international masterchefs 2014: who’s who€¦ · exclusive recipes designed by some of the...

January 29 – February 4 2014 timeoutabudhabi.com 7

Gourmet Abu Dhabi

6 timeoutabudhabi.com January 29 – February 4 2014

Celebrity chefs, molecular gastronomy and an opera dinner – you guessed it, Gourmet Abu Dhabi is back.

Now in its sixth year, the culinary festival is more creative and refined than ever – and once again you’ll have chance to experience exclusive recipes designed by some of the world’s best chefs.

From Feb 4-19, celebrity chefs, bakers and pâtissiers will be kneading, marinating and drizzling to recreate their signature dishes, and wow you with some unique ones.The Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) launched the gastronomic event in February 2009 to promote the Emirate as a global culinary destination. The master plan worked, and this year, 25 culinary experts and 20 restaurants

Dry ice, vintage grape, truffle foam and caviar: it’s time to sink your teeth into the capital’s biggest culinary extravaganza, Gourmet Abu Dhabi. Words Sarah Riches

will participate – so it’s safe to say Gourmet Abu Dhabi is causing quite a stir.

Noura Al Dhaheri from TCA Abu Dhabi is on Gourmet Abu Dhabi’s organising committee. She says, ‘This year’s festival caters to all tastes. A stellar line-up of culinary stars and international masterchefs will participate in 28 cooking demonstrations, educational workshops and themed dinners in the sixth edition of Gourmet Abu Dhabi, demonstrating our confidence in Abu Dhabi’s rising culinary stature.

‘Over the 16-day festival, you can join events as diverse as hands-on Star Struck Cook & Lunch with Australian masterchef George Colombaris, share a gastronomic dinner with Gary Rhodes, hit the high notes at an Italian-inspired operatic performance with masterchef Massimo Bottura or

simply join a chateau dinner at premium establishments across the UAE’s capital.’

The festival’s grand finale will be an awards ceremony over a gala dinner at The St Regis Abu Dhabi. The Oscars of the foodie world, the awards recognise the chefs and restaurants that have contributed most to the city’s hospitality sector. Following two rounds of public voting in 2013, four judges will spend the fortnight touring the shortlisted venues to cast their votes. Ten winners will take home golden chef statues on the night for accolades ranging from executive chef and pastry chef of the year, while the capital’s best restaurants will compete for the coveted restaurant of the year gong.

Got a taste for the festival? If you don’t want to miss out, then swot up on which VIPs will be attending – and sign up for events now.

Bart De Pooter (Belgian) is the chef at Pastorale, a Belgian restaurant with two Michelin stars. He is known for using regional, ecological ingredients

Bruno Ménard (French) is based in Singapore. He was awarded three stars by Michelin Guide Tokyo 2010 – the highest award in the world – and is known for his novel, unexpected interpretations of French classic dishes

Christophe Muller (French) is head chef at the three Michelin-star L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges in Lyon, which is known for its classical French cuisine

Christophe Roure (French) has two Michelin stars for his own restaurant, 9e art, in Saint-Just Saint-Rambert in France

Christopher Coutanceau (French) owns an eponymous restaurant in La Rochelle, France, which has had two Michelin stars since 1986

Christopher Kostow (American) is at the helm of three-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Meadowood resort in California’s Napa Valley

Cyril Lignac (French) opened his own

restaurant, Le Quinzième, during the French series Oui Chef! in 2005, which was watched by five million people. In 2012, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin-star

Damien Le Bihan (French) is the executive chef for L’Entrectote, a Parisian-style bistro; Spanish tapas bar Sabio; 83 Club Street bar and diner; Forlino, an Italian fine dining restaurant, and seafood restaurant Le Petit Cancale

Edward Kwon (Korean) has made it his mission to put Korean cuisine on the map, using traditional ingredients such as

