As Dubai has become a culinary hub here in the Middle East – and in the world – the annual Dubai Food Festival celebrates all things cuisine in the emirate.
While countless people in the emirate enjoy an array of delectable dishes on a daily basis in Dubai, you don’t often see the masters behind the cuisine.
As part of Dubai Food Festival this year, spoke to eight talented Dubai-based chefs behind all the exquisite creations on their journey so far and what inspired them to pursue their careers in the F&B industry.
Andrea Fioravanti, the Executive Chef at Palm Avenue located at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
What brought you to Dubai?
I had heard a lot of exciting things about Dubai and wanted to experience it first-hand. I wanted to learn more about Middle Eastern cuisine and to develop my skills and learn from the people here. Now that I live here, I like to share my experiences and journey with the people that I work with.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
Dubai has a lot of residing nationalities, giving chefs the luxury to create multinational dishes. It is surprising how people in Dubai have such an open mind and are excited to sample new cuisines.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
It has to be ‘Oxtail Cannelloni, Foie Gras Parmesan, Star Anise’. The cannelloni is Italian, and I incorporate it with wonton which is Chinese, and the oxtail represents Spain. I like to create dishes that have a mix of flavours and showcase the amazing places which I have visited, to create an experience that will delight and excite guests.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
That the participating restaurants allow new guests to discover culinary extravagance at a fair price. The event also gives chefs the chance to showcase their talents and skills and show the world what they can.
Francesco Acquaviva, Chef de cuisine at Social by Heinz Beck, located at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
What brought you to Dubai?
I came to Dubai for an experience, but I ended up falling in love with the city. The restaurant grows with me daily and since that moment eight years ago, for me my experience is still ongoing.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
The beauty of Dubai in terms of F&B, is that as a guest you can experience all the food from around the world and at all different price points, from 30 aed to 3000+aed. The city has many fantastic venues being driven by talented resident chefs
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
Spaghetti with lemon, butter and caviar – this dish is simple in its complexity but is elegant and very tasty.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
I think that DFF is a really great opportunity to put new focus on Dubai’s culinary scene. The annual event presents many opportunities to ‘culinary hero to express themselves with the language of food philosophy. I’m looking forward to visiting many of the venues and discovering their culinary experience.
Kevin Dermot Coey, Executive Chef at Gastro Kitchen, located at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dubai – Jumeirah Beach
What brought you to Dubai?
Having worked in Hilton for over two decades and mostly in the UK, I wanted to explore the world with my wife. I got an opportunity with Hilton to work in the Seychelles. After five years it was time for me to have a change from island life and to be in an environment where food is not only dining but is an experience, and there it was – hidden in the desert is the land of gold – Dubai. I interacted with a lot of people, read and heard about Dubai and its dynamic F&B culture and wanted to be a part of it. I am passionate about coming to a new environment and building a new team and carrying them to success through new flavours, techniques and knowledge.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
Dubai is in a world of its own when it comes to F&B. Everything is fiercely competitive and not only with the big restaurants and hotels, but also the street stalls, pop-up kiosks and even smoothie bars are high in regard – it really is a constant effort to be the best of the best. I believe there is utmost respect by all the residents and tourists for the F&B offering throughout the city, and that is what makes the food industry so exciting in this part of the world. I would say it nearly has celebrity status.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
Without hesitation, the “Beef Wellington” is quite simply the superstar of Gastro Kitchen. Guests come back time and time again for this hidden gem. The time, care and effort that goes into this crafting each dish is paid back in dividends by the sheer delight and positive comments that we get from guests time and time again.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
The best part of the Dubai Food Festival is the freedom to do whatever you are passionate about. There are no boundaries! And I love the fact that it brings communities in the culinary world together to enjoy every cuisine possibly imaginable in a very unique and extravagant way. The most important part for me is that it gives spotlight and exposure to all levels of talent and cuisine. It paves the way for our guests to enjoy many offerings everyday day for an entire month at great value for money. I see it personally like a rock concert for food – exciting, explosive and loud!
Steven Smalley, the Cluster Executive Chef at Pure Sky Lounge, located at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai The Walk
What brought you to Dubai?
