe tartufo rimane uno dei piatti più celebri al mondo, una lezione per ognuno di noi su una nuova dimensione in quello che è possibile chiamare “classico”.

Ci manca lui, le sue lezioni, la sua grandezza

ANDONI LUIS ADURIZ

HEINZ BECK

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PAUL BOCUSE

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Paul Bocuse, a name, a legend, a standard that crosses borders and symbolises French culinary...

The Influencer - Un prima ed un dopo…

Recentemente è scomparso Paul Bocuse non solo uno dei più grandi cuochi del mondo del ventesimo secolo che con un gruppo di altri chef leggendari ha dato vita al movimento della nuovelle cuisine ma colui che ha segnato il tempo e dato un punto di svolta alla gastronomia moderna.

Un prima ed un dopo appunto: Galileo, Newton ed Einstein oppure Pelè, Cruyff, Maradona o Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Picasso nella storia dell’umanità arrivano spesso degli esempi nitidi con personaggi di rottura c’era un prima Elvis Presley fino a quando non è arrivato un certo Michael Jackson…

Prima di Bocuse e della Nouvelle Cuisine i riferimenti erano la cucina classica di Auguste Escoffier dopo di lui Ferran Adria e la sua rivoluzione moderna degli anni 90.

Ecco, per me Paul Bocuse ha segnato una svolta nel mondo della gastronomia professionale ed il suo libro La Cuisine du Marché ha influenzato generazioni di chef nel mondo per decenni… che oggi lo ritrovo consumato sulla mia libreria per tutte le volte che ho sfogliato…

Oggi su EX.IT che parla di Italia, Italiani e prodotti Italiani, mi piace ricordare una famosa frase di Paul Bocuse: “L’egemonia della cucina francese durerà sino al momento in cui gli chef italiani si renderanno conto dell’enorme patrimonio che hanno a disposizione, sia dal punto di vista delle materie prime sia dal punto di vista delle innumerevoli sfaccettature delle tradizioni” Evviva Paul Bocuse !!

“The Great Chef of France, Paul Bocuse has been an inspiration and an idol, the legend will always be remembered.”

REIF OTHMAN Cooking is an art. And the main lesson left by him was to get the freshest product. Their cuisine was of ingredients and tradition. Paul Bocuse goes beyond nouvelle cuisine).

“Love, humor and passion should be the only secrets of a good cook.”

Bocuse, in addition to being a pioneer and leader of a great kitchen revolution, Bocuse is an inspiration. He placed the capital C in front of the word kitchen. It has shaped the DNA and built the foundations of French cuisine, which have since been the basis for the universal values of gastronomy around the world.

MANOELLA BUFFARA “En tiempos en los que la cocina no estaba tan bien vista, Paul Bocuse dignificó el oficio de cocinero y cambió la historia de la cocina francesa, y por ende, la mundial. Es una suerte haber cocinado para él” “When cuisine was not very well looked upon, Paul Bocuse dignified the profession of being a chef and changed the history of French cuisine, and the world cuisine’s history. I’m lucky because I could cook for him” JOSEAN ALIJA

ALFREDO RUSSO WG February 2018 -

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PAUL BOCUSE

“Work as though you’ll live to be 100 and live as though tomorrow will be your last “

Paul Bocuse

I have always adored and admired Monsieur Paul who has always been a thoughtful godfather to me. He was the face of French gastronomy; we miss him already.

YANNICK ALLÉNO At college I bought “Paul Bocuse French Cooking” it was an inspiration, as was he, he’s what we aspire too...

COLIN CLAGUE Monsieur Paul was the chef who built this incredible path for us. His passion,and devotion to the culinary world, changed our profession forever. He is the reason why the culinary world is so recognized today. Thank you Monsieur Paul.

LAURENT MANRIQUE “Monsieur Paul was a great man and chef. Thanks to him the gastronomy has expanded worldwide.

He had an open mind, he was an innovator and he gave his heart and soul to the gastronomy and the people. Our culinary leader is gone.”

PETER GOOSSENS

“Monsieur Paul, as he was lovingly known in France, is an inescapable reference in world cuisine. He’s immortalized by his legacy and all will remember and honor his memory for many years to come.”

JOSÉ AVILLEZ “When I aimed to became a chef, no, when I was born, he was already hero in the gastronomy world. I admired him. I took him as a model and a goal. I continue thanking him and respecting him.”

YOSHIHIRO NARISAWA “Mr. BOCUSE was a precursor, a visionary man. He placed the French gastronomy on the international stage and modernizing the profession by bringing the cooks out of their kitchen. He softened the codes while enhancing excellence of our traditional bases. He was also generous, humble and conveyed the passion of cooking to many generations of chefs who will miss him greatly.”

DAVID TOUTAIN “Paul Bocuse was a role model and an idol for at least three generations of chefs and will never be forgotten.”

SVEN ELVERFELD

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PAUL BOCUSE

P MONSIEUR PAUL BOCUSE

aul Bocuse wrote one of the most influential chapters in culinary history, not only in France but also around the world.

It would be no understatement to say that he was the first chef to step out from behind the stove and bring his profession to greater public awareness, while developing France’s reputation for culinary excellence by opening Bocuse-branded restaurants in other countries.

In addition to focusing the spotlight on the finedining industry, Paul Bocuse can also be credited with masterminding the “Bocuse d’Or”, the most prestigious cooking competition on the planet.

Ever since the contest’s inception, chefs around the world have compared the prospect of winning the event to finding the Holy Grail.

One can instantly identify with the image of Paul Bocuse standing tall in his chef’s whites. Monsieur Paul, as he was often called, was known for his exuberant personality and charisma, in addition to his culinary expertise and his dishes which have become a cornerstone of France’s fine-dining legacy.

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PAUL BOCUSE

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WG MAGAZINE

the most exquisite pleasure is giving pleasure to others...

Paul Bocuse

Paul Bocuse was born on 11 February 1926 in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or, just a few miles down the road from Lyon. The only son of Georges and Irma Bocuse, Paul Bocuse perpetuated the family’s long line of chefs stretching all the way back to 1765, with stories of a certain Michel Bocuse and his wife delighting the local inhabitants’ taste buds with small fry, pork products and local cheeses.

He began learning his craft under Eugénie Brazier, known as “Mother Brazier”, before continuing his apprenticeship with Fernand Point, Head Chef at La Pyramide in Vienne, where he learnt what would later become his two guiding values: simplicity and expertise in cooking methods.

A stint working at the Lucas Carton restaurant in Paris under Chef Gaston Richard gave him an insight into the formal rules and conventions that defined the capital’s haute cuisine style. After returning to Fernand Point in 1956 as a pantry chef, Paul Bocuse entered the family-run business at the Hôtel du Pont de Collonges. In 1958, his career hit the fast lane.

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PAUL BOCUSE

The Abbaye de Collonges was built just a few hundred meters away from the Auberge as a prestigious events venue. The Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant its first star in 1958. In 1961, Paul Bocuse was honoured with the coveted France’s Best Craftsman award (Meilleur Ouvrier de France). The next year, in 1962 the restaurant got its second star, followed by a third star in 1965, which it has maintained ever since.

One evening, Henri Gault and Christian Millau (founders of the famous Gault Millau guide) were left spellbound after sampling a salad of al dente green beans, followed by scarcely cooked fillets of small striped red mullets. They believed that the cuisine at the Auberge du Pont de Collonges was light years away from what they were used to eating at other restaurants. Paul Bocuse advised them to pay a visit to his friends in Roanne, the Troisgros brothers, where they discovered the same philosophy of producing simple, yet refined, light and daring dishes. A new approach to cuisine was clearly emerging, representing the ideal opportunity to form a society of chefs from the great French cuisine tradition to spearhead and defend this trend that was soon to be called “Nouvelle Cuisine”, which already featured a dozen three-star chefs.

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PAUL BOCUSE

AUBERGE

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PAUL BOCUSE

Paul Bocuse’s father, began his apprenticeship at the tender age of 12. He worked in Lyon, Versailles, Monte Carlo and Evian before returning to Lyon in 1925. Unable to take over the family business that had previously been sold, he took the helm of the Hôtel du Pont just a few hundred meters away which belonged to his wife’s parents and in 1937.

THE THREE-STAR FINE-DINING RESTAURANT

In 1954, Paul Bocuse joined his father in the kitchen after completing his initial training and took over the business in 1957, earning his first Michelin star in 1958. He won his second star in 1962, followed closely by his third star in 1965, whereupon he changed the name to “L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges – Restaurant Paul Bocuse”.