International masterchefs 2014: Who’s who

Most experienced

•Masterchef, also known as head chef, executive chef, chef de cuisine or

chef manager•Sous-chef

•Chef de partie, also known as a station chef

or line cook•Commis

•Kitchen assistants

Least experienced

Know your chefs

Chef Henrik Yde Andersen


Gourmet Abu Dhabi


Gourmet Abu Dhabi

ginseng, crown daisy and wild sesame leaf, while creating affordable cuisine. Edward was previously head chef at Burj Al Arab

Fabio Pisani (Italian) is at Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia and is also cookery school consultant

Gary Rhodes (British) is based at Rhodes44 at The St Regis Abu Dhabi. He reinvents classic British and European dishes complemented by Arabic influences

Henrik Yde Andersen (Danish) owns six restaurants in Copenhagen, including the Michelin-starred Kiin Kiin – one of only two Thai restaurants in the world recognised by the Michelin Guide

Ho Chee Boon (Malaysian) launched Hakkasan New York in 2012, was awarded a Michelin star eight months later and recently received a second star for the second consecutive year. He’s known for his modern approach to authentic Cantonese dishes

Khulood Atiq (Emirati) is the nation’s only female masterchef. A TV chef, she is best known for using authentic Emirati ingredients, such as dates

Marco Sacco (Italian) runs Piccolo Lago in Piedmonte, Italy, with his sommelier brother Carlo.

The restaurant earned its first Michelin-star in 2004 and second in

2007

Massimo Bottura (Italian) is head chef of Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, which has three Michelin stars. It has been placed in the top five at The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards since 2010, and is currently ranked third

Michael Caines (British) has held two Michelin stars for 14 years. Now food and beverage director for Brownsword Hotels and head chef at Gidleigh Park in Devon, UK, he has a reputation for using regional produce in modern European dishes

Russell Blaikie (Australian) wrote cookbook, Must Eat. He owns Must in Perth, Australia, which specialises in French bistro cuisine

Sanjeev Kapoor (Indian) is living his dream of making Indian cuisine the world’s number one food. He has written 150 books and in 2012 The Yellow Chilli Cookbook was awarded best international cookbook at the International Book Awards. His website features 8,500 recipes and receives 25 million hits a month

Srinath Sambandan (Indian) is executive chef at The Park, Visakhapatnam, a boutique resort on India’s east coast

Tenderloin at The Forge

As executive chef at The ritz-carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand canal, David Gache leads a team of 106 chefs and 42 stewards, and is one of 23 chefs hosting the festival’s visiting masterchefs.David is the talent behind the dish on this week’s front cover, which he designed exclusively for TOAD. He says, ‘The Forge, a traditional American steakhouse, is the signature restaurant of The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. It’s our most popular restaurant so I opted for beef tenderloin. The meat is from Stockyard, an Australian company that specialises in grain-fed Wagyu beef. It’s topped with lobster and garnished with an antenna to create height. As we’re moving into spring, I added colourful veg such as asparagus, carrots and radishes and decorated the plate with a smudge of truffle jus.’

TOAD’s coVer shooT


Gourmet Abu Dhabi


Gourmet Abu Dhabi

Sanjeev Kapoor is one of the world’s most successful chefs, best known for his cookery show Khana Khazana, which has been running for 18 years, and for being a judge in season three of Master Chef India. He also launched a 24-hour TV food channel, FoodFood.In April, Sanjeev will open fine dining Indian restaurant, Signature, in The St Regis Abu Dhabi.Why did you become a chef?I was academic, so everyone expected me to go down that route. But I wanted to forge my own path. My brother enjoyed cooking but nobody in my family or neighbourhood was a chef, so it was different. I like cooking because it’s creative. How would you summarise your style?Deliciously different, home-style food.What inspires you?I get inspired by everything around me – people, places, cookbooks, being at a friend’s house. I might get ideas from a street vendor in Malaysia or a high end restaurant in Spain. I recently met a musician, so now I’m thinking about how to match meals with music.