It was 13 years ago that I took a quick and risky decision to leave my growing culinary career in Europe and move to the region I knew very little about. I had been working for five years in Amsterdam and was looking for a new challenge. Fast forward to today and this was the best decision I ever made, Dubai is now my home and a place where I am constantly growing both professionally and personally.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
It is very fast-paced in comparison with any other part of the world. The restaurant landscape here is changing like sand dunes in the desert. It is very concept-driven and diverse, which is in my opinion is great for both consumers and F&B experts. The dining scene here is competitive and is constantly challenging all of us to be more innovative, futuristic and extraordinary which is something I really enjoy being part of.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
It is really difficult to choose just one dish, considering we have more than 10 signature dining venues at Hilton Dubai Jumeirah and Hilton Dubai The Walk. The dish that I have recently spent a lot of time working on is “Seared Scallops” – served as part of my Chef’s Table for the Dubai Food Festival. Every part of this dish needs precision and proper technique to get the perfect texture, taste and presentation.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
The project has created motivation and pride for my culinary team. They are extremely proud to be involved and featured in something as big as Dubai Food Festival. Seeing them so excited, dedicated and competitive is definitely my favourite part.
Luigi Vespero, the Executive Chef at Bull & Bear, Located at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre
What brought you to Dubai?
10 years ago, my wife and I visited Dubai on holiday, and we fell in love with the city from day one. Particularly, we liked the multicultural spirit of the Emirate and how safe we felt during our stay.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
Dubai is such a multicultural city, and the F&B offering is vast. You have available cuisines from all over the world. Dubai is forever evolving and so is the F&B scene, it is an exciting place to be a chef right now.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
The Alligator Pear is one of our signature starters. A half-pitted avocado that has been pureed, pickled, topped with pomegranate seeds, gazpacho jelly droplets and served with Kalamata rice crackers. The Beef Rossini is a hero main, slow-cooked beef rib served with seared foie gras, truffle mash potatoes, crispy shallots and hermitage jus. You can try both of these dishes on our DFF promotional menu.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
I think DFF is a great initiative. It brings the consumer and the operator closer together. It also gives us chefs a unique platform to express ourselves and create unforgettable memories for our guests.
Rene Johari, the Executive chef at DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai at Bay Club located at DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai, Business Bay
What brought you to Dubai?
The diverse culture and exciting food scene. There are a lot of opportunities here and I endeavour to challenge myself to be the best that I can be.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
The Dubai F&B scene is unique, there is such a diverse offering that showcases almost every part of the world in one destination. Both local homegrown F&B offerings and world-renowned brands are making their mark here.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
The dish is called Squash & Pearl Barley Salad. It has a unique texture and a flavorful and wholesome feel to it. This dish tells a story of my culinary experience, it showcases skills and flavours that I have learned throughout my Dubai journey.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
My favourite part is that it is the time of the year when everyone from the chefs to the guests can both explore and showcase the best F&B scene Dubai has to offer.
Yannis Manikis, Director of F&B and Culinary Operations at Aigeo @ Bliss 6, located at Conrad Dubai
What brought you to Dubai?
The excitement of working in this vibrant city full of innovation and endless F&B opportunities.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
Dubai has the capability to become one of the F&B capitals of today’s world. New York, London, Sydney all take advantage of the multi-ethnic population that they have built-in order to create different F&B venues. I do think that Dubai is on the correct path of achieving this by initiating such campaigns as DFF.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
Freshly caught and grilled red snapper.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
I love the way in which DFF has got people thinking about how and why we eat the way we do but in a fun and creative way.
ElMehdi Naamane, Head of Culinary, Hilton Al Seef Cluster at Skafos, located at Canopy by Hilton Dubai Al Seef
What brought you to Dubai?
The interest to move from Qatar to UAE was to explore high-quality gastronomy and enter a more competitive market.
How would you say the F&B scene differs in Dubai from other parts of the world?
The Dubai F&B industry is ahead on many fronts. Dining in Dubai is an experience that goes beyond food. There is a fierce competition that requires restaurants to step up their game and take risks, resulting in greater quality restaurants.
What is the hero dish at your restaurant?
Skafos features an array of mouth-watering Greek Mediterranean dishes, yet the most famous is the succulent saffron-infused paella loaded with either mussels and shrimp, chicken or meat and cooked in a skillet on the grill, to get the very best flavours.
What is your favourite part about Dubai Food Festival?
Foodie experiences such as our Chef’s Table, which allows me to host an intimate session with a few guests and showcase my techniques, choice of flavours and personality for an unforgettable experience.