Once you step across the threshold, you will catch a glimpse of the kitchens, the restaurant’s beating heart. The Fernand Point Lounge on the left pays homage to the chef who taught Paul Bocuse his craft, while the first floor features the Marie and Georges Bocuse Lounges. The walls are adorned with photos, engravings, letters and recipe excerpts. Paul Bocuse’s passion seemingly oozes from every pore of the restaurant.

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PAUL BOCUSE

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The Auberge was undoubtedly Paul Bocuse’s flagship, a remarkable temple to French fine dining

Stepping foot inside the restaurant, one cannot fail to miss the small barrel organ that occasionally springs to life, such as when a birthday is being celebrated. The interior design goes for a classic look with cream and old rose tones that conjure up images of an imposing provincial town house.

Despite occasional renovation work, the design has deliberately been left untouched over the years to reassure its legions of loyal patrons. The prevailing style remains casual, and thanks to the chef’s team, or crew as he liked calling them and who are proud to act as ambassadors for such a prestigious venue. The Auberge was undoubtedly Paul Bocuse’s flagship, a remarkable temple to French fine dining.

The vivacious and festive façade immediately catches visitors’ eyes with its omnipresent raspberry and pistachio colors, as well as the gastronomyinspired motifs, including a pièce montée, a serving platter with a dome cover, strutting roosters and typically an image of Paul Bocuse himself leaning against the railing at one of the windows, a big smile plastered on his face in anticipation of receiving his guests. A mural in the courtyard pays tribute to the chefs who have made a lasting impression on their era, including Antonin Carême, Alain Chapel, André Pic and Raymond Oliver.

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THE ABBAYE A FESTIVE VENUE FOR CELEBRATIONS

The mill on the banks of the River Saône apparently played a major role in the Bocuse family’s destiny which was destroyed in 1840 to make way for the new Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway line. The Bocuse’s purchased an old farmstead further along the river that belonged to the monks residing on Île Barbe. This farmstead would ultimately become the Abbaye de Collonges, however, the history surrounding the venue is somewhat eventful.

The “Restaurant Bocuse” (as it was called at the time) was quite a prosperous business until Joseph Bocuse suddenly decided to sell everything in 1921- the building, the business and even the name, meaning that the Bocuse’s were no longer allowed to open a business bearing their own name…

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Georges, Paul Bocuse’s father, had to work for his wife’s parents at the Hôtel du Pont de Collonges (now the Auberge). It was not until 1966 that the famous three-star chef was finally able to buy the building and business of his grandparents’ old restaurant and use the Bocuse name again.

Upon becoming a restaurant, the farmstead was named the Abbaye de Collonges in memory of the monks that lived on Île Barbe. The Hôtel du Pont de Collonges, which in the meantime had become the Auberge du Pont de Collonges, and was finally allowed to feature the name of the BOCUSE family, who had been running the site for close to 50 years.

The family decided to use the Abbaye as a venue for hosting banquets and wedding receptions, with a series of rooms and areas almost fully dedicated to Paul Bocuse’s passion for barrel organs. The most majestic example takes pride of place in the Abbaye’s main room. The music produced by this must-see Gaudin organ is like an orchestra of 110 musicians.

The decoration is simply spectacular, visitors can discover an incredible fireplace where whole pigs can be roasted, alongside which stands a faithful reproduction of the kitchen on one side in homage to the chef’s grandparents, and on the other side, a replica of the early 20th century bar next to a reconstituted cloister.

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PAUL BOCUSE’S DISHES HAVE BECOME CLASSICS FOR GENERATIONS OF CHEFS...

The 1970s were witness to the emergence of the so-called “Nouvelle Cuisine” movement, and Paul Bocuse soon became one of its leading proponents in France and abroad.

At the time, this approach to cooking heralded a true revolution by breaking away from the conventions of the haute cuisine style that had barely evolved since the 19th century and its propensity for heavy, rich and pretentious dishes.

Nouvelle Cuisine championed a philosophy that stimulated the five senses with increased emphasis on the products used instead of being swamped in rich sauces. With reduced cooking times, new ways of using local produce, streamlined menus, lowfat sauces, simplified presentations and constant innovation, chefs are no longer bound by the shackles of haute cuisine.

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BLACK TRUFFLE SOUP VGE VALÉRY GISCARD D’ESTAING Paul Bocuse created this dish for the Élysée Palace to coincide with receiving the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour from President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing on 25 February 1975.

Paul Bocuse was inspired by two recipes: a chicken and beef soup flavored with grated truffles that he had tasted with farmers in the Ardèche region, and a truffle wrapped in pastry like a chicken pie which Paul Haeberlin had served him in Alsace.

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FILLETS OF SOLE WITH NOODLES “À LA FERNAND POINT” Paul Bocuse created this dish in homage to the great classic

by Fernand Point. The fillet is cooked to perfection and laid on a bed of fresh tagliatelle, chopped tomatoes and mushrooms cooked in white wine, all of which dressed with a hollandaise sauce and finished under a salamander grill for a grilled zabaglione effect.

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RED MULLET WITH CRISPY POTATO FLAKES A highly refined dish that calls for painstaking preparation.

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SEA BASS STUFFED IN A PUFF PASTRY SHELL, CHORON SAUCE The pastry shell ensures that the sea bass loses none of its delicate texture, exquisite taste and aroma. This was one of Paul Bocuse’s showstoppers.

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SAM AISBETT

SAM AISBETT Part of a new generation of Australian chefs, transforming the notion of Modern Australian food with his flavor-driven approach to international ingredients with a distinctly Asian touch. Born and raised in Australia, as a child Sam was brought up around food because of his mum, who was an amazing cook and always experimenting in the kitchen.

Fortunate enough to be brought up surrounded by amazing food, Sam started off as an apprentice butcher in his parents butcher shop. It was a good foundation for him to expand into the industry.

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PEARL OYSTER - SHAVED AUSTRALIAN PEARL OYSTER, STEAMED GINGER CUSTARD, YOUNG ALMONDS, WATER SHIELD, LAND SEAWEED, BONE BROTH PHOTO © NICHOLAS EE

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is parents were aware of his love for cooking and were the ones to help him secure his first kitchen job. His first experience in a commercial kitchen was as a kitchen hand, this was the best foundation – learning to clean and tidy, learnt time management and how to take charge of a busy section. Sam then went on to work in the kitchens of Peter Gilmore’s Quay in Sydney as a head chef and as a sous chef under Tetsuya Wakuda at Tetsuya’s.

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DEEP SEA NZ LOBSTER - GRILLED DEEP SEA NZ LOBSTER, UNI, STICKY RICE, BRAISED WINTER MELLON, BEACH HERBS PHOTO © EDMOND HO

The menu at his Michelin star restaurant Whitegrass in Singapore transcends geographical boundaries and is inspired by Sam’s extensive travels. As ChefOwner of Whitegrass, Sam offers a comfortable and relaxed platform for diners to enjoy inspired food at the highest level.

WG Magazine catches up with Sam Aisbett…

Your Modern Australian cuisine is a composition of flavors brought in perfect harmony on each plate, a perfect balance - how do you bring about this balance on a plate?

One way I try to balance a dish is by having a juxtaposition of textures, which will create an amazing mouth feel when eating the dish. Another way is to incorporate an umami element into the dish, which should round out the flavour profile and in return balance out the dish.

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You honed your culinary skills at Quay and at Tetsuya’s, tell us about your experiences and how has it helped you as a chef today?

As an apprentice chef growing up in Australia, Tetsuya Wakuda is an absolute god of cooking.

He is someone, as a young chef, you dream of working for. Getting the opportunity to work at his restaurant, and work alongside him was a dream come true. Tetsuya, in my opinion has one of the best palates I’ve ever worked with, and he’s an absolute perfectionist. He opened my eyes to different Japanese ingredients, which I had never used before, and taught the correct way to use umami in my dishes.

For me Quay Restaurant was where I really matured as a chef. Getting the opportunity to be the first Head chef of one of Australia’s and the world’s best restaurant was one of the best things I have done in my life. Peter is one of the most creative chefs, he’s a genius. He taught me how to incorporate texture into my dishes, and to think outside the box when creating a dish. I also learnt from him how to manage a large kitchen brigade.

To this day, when I’m unsure of something whether it be a dish or a decision in the restaurant, I think back to how Peter trained me.

Both Peter and Tetsuya have been extremely supportive of me and my journey going out on my own. Not many chefs get to the legendary status that both these chefs have reached, and it’s an honour that I get to class them both as my mentors and my friends.