Do you find designing or tweaking recipes a fun challenge or a tiresome chore?I have teams of chefs who design recipes for me. I see the final ones and relate my feedback to the chefs. I like giving them my personal touch. I enjoy tweaking recipes – it’s fun.What’s your favourite Indian dish?I like my mum’s cooking. If I had to pick a dish, I’d choose Punjabi kadi, a traditional vegetarian dish from Punjab in the north of India where I’m from. It’s not spicy; it’s made with gram flour, yoghurt and fried dumplings. Tell us about the class you’re taking part in during Gourmet Abu Dhabi. I’ll be one of seven chefs leading a cookery class called Culinary Creation Stage One, which is designed for people who have an interest in cooking but are not professionals. I haven’t decided on the menu yet but I’d like to incorporate local ingredients, so I might use dates instead of coconut for example, or chickpeas instead of gram flour.Will you have time to experience some of Gourmet Abu Dhabi events as a guest?Yes. I’m looking forward to meeting the other chefs, catching up with ones I know and

have the chefs whet your appetite? here are some of the Gourmet Abu Dhabi highlights...•When Gourmet Abu Dhabi opens, you’re going to want to be there. Join masterchefs, vintage producers and celebrity guests at a red carpet event on the canal as hosting chefs demonstrate their skills. Dhs480. 7-10pm, February 4, Falcon lawn (outdoor), Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.•Combine your favourite things – golf, fine cuisine and quality vintages. Registration starts at 11am, teeing off is at noon. Dhs800. 11am-9.30pm, February 6, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club.•Seven international masterchefs including Massimo Bottura and Sanjeev Kapoor will showcase their culinary creations during a cookery class. A second day’s class will take place on February 8 with different chefs. Dhs200, or Dhs350 for both days. 10am-4pm, February 7. The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa. •Immerse yourself in Italian culture for one night only at a dinner hosted by Massimo Bottura. Opera sopranos Christine Belbelian and Maria Glück will be accompanied by Stanislav

Fedyuk playing ‘Un Vel di Vedremo’ from Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and ‘O Sole Mio’ by Eduardo di Capua on the piano. Dhs1,500. 7-11pm, February 8, Mezzaluna, Emirates Palace.•Foie gras will be centre stage on Bruno Ménard’s menu, which will be paired with exclusive vintages such as Brut and Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2000. Dhs1,100. 7-11pm, February 10, Al Nojoom Ballroom, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.•Celebrate Latin American heritage with a South American barbecue. A live band will perform by the pool. Dhs600. 7-11pm, February 13, The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa.•Celebrity chef George Calombaris will prepare a special menu for guests. Dhs950. 7-11pm, February 16, Crystal Ballroom, Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche.•A ticket to the Abu Dhabi Gourmet Stars Awards presentation is the hottest ticket in town. Bag one in time and find out the city’s best restaurant and chef. Dhs800 per person, or Dhs6,400 per table of 10. 7-11pm, February 19, The St Regis Abu Dhabi.For more details, visit www.gourmetabudhabi.ae (02 418 1401).

experiencing their meals. I particularly want to sample Khulood Atiq’s dishes, because when I’m travelling I like to try regional dishes.What’s your next culinary ambition? I want to focus on Indian sweets, because Indian desserts are flagging. The skills

required to create them are diminishing and the

younger generation aren’t aware

of traditional options. I’m also intrigued by using science to create food. Take the dessert rasgulla, a traditional

sweet made with cheese poached

in syrup. Indians love this. Typically

milk is heated then lemon juice is added to

curdle it into whey. But you could use lactic acid to create a softer cheese. What trends in Indian cuisine do you anticipate for 2014 and ahead?Dishes from Punjab, Goa and Kerala are well known but I see diners going beyond these regions, sampling dishes from less predictable areas – especially the south and west coast. Indian food is also slowly getting healthier as well, as chefs are using less oil and salt.

