The first week of November 2013, Dubai Hosted one of the world’s most celebrated culinary summits, The “Italian Cuisine World Summit”. During this glorious Italian culinary marathon the most celebrated Italian Chefs landed in the city, and explored Italian food with the city’s resident chefs, food and culinary enthusiasts. All exploring their unique cooking styles, food philosophies and favourite Italian Ingredients. From demonstrations, to menu tastings, discussions and Italian produce, this November was every foodie and Chef’s Italian cuisine dream come true.
I, personally had enjoyed the experience so much and have had some of the most fantastic chats about cuisine, cooking techniques and some really superior produce, and we all know how I feel about all these :))
Of course it is always my absolute pleasure to meet up with one of my favourite chefs ever Chef Giorgio Locatelli, and Chef Alessandro Bottazzi of Ronda Locatelli in Atlantis the Palm. Giorgio Locatelli is very well known around here and needs no introduction. However, I will have to say that he is one of the most passionate people I have ever met, and his company is always inspiring, his stories are always marvelous and his food is just delicious beyond description. His food is a manifestation of his passion and journey through a flavour palate that he paints with his love of Italy and its gorgeous produce. You can taste and experience all this for yourself at his restaurant Ronda Locatelli in Atlantis the Palm, and his new white truffle menu is to die for.
I had also had the pleasure to meet the Michelin Chef Sergio Vineis. I had watched him demonstrate a few of his specialty platters and am telling you, the knowledge, the passion and fine taste are all very evident in his food. I had reveled at watching his Sfoglina hand roll pasta that he used for preparing the dishes of his demonstration. Absolutely marvelous experience.
Chef Sergio is born in Biella and is Chef Patron of the Ristorante Il Patio, which holds one Michelin star, located in that same province. His cuisine is “Mediterranean, creative and from the terroir. A cuisine with a lot of personality.”
I was also lucky to meet the Master Michelin Chef Oliver Glowig, watch him demonstrate some fabulous platters and taste his absolutely delicious food. Chef Oliver is a 2 star Michelin Chef, who started his journey alongside his father in Germany. Those early days were marked by his food curiosity and took on an adventurous style.
This journey soon took on a passion for artistic experimentation. The art of Chef Oliver is embodied in a journey of flavors and emotions that guide his path.
He left Germany in 2001, a year after he earned his first Michelin star restaurant “Watercolor” in Monaco of Bavaria. Headed to the Amalfi Coast, in Italy, where he is the Executive Chef of the restaurant “L’Olivo”. In 2004, he confirmed the star he’d earned in Germany, and in 2006, he was recognised with a second Michelin star and 17/20 L’Espresso. “With two Michelin stars, preceded by a score of 17/20 on the Guide de L’Espresso, the restaurant of Oliver Glowing ranks among the top Italian restaurants.”
What a fabulous experience it is to see the masters at work. To hear their stories and learn from their techniques, and encyclopedic knowledge of ingredients and cookery. To be inspired by their journeys and food philosophies, I thoroughly enjoyed being in the presence of such glorious food and the people who make it possible to see beyond the limitations of just cookery. People who can transform your understanding of food and can take food to heights unknown before, continuously pushing the envelope of eating experiences.
I had posted some photos on this link, from the parts of the summit I enjoyed the most. Check them out and see for yourself the Italian culinary heaven I was in! If this post, along with the photos from the album on the link make you crave Italian food, here are some links for some Italian recipes that you can try at home that will satisfy every crave you have:
- Making Pasta from Scratch
- Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
- Home-made Ravioli with Ricotta & Spinach from Scratch
- Understanding Pasta (all you need to know)
- Home Made Italian Pesto
- Italian Dairy Products Made in UAE