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ABALONE - JADE TIGRE ABALONE WITH THREE TREASURES PHOTO © NICHOLAS EE

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BEEF - GRASS FED BEEF FROM THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS, COOKED OVER WHITE CHARCOAL, 20 YEAR AGED JAPANESE SOY, BLACK SALSIFY, WASABI LEAF, FERMENTED MUSHROOM PHOTO © EDMOND HO

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Your culinary philosophy, and the process of creating a new dish…

For me when I’m creating a dish, I always start with one ingredient. It could be a protein, a vegetable, a flower, a sauce, but I have one ingredient, which is the base, and work back from that. I use the flavour and texture profile from that one ingredient, and then I start creating; I write down a list of ingredients that I think match with the original ingredient. Also a list of different textures and then I start testing the different flavours and seeing if they work. Then I narrow it down: this texture doesn’t work or flavour doesn’t work – remove from the list until I find the ultimate match.

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Ingredients that inspire, favourite ingredients and ingredients you were not able to master or have given up...

I’m always on the lookout for a new ingredient. At the moment, I’m playing around with a lot more local ingredients that I can find in Singapore. For example, at the moment I’m creating a dish and working with fish maw and sea cucumber. I’m only in early stages of the creative process, but the idea is to incorporate the textures of both these ingredients into the dish.

One of my favourite ingredients is seaweed. There are thousands of different types of seaweed all over the world. They can be used as a texture in a dish, to enhance flavour. You can cure foods using seaweed, you can season ingredients using seaweed as the salt component. You can use it as a gelling agent. In nearly every dish in my restaurant, even dishes that are very European inspired, there will be seaweed somewhere in there to bring out flavour or texture.

Not yet, I’m too stubborn. Sometimes if I’m creating dish and it’s just not working, I’ll put it aside and work on something else. But I’ll always come back to it. Sometimes you just need a break from the creative process and not over think the dish.

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QUAIL - SMOKED QUAIL BREAST, TOASTED NUTS AND SEEDS, 100 YEAR OLD EGG, BLACK AND WHITE GARLIC, BRAISED ENDIVE, ROASTED MILK PHOTO © EDMOND HO

FISH - JAPANESE BLACKSPOT SEA BREAM, FRIED SHIRASU, WHITE EGGPLANT CREAM, UMAMI PEARLS PHOTO © EDMOND HO

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HAMACHI - RAW SHAVED JAPANESE YELLOWTAIL, WHITE VEREDUNA BEETROOT, LAND CAVIAR, SMOKED ORGANIC SOY PHOTO © EDMOND HO

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AMBERJACK - LIGHTLY MARINATED YELLOWTAIL AMBERJACK, GREEN APPLE DASHI, HORSERADISH CREAM, PICKLED CHOKO, YOUNG HERBS, FROZEN WASABI PHOTO © EDMOND HO

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HOKKAIDO SCALLOP - LIGHTLY MARINATED HOKKAIDO SCALLOPS, PICKLED MELLON, CREME FRAICHE, NATIVE EMU APPLE, CAVIAR PHOTO © EDMOND HO

Special cooking techniques or equipment you particular enjoy using?

I like to cook in a bit of an old style way I guess. I like to roast things in a pan, cook on a grill or over fire. I do use sous vide machines and water baths, but I think there is more skill and more technique in traditional methods of roasting. Having said that, I do like to play around with modern equipment and techniques.

Produce, Creativity or Technique…

First thing produce, because if you have an amazing ingredient from the start, something that already has so much flavour, then half the job is already done. Then for me it would be creativity because you already have a beautiful ingredient, and the trick is to turn that beautiful ingredient into an amazing dish that someone hasn’t tried before.

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What was the feeling to receive your first Michelin and what keeps you motivated at this point of your career?

It was an amazing feeling receiving the email to say that I was invited to the Michelin awards. As a young chef growing up, it’s a dream to have a Michelin star, and you look up to the chefs that do, and hope to one day be like them. Chefs work their whole lives for this opportunity, I’m very grateful that it happened to me. I’m motivated by the guests coming into the restaurant, and really enjoying themselves. The feedback we receive from guests visiting us is so important. It proves we must be doing something right. I’m excited to see how far we can take the restaurant.

Being a chef is perceived as a glamorous profession, what advice could you give to chefs entering the kitchen for the first time?

It is one of the hardest and stressful jobs out there.

On TV it does come across as glamorous, but it’s a very stressful and it’s a very competitive environment.

You need to stay ahead of everyone to keep yourself relevant in the industry. Its huge hours, and you are always working. But… if you put in the hours and work hard, it is an extremely rewarding profession, with many opportunities all over the world.

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CHOCOLATE - SINGLE ORIGIN PERUVIAN CHOCOLATE, WOOD ROASTED COFFEE, PEDRO XIMENEZ PRUNES, SHAVED MACADAMIA NUTS, FROZEN CHOCOLATE PHOTO © EDMOND HO

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DAVID MYERS

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DAVID MYERS

CREATOR OF CULINARY EXPERIENCES

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DAVID MYERS

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ravel has always been at the heart of the unique culinary experiences crafted by global restaurateur and celebrity chef David Myers.

He is as well-known for his gastronomic artistry and distinct flavours as he is for his insatiable wanderlust.

With every new city explored, he discovers fresh, seasonal ingredients and techniques that influence his cooking style. After training in the kitchens of some of the world’s most renowned chefs – Charlie Trotter, Gerard Boyer and Daniel Boulud, and opening several of his own restaurants across the world and receiving numerous accolades, David now brings three exclusive dining and drinking experiences to the Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai.

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Cooking for David has always been about the journey. Right from the first cookbook he stumbled across by Charlie Trotter, which led him to leave his hometown of Columbus, Ohio to work with the man himself in Chicago, to flying to France to work at three Michelin-starred restaurant Les Crayères.

New York City was the next stop on David’s portfolio where he worked with Daniel Boulud at his flagship restaurant Daniel. Always ready for change, David moved to Los Angeles in 1998 where he worked under Joaquim Spichal at the acclaimed restaurant Patina.

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A milestone for David was being hired as Executive Chef at L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills, which due to a sudden acquisition swiftly led to him being relocated to Singapore where he set up modern French restaurant Jaan.

The desire to call something his own set in at this point in his career and David opened his first restaurant Sona, which went on to earn a Michelin star for three consecutive years, along with titles such as Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine, a James Beard nomination for Best Chef – Pacific and Restaurant of the Year by Angeleno magazine.

Always in search of the next promising opportunity, David went on to open Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa; French bistro Comme Ca in Los Angeles and Las Vegas; the David Myers Café in Tokyo that brought a taste of the American West Coast to the modern Japanese city; Sola, a patisserie in Tokyo; and Hinoki & The Bird in Los Angeles. Asia has always held a special place for David and he continued to launch more restaurants that he manages to this day such as Adrift in Singapore, combining flavours from both sides of the Pacific, and Salt Water in Tokyo.

Other ventures of his include AnOther Place in Hong Kong, Salt Water Kitchen in Nagoya; and 72 Degrees in Ginza.

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BASTA! - BISTECCA FIORENTINA

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WG Magazine catches up with David Myers…

It’s interesting to learn how Chef’s find their passion for cooking and where they grew up. Tell us how you found your way into the culinary field to become one of the most sought-after chef in the world!

In university I was studying International Business, but rather than doing what I should have been doing at the time, like studying for exams and planning my business, I spent the entire time cooking for friends and reading about travel and different types of food from around the world. I began experimenting and learning in the kitchen instead of the classroom, and when one of my friends suggested that I should become a chef, I began to rethink what I wanted to do and decided that they were right! I dropped out of school and put all my attention into getting a job at the best restaurants. I had this most amazing cookbook from Charlie Trotter, where he’s quoting Goethe and Dostoyevsky and Nietzsche, and talking about how food and excellence in life come together. He was utilizing all these crazy ingredients I’d never seen and there was never a cookbook done like that at the time. I went to Chicago to find him and when I did, I didn’t leave until he gave me a job.

I learned so much working for him. It was just amazing, and I realised that this was the path that I wanted to explore.

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You trained with some of the world’s most renowned chefs - Daniel Boulud, Charlie Trotter and Gerard Boyer, how did it help you as a chef today?