Nazamii Tarkari Biryani

Festival highlights

Aloo Nazakat


Gourmet Abu Dhabi

Massimo Bottura draws on his classical French training skills to create high-end regional Italian cuisine. As well as Osteria Francescana, he owns Franceschetta 58, an informal dining brasserie serving tapas, which is also in Modena, Italy.Why did you become a chef?As a kid, I was always under the kitchen table. It was my refuge from three older brothers’ torments. I found peace at my grandmother’s feet as she rolled out dough for tortellini. When my brother told me about a trattoria on the outskirts of Modena for sale in 1986, I bought it. With help from my mother and a neighbourhood cook I began my career.What inspires you?I always suggest young chefs read, travel and dig deep into their culture to understand who they are and where they come from. Then they discover their true motivations, passions and inspirations. This is what I have done over my 26-year career. The world around me is a juxtaposition of who I am and where I have come from. I cook in the present but never forget all that came before me.You’re passionate about contemporary art and like to incorporate art and design into your cuisine. How do you do this?Artists, critics and collectors from the Emilio Mazzoli gallery near Osteria Francescana came to us. Our exchange of ideas and dialogue extended beyond collecting artworks for the restaurant and into the kitchen. The artwork informs the guests about the food as much as any menu or explanation could.What’s your favourite Italian dish?Tortellini. I have an emotional and gastronomic attachment to it. They are small packages of Emilian flavour perfectly balanced and complete. Traditionally they

are served in capon broth. At Osteria Francescana we serve them in a Parmigiano reggiano sauce made with water instead of heavy cream. We boil the tortellini in capon broth so it acquires the flavour, then dress it with Parmigiano cream.Do you find designing or tweaking recipes a fun challenge or tiresome chore?The most difficult recipes to modernise or modify are the ones you are closest to. For instance, in our tortellini dish at Osteria Francescana, only the sauce in the recipe has been modified, not the filling. I wouldn’t dare change my grandmother’s tortellini filling.Who does the cooking in your house on a Saturday morning?On Saturday morning my wife and I buy groceries at Albinelli Mercato, a market in Modena that dates from 1919. I catch up with vendors, grab a baccalà fritter from Massimo Manzini or stop by Bar Schiaoni where the Fantoni sisters make a great charcuterie and salsa verde sandwich. The stalls sell meat, fish, local cheeses, vegetables and even homemade lasagna, polenta and ragu for when I don’t have time to cook! Buying the best products means you are three quarters of the way to a great meal.Tell us about the cookery class, culinary creation stage one, that you’re taking part in during Gourmet Abu Dhabi.I will talk about identity and how important that is to any kitchen, but especially to mine.

Our Emilian roots are what guide us. Traditions

must be in continual evolution or else

they stagnate.

That means knowing everything, from culinary history to technique, but it also means forgetting everything, and letting yourself dream. Our kitchen is one that tells stories and invites guests to join us on a culinary adventure. This is the heart of my demonstration and class, but I don’t want to give too much away...What have you got planned for the opera dinner?My menu for the opera dinner in Abu Dhabi is designed to welcome diners into an Italian kitchen with new eyes and an open mind. We will embark upon an imaginary journey around the peninsula of Italy, creating familiar flavours in surprising combinations.What’s your next culinary ambition? Is there a particular ingredient, chef or restaurant that you would like to work with?My ambition is my next plate. I am always projecting myself into the future, I never remain stagnant.What trends in Italian cuisine do you anticipate for 2014 and beyond?I look at long-term trends so I am not thinking 2014 but about this decade, which I think will be dedicated to artisan cheesemakers, butchers and farmers. The relationships we develop with our agrarian brothers are everything to our future. Italy’s greatest resource is its artisans. We must support them to guarantee the next generation of artisans will be there for our children. The more we focus on our ancestors’ resources, the more we can create recipes with lasting value. This is the trend for the next decade, and maybe forever. Someday instead of chef superstars, there will be farmer superstars. That will be a great day.

A modern take on traditional lemon tart

Codfish Mare Nostrum

international masterchefs 2014: who’s who€¦ · exclusive recipes designed by some of the...

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