When you hear the words Mexican food, people often think of tacos, burritos, and street food, but Mexican cuisine is far more varied and nuanced than most people’s perceptions. Chef LopezMexican cuisine is bold and fun, and who better than acclaimed Mexican Chef Federico Lopez to take diners on a flavourful tour of this colourful cuisine.

Chef Lopez’s interpretation of Mexican gastronomy combines the traditional Mayan flavors of the Yucatán Peninsula with a contemporary approach, representing an authentic taste of Mexico that revolves around a selection of ceviche’s, tostadas, and tamales.

Indian cuisine arguably has an even stronger fan following across the globe than does the glitzy world of Bollywood. Butter Chicken has also been considered the national dish of the UK, and Indian Chefs today are enjoying celebrity status thanks to the reach of social media.

Well before the likes of Zee TV star Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Master Chef stars Vikas Khanna and Kunal Kapoor, Chef Satish Arora took humble Indian dishes to fine-dining status. With a career expanding 50 years which was catapulted by his success as the world’s youngest Executive Chef of a five-star kitchen at a mere 26 years of age, he has been the inspiration for many in his industry, and has also been a role model for his kin.

I had the immense pleasure of meeting the legend in person at Mahec (Le Meridian, Airport Road Dubai) which he has recently taken over. Here is an except on Chef Arora’s trailblazing career, his undying passion for food, and advice for the next generation.

Chef Sameer who is heading the kitchen and the overall operations of newly opened Roti Rollers, is a walking, talking encyclopedia on all things food. His insightful knowledge on the vast varieties of cuisines within India itself had us as awestruck as did the innovative dishes that came out of his kitchen.

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Chef Sameer

Here are snippets from our conversations with him. And look out for more blog posts with his insightful food gems, coming soon!

Dubai food enthusiasts have something very exciting to look forward to this weekend. Dubai’s first ever BBC Good Food Show is scheduled to be held from this Thursday 17th to Saturday 19th December at the Dubai World Trade Center, and this weekend-long 3 day event promises to become an annual foodie event we will be marking in our calendars for years to come!

I had the pleasure of being invited to an exclusive press lunch at 3 in 1 restaurant in Vida Downtown Dubai last week, and got a sneak peak into the food-filled lineup featuring six well-known celebrity chefs.

BBC Good Food
I met 2 of the 6 Celebrity Chefs over lunch! That’s me with Silvena Rowe & Andy Bates 🙂

I met the absolutely delightful Melanie Smith, Global Pastry Chef at FFI (Food Fund International) at the Pink Truffle Making Class at The Meat Co (read all about it here). global pastry chef melanie food fund international ffi

Chef Melanie arguably has the sweetest job in the world! As the Global Pastry Chef for all the restaurant brands under the FFI umbrella, Melanie has a tightly packed schedule involving travelling countries and cooking up dessert masterpieces with her team.

Read on about Chef Melanie’s enviably sweet journey (and she has even shared a very special recipe for Mulled Wine with us for Christmas!).

A Michelin star rating is akin to the holy grail of fine dining. It is a serious foodie’s Bible code, and topnotch chefs across the globe crave its approval.

But how did Michelin, a manufacturer of tyres, gain such authority over the world of food? Read on for its very colorful history.

michelin star guide history background what is 1900
An image of the very first edition of the Michelin Guide (1900) taken from the dignet.com site.