It all started with Charlie in Chicago. I learned how to taste and create dishes using ingredients from all over the world, which at that time wasn’t very common. We were creating and weaving these dishes, ingredients and flavours together to create things that nobody had ever seen before on a nightly basis. We were curating new menus every single night. It was definitely a baptism by fire with Charlie, but I wouldn’t change a minute of it.

BLEU BLANC - PUMPKIN WITH YOGHURT AND PORCINI VELOUTÉ

I think Charlie saw some potential in me, because he got in touch with Gerard and recommended me.

Next thing I know I was moving to France. Gerard had three Michelin stars under his belt at the time for his restaurant Les Crayeres, and it was a whole new experience for me.

Then it was back to the US, but with another legend of the industry, Daniel Boulud, at his restaurant in New York. Daniel is just an amazing man to work with. His energy is limitless and he nearly always has a smile on his face. He really enjoys what he does and that comes across, in the food, in his restaurants, and in his personality. He’s so accomplished, but that’s not what drives him, he just loves making amazing food.

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BASTA! - PUMPKIN TOAST

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Your cuisine is known for its gastronomic artistry brought in perfect harmony on each plate, a perfect balance…

Of course, every dish has to have a balance, but I don’t follow a prescribed path to achieve that with different dishes. It’s trial, experimentation and error until it comes together, and then it’s just about perfecting the flavours. Often it’s a blend of ideas. I’m a big fan of making the simple outstanding, and I think the Japanese do that exceptionally well. Many Japanese chefs dedicate their careers to making certain dishes like yakitori or sushi better and better. They elevate the process to an art form and I’ve always been inspired by that. In BASTA! for example, you can really notice the difference even in dishes people think they are familiar with like the spaghetti alla carbonara or the pizza margherita, and it’s like they’re tasting it for the first time. The bistecca Fiorentina is BASTA!’s speciality and I really recommend you try it.

Your culinary philosophy and the inspiration of your dishes…

My culinary philosophy is to make even the simplest dishes unforgettable, and to paraphrase the words of Charlie Trotter; excellence in food, and excellence in life tend to complement each other. To create new dishes, I travel. I don’t think there’s a better way to really get to know another culture than through its food with a local glass of grape. There’s so much inspiration in every part of the world, from the heritage or preparation to the way a dish is served or presented on the plate and of course, the taste. I think all my dishes are a combination of different inspirations I’ve found on my travels.

BASTA! - SPINACH TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE

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Ingredients that inspire you, your favourite ingredients and ingredient that you weren’t able to master…

New ingredients that are inspiring me right now are different Japanese citrus fruits and how to use them in my cooking. I love sudachi, it has an incredible aroma and flavour, and I like to perfume dishes with matsutake, which is a mushroom that’s only in season a certain time of the year. A little broth with some sudachi, and sea salt, can be incredible.

I also like sudachi on raw scallops, especially when preparing a scallop ceviche, as it creates a truly distinctive complexity and character.

I like to select ingredients that are unique and interesting and which have an incredible flavour profile. Right now I’m really interested in Japanese ingredients because there’s a lot of different fruits and vegetables that I’ve never seen before, and certainly seafood that I’ve have not encountered.

So to be able to use these new ingredients and to experiment with them is amazing.

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My favourite ingredients that I like to work with are items coming out of Asia, certainly the different fruits and vegetables, and different meats and seafood from Japan. I like the focus on the quality of ingredients and the unique seasonality that they follow. I also love to explore really unique ingredients from Singapore. We used many of those at Adrift, and I’m always looking to bring in some of those fun and unique flavours to our dishes in Dubai.

No, I love to play around with and work with all types of food, and there’s always a great way to work with it and find a way to make it taste good.

Cooking for me is about letting my palate be my guide, and I usually find a way to integrate certain ingredients and weave them nicely into a dish in a way that accentuates the meal. It all comes down to flavour and then the composition of the meal.

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BASTA! - BEEF CARPACCIO

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BASTA! - MARINATED BIG EYE TUNA WITH ‘VITELLO TONNATO’ SAUCE

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“At Bleu Blanc, 85% of our menu is cooked over embers, and for me it’s a beautiful style, a beautiful taste” Special cooking techniques or equipment…

I like to do sous-vide cooking, because I like the way it preserves the nutrients, but my favourite piece of cooking equipment is simply a grill. I like to fire up the grill and burn the wood into embers, and then cook everything – from the meats and the vegetables to the seafood, even doing some desserts with fruit – over it. At Bleu Blanc, 85% of our menu is cooked over embers, and for me it’s a beautiful style, a beautiful taste. It’s back to basics, just a live fire with nice flavourful wood that enhances the flavour of the dishes, and there’s something exceptionally pure about cooking over a live fire. Simple is definitely best for me.

Produce, Creativity or Technique…

Great ingredients are the most important. You can be a relatively novice cook or an absolute beginner, and still have a great meal if you just have quality ingredients. All the rest is just experience, and even with that experience if you don’t have highquality produce, the meal itself is not going to be exceptional. So it’s always about the ingredients.

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David’s signature collection in Dubai with three welldefined concepts – Bleu Blanc, Basta and Poppy… he takes us through these concepts which echo his own aspirations…

I think the fact that BASTA! has three different sources of inspiration from Italy is what makes it such a fantastic experience. The pasta is inspired

by Rome, with all the classic pasta sauces that you know and love like the carbonara, amatriciana and even dishes like spaghetti with meatballs. It’s really simple, but it’s classic. It’s something that everyone understands. In addition to that, the pizzas that we make are inspired by our trip to Naples, which really is the pizza capital of the world, so you’ll enjoy some thin, crispy pizza bases with different toppings. Finally, you’ll get a taste of Florence and their world-famous ‘bistecca Fiorentina’, cooked to perfection over the wood-fired grill. To top off your culinary experience, our bar program is entirely curated by Sam Ross, the owner of Attaboy in NYC and also the brains behind many modern classics, who’s a good friend of mine.

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If I were to have a home in southern France, it would be Bleu Blanc. It’s based on the concept of a farmhouse, where I’d like to invite my friends over to cook for them, and pop open a nice bottle of grape.

It has that very homely vibe, with an incredible wood-burning grill at its centre, representative of the traditional fireplace, or the heart of the house. 85% of our menu is cooked on the grill, either over a live flame or directly on the embers. We really had fun with the details of Bleu Blanc. The large blue French doors at the entrance look like they’re 50-years old, we have mismatched silver cutlery on the tables, vintage mirrors along the wall, and classic cook books scattered about. The bar is designed to be a gathering place after dinner or work, and the whole space is filled with natural wood. It’s a really rustic homely space and experience.

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Poppy is a stylish and vintage mixology lounge. The bar infuses vinyl music with a great cocktail menu, curated by bar genius Sam Ross. The bar itself is set up to create a really interactive experience, with the bar top being lower than usual and open on the sides so that guests could essentially jump behind the bar and learn how to mix cocktails if they’re in the mood. There are lots of oriental influences too, like the delicate and rare Kikatsu glasses, which amplify the feeling of exclusivity, and a transcendental experience. Poppy is a dream space turned into reality.

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BLEU BLANC - CHARRED OCTOPUS WITH PISTOU AND SMOKED AIOLI

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Your commitment to creativity, harmony and perfection in the kitchen with remarkable success with several awards and accolades…What keeps you motivated?

The motivation is always there, especially with new concepts. These three concepts were inspired by my own experiences, and as such the motivation is to share these incredible moments in my life. In a way, it’s a recreation of some of the most amazing times and experiences I’ve had, and when others are just as enthusiastic to share a part of that, it’s a great feeling.

It’s always exciting to launch these types of concepts, because no matter how much you plan and prepare and ensure everything is just right, you never really know if guests will respond positively until you open the doors. For BASTA!, Bleu Blanc, and Poppy, I couldn’t have imagined a better reaction. There’s so much detail in every aspect of these venues, like the mismatched cutlery in Bleu Blanc, or the Japanese glassware in Poppy, which are all hand-crafted and hand-etched. People have really responded to that authenticity, and even in a few short months we have our regulars who come back again and again. That’s exceptionally motivating.

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Being a chef is perceived as a glamorous profession, any advice to chefs entering the kitchen for the first time…

BASTA! - BISTECCA FIORENTINA

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I’m not sure how glamorous it is. You really have to be dedicated to the craft, and willing to spend hours and hours every day working in the background, and continuously improving. It’s very tough. You need passion and the belief that after years of training and long hours, that one day you’ll be ready to open a restaurant of your own, and that’s when all the learning begins again! When we hire chefs for our restaurants, passion is the most important factor, even more than experience.

We can always train and develop our chefs, but to begin with you need that insatiable curiosity; someone who gets home from the restaurant after a particularly tough day and continues researching and cooking. For someone considering this as a profession, I would say if you have that passion, go for it, because you’ll succeed. Without it, it can make a tough business even tougher.

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BLEU BLANC - BLACK ANGUS STRIPLOIN COOKED ON THE WOOD-FIRED GRILL

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On a mission to make authentic Japanese cuisine more accessible, ahead of the opening of his first Dubai restaurant... e sit in what will be the lounge area of his new two-storey restaurant set on the 23rd and 24th floors of Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai. Masaharu Morimoto’s new restaurant comprises 250 seats across an indoor dining and lounge area, as well as a bar area, teppanyaki, sushi counter, three private dining rooms and four outdoor terraces overlooking the Burj Khalifa.

W MASAHARU MORIMOTO TEXT ELISABETE FERREIRA PHOTO © EVAN SUNG

It’s little wonder why Morimoto was a hit with audiences on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America. His personality and his telegenic dishes were made for television. Although he initially envisioned a career in baseball, an injury steered him towards the kitchen. After honing his craft for seven years in his hometown of Hiroshima, Japan, he opened his own restaurant which he ran for five years before moving to the US. Morimoto was soon hired as the executive chef at Nobu Matsuhisa’s first restaurant and in 2001, opened his first eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia. Now, 16 years and 14 restaurants later, he is preparing to enter the Middle Eastern market with the imminent opening of Morimoto Dubai.

Morimoto’s food has been described as eclectic and, at times, eccentric, but he describes his style as: “Everything.”

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MASAHARU MORIMOTO

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TUNA PIZZA

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He continues: “I like to say ‘You better have big dreams and a big foundation at the same time.’

The people I work with - chefs, managers and so on - need to have a deep foundation. Any food is ok, Italian, French, Greek, Brazilian but you need a deep foundation. A little bit of everything means you need some tradition. My executive chef’s foundation is Spanish cuisine. I’m Japanese so I know traditional Japanese cuisine. My job is how I make people happy with my food, the atmosphere, my philosophy.”

The chef’s mission is to make Japanese cuisine more accessible to people who may be hesitant to try it: “How do I make the entrance wider so you can come in? For example, my signature dish is tuna pizza. You know tuna and you know pizza.

I use tortilla dough not pizza dough, thin slices of tuna on top, I garnish with red onion, black olives, tomatoes and the sauce will be anchovy aioli.”

Morimoto adds: “Everything you know, it looks beautiful and then you try it. You don’t even know what’s in it but you eat it and afterwards you ask what’s in it.”

The combination may seem strange on paper but there is method in his madness: “You try raw fish once, then you trust me and the next time you say ‘What about sushi? What about sashimi?’ That’s my job. I can make authentic sushi, sashimi tempura, kaiseki cuisine but I make tuna pizza. That’s my concept.”

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MASAHARU MORIMOTO

Due to open in Q1 of 2018, Morimoto Dubai is Morimoto’s first opening in the UAE. It follows the success of his 14 restaurants around the world, which are located in some of the most vibrant cities including New York, Mumbai, Delhi, Tokyo, Philadelphia, Napa, Bangkok, Maui, and Mexico City.

Despite numerous locations around the world, the chef is keen to avoid a cookie-cutter approach to his restaurants: “I’m researching what’s good.

Not just tuna pizza, I’m also focusing on the local palate. I bring Morimoto signatures to every single location and then add local flavours.”

SUSHI ASSORTMENT

Morimoto is known for creating a bridge between the culinary traditions and ingredients from native Japan and the West. Though this is his first restaurant in the UAE, Morimoto has visited both Dubai and Abu Dhabi many times. For the chef, this foray into the Middle East is a way of sharing culture through his food: “There’s a lot happening with the Expo 2020 and a lot of stuff coming. Here, a lot of people come from a lot of different areas so there are a lot of different food scenes. I’m very excited to learn from and listen to people.”

In the interest of authenticity, some ingredients, namely the tuna and the wagyu beef, will be imported from Japan and other countries. Still, Dubai’s strategic position makes it an ideal location.

When asked if it had been easy to source ingredients for the restaurant, the chef said: “In Dubai yes. It’s the easiest country.” He added: “I tried some local fish, local vegetables and lots of ingredients. I went to Bhar here at the hotel. It’s an Arabic restaurant and the chef is very talented and it inspired me a lot.”

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TORO TARTARE

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MASAHARU MORIMOTO

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SUSHI BOX

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Though the dishes on his menu are currently being finalised, the menu will be priced below the restaurant’s Japanese fine dining competitors in Dubai’s Downtown and DIFC dining hubs. With several players, it’s a crowded sector but the chef doesn’t seem worried. Morimoto ascertains that, although pricing is important, other factors will determine how frequently guests choose to visit his restaurant: “Most of my places, people come occasionally because the prices aren’t cheap but here [in Dubai], at this type of restaurant. I think people think more about service and the food.”

Similarly, when it comes to defining his approach to service, Morimoto believes in creating a bespoke and personal experience for his guests: “Each table has its own drama, casual people, serious people, and families. It can be ‘hello sir’ or ‘hey guys’ so we have to give each table its own atmosphere. I try to make them happy and satisfied, and each case is unique.”

Heavily involved in the design of the restaurant, the interiors were conceived with the chef’s input: “I told the designer what I wanted. This is very special equipment that I have, and the teppanyaki area is very high-end.”

The menu will be the result of a collaborative effort between Morimoto and his team with dishes based on their strengths: “I asked the people who work with me. I said ‘Napa and New York are like this, but what’s your technique?’.”

As is the case with most high-profile chefs who open outlets in the UAE, Morimoto is contracted to visit the restaurant three to four time a year but he says he’ll try to visit more often than that: “Emirates is very comfortable.”

Joking aside, the chef - whose team comprises executive chef Miguel Huelamo, general manager Daniel Ayres and beverage manager Said Ajam - is confident that he’s assembled the ideal team to execute his vision in his absence. “I want to be the conductor, putting the right person in the right place,” he concludes.

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GILAD PELED

GILAD PELED

NO SHORTCUTS TO SUCCESS

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TEXT HANGAR-7 PHOTO © HELGE KIRCHBERGER PHOTOGRAPHY / RED BULL HANGAR-7

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GILAD PELED

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sraeli chef, Gilad Peled, is a 36-year-old who has been doggedly determined in his career path since he started his formal training. “I’ve been interested in food and cooking since I can remember. It was my great passion. As a boy I cooked with my mother. For my 16th birthday I asked for a pasta machine. People barely knew about pasta making in Israel then.”

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However, it wasn’t until after his military service, plus three additional years as an officer, that he even decided to follow his real passion. So in 2006, he invested his entire army savings in a full-time professional chef’s diploma at London’s Le Cordon Bleu where he packed in the experience.

“I did a Cordon Bleu course in pâtisserie while also studying for the full-time diploma. I knew I would need those skills if I were to be a chef; and I worked weekends at Michel Roux’s Le Gavroche. Most apprentices start in the kitchen at 16 and I was already in my early twenties so I felt I needed to make up for lost time.” It was gruelling but when his student visa expired, his non-EU passport prevented him from working in London’s top restaurants. So he did it for nothing.

GILAD PELED AND MARTIN KLEIN

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MARTIN KLEIN, ECKART WITZIGMANN AND GILAD PELED

“I did a series of unpaid placement at restaurants including The Square, Marcus Wareing’s Petrus and Gordon Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road”

Gilad Peled

It was at Ramsay’s flagship, three Michelin-starred restaurant that Peled got the chance to cook for Ramsay and his chef patron, Clare Smyth. Peled clearly impressed: “After three days, they said they’d arrange my visa. It was an amazing opportunity to work with Clare and Gordon. I’d never seen anything like it before. I loved the energy and how serious they were about food. Clare took me under her wing and taught me. I really felt I belonged there.” However, at the end of that year, he couldn’t extend his visa and was forced to leave.

Back home in Israel in 2008, Peled built his own reputation, winning plaudits in his first head chef role at glamorous, oligarch-funded Pushkin restaurant.

After a few years there, feeling he needed to grow more, he moved to Prague, where he headed the Belle Vue restaurant. A stint at a five-star Relais and Chateaux hotel, Les Sources Des Alpes, followed.

And then came the phone call he’d been waiting for. “When Gordon called in spring 2014, I didn’t hesitate for one second.” Peled took up the reins at Ramsay’s latest opening, Le Pressoir d’Argent Gordon Ramsay, at the InterContinental Bordeaux - Le Grand Hotel, which now boasts two Michelin stars. “This is the first position where I really feel I need to be without even thinking about my next move,” says Peled.

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His excitement for the role is palpable. “I’m in one of the best regions in France for foie gras, truffles, caviar and many fruits and vegetables. Around 95 percent of the food we serve comes from the local area. Even the fish comes from the water that day.

I’m in direct touch with all of my suppliers - this is how it should be.” Like most nice Jewish boys, he cites his mother as one of the best chefs and a huge influence on his cooking. “She’s a strong woman - my greatest fan and my greatest critic. I arrived where I did because of two women – her and Clare Smyth.”

Peled’s advice to aspiring young chefs is, “In order to succeed you must work hard and push yourself all the time. Never stop learning, never slow down, never stop to dream and don’t take any shortcuts because you’ll regret it.”

Aiming to provide customers with a memorable and happy experience, guest chef Gilad Peled is excited to bring his classic Franco-British cuisine, influenced by new trends from around the world, to Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7 in February 2018.

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KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU

on of a Greek father and an Austrian mother, Konstantin was born in Graz, Austria. The multicultural marriage of his parents and the Mediterranean influence since his childhood were the early driving force for his future professional career and the young Konstantin was eager to reproduce all the tastes and palatable experiences he has discovered this way.

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KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU

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Konstantin Filippou’s cuisine is puristic, straightforward, based on Austrian products and characterized by an unbridled passion for ingredients. Always aiming for the essence of taste.

A cooking that reflects his multicultural background and allows for a unique approach to food from both of my worlds. That can be seen in my dishes.

Konstantin adds “It’s a very important thing for me, represents my own style and is my personal business card. My cooking is never only about the food. It’s about colours, design of the dishes and plates. We try to surprise our guests, even when they have the feeling they already see everything.

But then, there is so much more behind. My clear view of things is reflected in all of my dishes.”

Inspired by so many things that influence his kitchen, his whole life inspires him. His travels, meeting people, new products, strolling through the forests – everything.

In 2013, Konstantin Filippou opened his first restaurant “Konstantin Filippou” and 7 month later he was awarded with 3 bonnets (Gault Millau) followed by a Michelin star in March 2014. In June 2015, Konstantin’s story continued with the opening of the Natural Wine Bistro O boufés, and was awarded “Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2016”. Only 4 months after the opening the Bistro O boufés, he received 2 bonnets (15 points) in the Gault Millau and a BiB Gourmand in the March 2016 Guide Michelin.

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KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU

GOOSE FEET. AIOLI Strolling through a Chinatown anywhere is always an adventure. The exuberant, hungry atmosphere which fills those particular pockets of a city has inspired me to create this dish.

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CARP. STURGEON. CAVIAR. LEMON THYME An evolution of my brandade. Thinking of the Greek ‘skordalia’ was what influenced this dish. The port of Thessaloniki is home to what is known as Bakaliaros taverns, where cod was always served with skordalia. I replace the cod with carp, which makes for a unique taste.

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MACKEREL. HORSERADISH. APPLE The beautifully shimmering colors of a mackerel and its fine, oily taste together with the horseradish and apple make for a beautiful Styrian blend. It is a magical experience to see the mackerel’s blue-gray skin shimmer in the water.

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TURBOT FLAPS. WATERCRESS. KEFALOTYRI The belly flap of a turbot is the part equivalent to what is called ‘toro’ in a tuna. I personally find it the most interesting part of a turbot - to me its ‘true fillet’.

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LAMB KIDNEY. ELDER. GOAT CHEESE I do not like offal, I love it - and consider myself lucky that offal ranks highly in typical Austrian cuisine. The Lamb kidney, which I use in this recipe, is complemented nicely by the distinct flavor of elder and the tangy taste of goat cheese.

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MANTI. WELS. CATFISH. BEETROOT Manti are small, skillfully made, filled dumplings. In the kitchen of the Middle East, they are possibly the most famous type of ‘pasta’. I have refined this dish and combined it with typical Austrian products.

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ZANDER. HAZELNUT. TRUFFLE. DASHI The zander is a predatory freshwater fish. When I prepare it, I see my grandmother, who was an excellent cook. It’s Christmas, and she both lovingly and respectfully turns this beautiful animal into a stew. For starters, there were sandwiches with chives and beef marrow.

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KONSTANTIN FILIPPOU

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ROE DEER. VINEGAR CAVIAR. LICHEN The entire forest on a plate. Inspired by the Lower Austrian region known as Bucklige Welt.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

FILIP LANGHOFF A new breed of young Finnish chefs helping to make Helsinki a destination for gourmet travelers...

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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STEAMED BUN, PRESERVED CUCUMBER AND FINNISH CAVIAR

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orn in Helsinki, Filip Langhoff grew up in a small house in the small city of Karis in Finland. Food has always been very important to him, and as a young child one of his favourite past-time activities was to pick herbs and berries in his grandmothers´ garden. His parents´ were determined to always have homecooked food, made from good ingredients, for him and his 2 siblings. This also helped awakening his interest with ingredients and cooking. At the age of 16 he had to choose between marketing school or cooking school and by mistake he ended up in the cooking school and haven’t regretted it for a second.

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After a stint at El Bulli, Filip entered through ‘’la Grande Porte’’ and pointed as head chef at Oslo’s Feinschmecker and Helsinki’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant Chez Dominique. The surroundings of daily life inspires Filip, where he finds inspiration in raw nature and the city, from the countryside and its farmers and produce, from his family and friends. Filip’s food has received several positive reviews, being called genuine and pure.

His cooking philosophy is to first put enough time into finding the purest products, sometimes simply by wondering the nature-abundant Helsinki neighborhoods, some other times seeking fresh game or fish in southern Finland; Filip then allows the ingredients to talk for themselves by just lifting their flavors for the guests.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

In August 2012, Filip and Linda Stenman-Langhoff opened restaurant ASK, in 2013 ASK was named Restaurant of the Year by the Gastronomic Association of Finlandi and in 2014 the restaurant received its first Michelin star. Filip and Linda then went on to open a more casual restaurant Jord in 2016, Jord is all about organic food, organic drinks and a spectacular view over Helsinki.

WG catches up with Filip Langhoff…

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BONEMARROW, SALTED LINGONBERRIES AND BUCKWHEAT FLOWERS

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Your New Nordic Cuisine highlights the purity of flavors, inspiration that comes from nature, the environment and local produce – how do you bring about this balance on a plate?

I only work with organic produce and therefore I learned that the fragile tastes need to be lifted and to keep the pure delicate taste it just needs a little help. I´m just the messenger and I try to let the great produce speak for it self. I let the produce guide me and I help it and lift it to become what it needs to become.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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BUCKWHEAT, CELERIAC AND SOUR CREAM

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For all young chefs it’s very important to travel and gather knowledge from different places around the world. El Bulli was a place that was a great experience because you got to work with so many creative and passionate chefs. All working for one goal, doing the best they can to get everything perfect on the plate. An experience of a lifetime.

After spending time in Spain I got an offer to be in charge of the kitchen at Feinschmecker in Oslo (1 Michelin star) at an age of 25, it was a great honour to be offered this position as Chef the Cuisine.

This was the first time I got paid for working in a Michelin star restaurant. I stayed for 5 years and it gave me the opportunity to develop my own skills and my own style of cooking. Lars-Eric Underthun (Chef & Owner of Feinschmecker) gave me the opportunity and freedom to be creative. We moved back to Finland in 2010 and I got the position as Head Chef at Chez Dominique. But after running the kitchen at Feinschemecker for 5 years with free creative responsibility, working at Chez Dominque, I didn’t get to create dishes of my own I felt that it wasn’t what I was looking for at that time. For the first time I felt that I was ready to try my own wings and find my own kitchen. So I quit my job at Chez Dominique after only 8 months.

You honed your culinary skills at El Bulli, Feinschmecker and the two Michelin-Starred All experiences are good, the good and the bad, restaurant Chez Dominique – how did it help you as that’s what forms you to be what you are today. a chef today?

You learn what to do and what not to do, what works and what doesn’t. I have had the opportunity to work with some great chefs through my way to where I am today. Also travelling and eating at great places has inspired me a lot.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

Your culinary philosophy, and take us through the process of creating a new dish, the inspiration‌ Organic and Biodynamic produce that has travelled as short distance as possible to our restaurant. Fresh produce is important and following the harsh micro seasons of the Finnish nature. Direct contact with the farmers and growers is essential, that gives me the opportunity to get the best produce that is possible. I let the produce guide me and inspire me to create beautiful dishes.

The most important in creating a dish is produce, texture, taste and the best process for the produce. This way you get the best results. Listen more to your senses instead of just playing it safe.

We put a lot of effort also to finding the right plates for the dishes. Most of our plates are custom made for us. We create them together with small Finnish designers so they are the most beautiful, enhancing the food and the most practical for the dish.

An artist paints on a canvas, a chef makes art on a plate.

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PIKEPERCH, BUTTER AND SALSIFY

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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Produce, Creativity or Technique‌ In exactly that order Produce, creativity and than technique. When working with only organic and biodynamic local producers the quality of the great produce has to come first. Focusing on the best produce that is available. And when living in a country where nothing green grows for 6 months you have to be very creative. And then you have to choose the best possible most delicate techniques to enhance the fragile flavours and consistency of the produce, for me that is creativity.

THE ONION EGG - EGG, ONION, CHICKEN SKIN AND RAMSONS

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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PICKLED HERRING, CUCUMBER AND CRISP RYE BREAD

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Ingredients that inspire you, your favourite ingredients and ingredient that you weren’t able to master…

The seasons in Finland are extremely harsh and strict. During the summer/autumn, nature gives you more than you can handle and during winter/ spring nothing grows. So we need to focus on a completely different way on the produce during different time of the year. In summer/autumn we spend a loot of time preparing for the winter/ spring, pickling, salting, fermenting and preserving summer & autumn. This time of the year in the middle of winter we do not use any greens/ fresh vegetables only root vegetables and all the preserves we have made during the summer.

REINDEER, HAZELNUT AND SMOKE

Special cooking techniques…

We work extremely much with preserving (drying/ salting/fermenting/pickling) and that is very inspiring to me. We can always try new produce to ferment and the sky is the limit.

It’s impossible to just choose one. Root vegetables are close to my heart and fresh wild caught fish and animal fat. And I love to forage wild herbs and flowers during summer and of course forest mushrooms in autumn.

I might have got something that I couldn’t figure out right a way but I never give up and try again. It is always interesting to get something new that you We focus more on old traditional techniques and haven’t used before. This winter e.g. we got some there for we do not also use any additives or special game meat from the Finnish Archipelago, artificial preservatives in our kitchen. This is more Mouflon, and a subspecies of the wild sheep. A challenging. new ingredient that I had never use before. It was a nice challenge!

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FILIP LANGHOFF

What was the feeling representing Finland in 2008 and 2009 at Bocuse d’Or, named Restaurant of the Year and receiving the Michelin star in 2014?

It was a great honour to represent my home country Finland and it was great to see how hard you can push your self to create something special. It’s totally different to work in a restaurant kitchen than to compete. Competing led me to where I am today.

All my experiences have given me more inspiration and also the opportunity to meet great chefs from around the world. It was a great honour to meet the great chef Paul Bocuse and he has inspired me as many other chefs and he will be missed by the whole culinary world.

When my wife Linda Stenman-Langhoff (Wine Director at Ask) and I decided to open up our own restaurant in 2012, we just wanted to do our best in creating a great dining experience for our guests.

We were very honoured to receive the star in 2014.

Ask is now 5 years and we are still developing and reaching to do things better and better. When we can’t develop what we have anymore we will just stop and do something else.

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APPLE CIDER FLAN, CARAMEL & YOGHURT AND APPLE ICE CREAM

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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FILIP AND LINDA

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“My wife and companion that is the backbone of our restaurant, she encourages me to be creative and together we do the best combinations”

What keeps you motivated at this point of your career?

The people that work with us. The young chefs and front of house that are eager to learn from us. To find these young chefs that are somewhat what I was 20 years ago. These young chefs are the future of the restaurant industry. Our guests and the great response we get from them. To see what great happiness a great experience can give them.

My wife and companion that is the backbone of our restaurant, she encourages me to be creative and together we do the best combinations with food and wine to create the best experience for our guests at Ask, and our kids, the unlimited creativity of your youngest Melanie who is 8 and our oldest the strict perfectionist Nicolas who is 12.

Being a chef is perceived as a glamorous profession, what advice could you give to chefs entering the kitchen for the first time?

It can glamorous and fantastic but you need to be remember that first of all it is a “crafts work” and it takes time to master it. You have to understand that you will have to wash pots and pans, clean and scrub for most of your career. Mice en place is made most of your time in the kitchen. The actual service or plating or being creative and to plate the dishes is just a short time of your days. Give your self the time you need to grow and develop as a chef. Travel, try different cuisines, meet producers, other chefs and don’t be afraid to try new things.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

BONE MARROW & FORREST MUSHROOMS

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Salt preserved forest mushrooms served with bonemarrow and a beef stock infused with dried forest mushrooms.

Winter time we do not have almost any fresh products everything is preserved in some way. This dish express the way we serve forest flavors in the winter when everything is covered in snow.

The bone marrow gives the dish fattiness and dept and the mushrooms brings umami and forest flavors.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

Salad of wild local herbs and homemade goat-milk fresh cheese served with rye flat bread and a vinaigrette made of the whey from the cheese.

WILD HERBS, GOAT MILK & RYE

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The inspiration for this dish is from the nature at Lauttasaari where we live. All the wild herbs are picked in the forest there and they are served with the cheese made of milk from goats that eat the same herbs. We want to use everything so we use the whey from the cheesemaking for the vinaigrette, this gives a depth to the dish.

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FILIP LANGHOFF

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TURNIP & CHANTARELLE Marinated turnip from Majvik farm served with fresh chanterelles and a light broth made of yellow feet chantarelle.

In the autumn we have all the root vegetables from our farmers and try to use them as much as possible. The turnip from Majvik at its best can tase almost like an apple. Served with the light flavours of my favorite mushroom the chantarelle. Its a light but umami deep start to a long menu.

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

ESZTER PALÁGYI

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CREATES A FINE DINING GASTRONOMIC CULTURE THAT CONNECTS CLASSIC HUNGARIAN CUISINE...

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

CORNETTO FILLED WITH HUNGARIAN WATER BUFALLO TATAR, HUNGARIAN PORK SAUSAGE, CRISPY CORN BREAD CHIPS, YELLOW MUSTARD, LÁNGOS WITH SOURED CREAM AND GREATED CHEESE

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TRADITIONAL HUNGARIAN PORK JELLY

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orn in Budapest, Eszter travelled around Europe, worked at different prestigious kitchens before returning to Budapest and joined Costes - the first restaurant in Hungary to receive a Michelin Star. In 2015, Eszter took over Costes as chef de cuisine and simultaneously Costes Downtown was opened, a year later, in 2016, she was declared Chef of the Year of Hungary and Costes Downtown was awarded a Michelin star, making her one of the youngest female chefs in Europe to earn a Michelin star.

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WG catches up with Eszter Palágyi…

It’s interesting to learn how chefs find their passion for cooking and where they grew up. Eszter Palágyi tells us how she found her way into the culinary field to become one of the most sought-after chefs!

If I go back to the very beginning, my next memory after my first words and moves is peeling potatoes alongside my dad. I have learnt to cook from him, he was the hobby cook at home, he was a very good cook actually and many times our family was organising pig slaughtering events.

I have learnt from him and from my family everything there is to know about Hungarian flavours and traditions.

However cooking was part of our everyday life, this wasn’t my initial choice of career. Finally life took me to this direction and one opportunity offered the next one and basically this is how I climbed my ladder in this profession.

I was a rebelling teenager; my parents were struggling to guide and control me. When I was ready to start college, my father told me that he was not willing to finance my studies and my partying lifestyle, so I had to find a job and become self-sufficient. Then with a prompt move I changed school and profession. I turned from a PR marketing little girl into a cook apprentice. I also had the chance to work alongside the school; I started as an apprentice in the Hilton.

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

Without compromising on quality, your cuisine is contemporary based on a gastronomic culture that combines Hungarian specialties based on International trends – how do you bring about this balance?

It is not easy to bring about these two on a plate and it is a great challenge to present good, Hungarian ingredients and traditional dishes at fine dining level. I am using the flavours and memories from my childhood combined with the techniques and style I have learnt abroad. Every day is a challenge.

You honed your culinary skills in some of the best kitchens - L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London, Mount Falcon in Ireland, and Taubenkobel in Austria - How has it helped you are as a chef today?

This period was very difficult; this kind of fine dining was very new to me, especially at such high level.

I had to work a lot, days were very long, stress and shouting were part of everyday life, alongside the intense pace, continuous concentration, zero tolerance to failure… But it was well worth it, I have learnt an incredible amount.

Both in terms of the human perspective and both in terms of my profession I have learnt a lot at these places about discipline, fitting into a team, research and utilisation of raw ingredients found in nature. I have also learnt to be more creative and experienced how hard work it is to be the chef of such kitchen.

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HUNGARIAN FISHERMAN’S SOUP

BALATON(LELLE) PIKE WITH CORN AND TRUFFLE

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

ÖREGLAK VENISON T-BONE STEAK WITH PLUM JAM NUDLI

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DUCK LIVER WITH PICKLED RED CABBAGE FROM THE KUNSÁG REGION

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NAGYDOBOS BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH LACE PASTA

You started off as a pastry chef at Costes and then took over the kitchen from Miguel Vieira, the chef who put Hungary on the Michelin map - You maintained the star ever since, a day at Costes; and are you working on the second Michelin star?

It is extremely important for me personally, because I have been given the opportunity to maintain the reputation of Costes by a very good Chef. I would like to prove myself at all times and to show that I am worthy for this honour, furthermore I would like to make sure that all our customers are satisfied with the restaurant.

Costes is open 5 days a week and we serve dinner only. The restaurant is able to accommodate 35 to 40 guests, but we start working already early hours in the morning, to make sure that everything that is served to our guests is as fresh as possible and presents the highest possible quality. Every day we are trying to get the best out of ourselves!

We are cooking for our guests and if the Michelin Guide awards this by granting a star or two stars, it will be our greatest pleasure. This is how we get the feedback that it is worth working so hard every single day and it is worth sticking with our philosophy. Every single customer and positive feedback gives us a huge impetus!

COSTES HONEYCOMB

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

Your culinary philosophy, and take us through the process of creating a new dish…

My cooking philosophy is traditional: Hungarian flavours and dishes combined with French style and techniques. When I am creating a new dish, I always recall my childhood-memories when I was cooking with my dad. I would also like to represent this flavours and scents in my dishes and raise them up to fine dining level. I am inspired by the current season intertwined with a memory. I always consider my current dish the best, as at the time I am in love with the one I am developing.

Ingredients that inspire you, your favourite ingredients and ingredient that you weren’t able to master…

Right now mushrooms, truffle and our fresh water fishes. I am always trying to select such ingredients, which are of Hungarian origin, high quality and it is possible to procure them.

It is always changing, similarly to our taste. Currently pine-bud, pine-cone and everything coming from the forest are my favourite.

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I never give up, sometimes it is necessary to recognise our own limits and possibilities. For example I love to work with fresh seafood ingredients, but Hungary is not a seaside place, this it would be difficult to procure on a daily basis the fresh seafood goods and of course this is also not very typical of Hungarian gastronomy. I believe that a chef should create by using the natural amenities of the given country and as a result customers will also be able to identify themselves better with the dish we place in front of them. I truly find it important to present and keep alive the place and typical gastronomy of the country. Without past, culture and heritage there is no future and this also applies to gastronomy.

We have to nurse and cherish our own traditions!

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SMOKED SZENTGYÖRGYVÁR STURGEON WITH CAVIAR AND CHAMPAGNE SAUCE

SCALLOPS WITH KOHLRABI

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ESZTER PALÁGYI

WALK IN THE FOREST

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PEAR FROM OUR MARKET

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Special cooking techniques or equipment’s you particular enjoy using?

In my everyday life I like to cook outside, use an outside oven, cure dishes in a stew-pot and I love BBQs. Produce, Creativity or Technique…

Flavours! And everything follows after. It is not such thing If a dish only looks good, but has no taste.

Being a chef is perceived as a glamorous profession, what advice could you give to chefs entering the kitchen for the first time?

Chefs need to be perseverant, humble and attentive, furthermore they have to have a good load-bearing capacity, keen to learn, team-player, creative and always have to be open to new things. This is not an easy profession; therefore chefs shouldn’t give up along the way. If you really want to do this job, you have to cook with love and this love can be tasted in your food. Your work should be your hobby and your hobby should be your work!

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JORDY NAVARRA

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desire and drive to take his country’s food to the next level. Opening his first restaurant Black Sheep in Manila, subsequently it was named one of the 15 best restaurants of 2015 by CNN. Serving refined Filipino food where Jordy’s techniques, creativity and inspiration all stemmed from his experience and culture.

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JORDY NAVARRA

Jordy Navarra’s vision for his next restaurant is Philippine cuisine via a culinary journey taking him back to the very basics – where produce is grown organically, without cutting corners. He and his team continue to venture around the country to discover and support the country’s organic farmers.

They work on soil where the only fertilizers are natural compost, they have discovered beef from cows that run free in the north of Luzon and have even found salt harvested from a farm in Batangas where the extraction process is done only by drying in the sun.

A highly-talented chef, forward thinking, passionate with his country’s cuisine and produce, hospitable, soft-spoken and humble. The culture of his restaurant is built upon the contribution from each and every team member. His food doesn’t just carry his name, it’s much more than that – it starts with the farmers who harvested the produce, the warm culture and hospitality of his country and the ideas and vision that came together from his team as a whole. A chef that one can look up to and he is a culinary superstar in the making.

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He worked at the legendary three-Michelin starred restaurant The Fat Duck, under Heston Blumenthal. His refined techniques, attention to detail and understanding of what it takes to be at the top level are just a few of the many skills he acquired there. He then worked at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong where his horizons were broadened with Asian flavors presented in unusual and forward-thinking styles.

WG Magazine catches up with Jordy Navarra…

Passion for cooking, Jordy tells us how he found his way into the culinary world…

I found my way into the culinary field by trial and error, basically. I tried a lot of different jobs and eventually started cooking after discovering the world of fine dining and creative cuisine. I was just so addicted to learning about cooking and eating, discovering cultures through food and studying techniques and processes about cooking. Everyday there’s something to learn.

Passionate about his cooking, a dining experience that is focused and inspired by a combination of fresh and quality ingredients with an impeccably balance…

For us, I feel finding balance in the food we make is the ultimate goal. We try to be as efficient as possible using less ingredients to have a clearer flavor profile in mind. Most importantly, we want flavors that represent our food culture’s flavor profiles.

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“I found my way into the culinary field by trial and error”

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Jordy’s culinary philosophy…

The culinary philosophy we have at Toyo is to make an experience that is inspired by Philippine food culture, ingredients and techniques. When we come up with dishes, we do our best to make sure we feel that it represents the culinary philosophy we have. Same goes with our beverage program.

Ingredient obsessions – Jordy tells us about ingredients which inspires him, his favorite ingredients and ingredients difficult to work with…

Right now, we’re very much inspired by Tapuey, which is a fermented alcoholic rice beverage in the Philippines that is made in the higher elevation areas of Northern Luzon. We’re experimenting using it to flavor our dishes as well as to become the inspiration behind finding practices that are native to the Philippines and our culture of food and drink.

Always we love to work with all kinds of seafood at the restaurant. Since we’re an archipelago that has a country with a strong fishing culture (whether it be freshwater or saltwater fish), i enjoy very much learning about what seafood we have and discovering new ways of serving them.

I feel that I haven’t been able to master any of the ingredients we work with at the restaurant. There’s always something new to use and discover, and our team constantly tries to make our preparations with ingredients better every day.

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Special cooking techniques...

Enjoy working a lot with wood and charcoal, especially grilling. In the rural areas of the Philippines, people generally use wood and charcoal to cook with and that really imparts a unique taste to the food they do. That’s something that we apply to the food we have at Toyo.

Creativity, Technique or Produce…

I think produce is the most important because that comes before all else. Without good produce, no amount of technique or creativity can save the dish you’re working on.

What motivates Jordy Navarra?

I still feel that I’m just starting out as a chef and what really motivates me is the process of learning hand in hand with the team at the restaurant. There’s always something you can learn to improve individually and collectively, and I enjoy the pursuit of that.

Being a chef is perceived as a glamorous profession, Jordy Navarra’s advice to chefs who are entering the kitchen for the first time…

The best advice would be to keep trying and to always follow what you feel most passionate about, and to always taste the food!

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“Working for top chefs helped me understand the amount of work it takes to make a quality experience. There are no shortcuts to using the best ingredients prepared well �

Jordy Navarra

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2016 A COLLECTIVE OF CHEFS

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