< PreviousSpotlight: The Artisan caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 40 Style and culture meet at The ArtisanSpotlight: The Artisan 41 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com for. Most guests who visit us following a friend’s reference come with a list of recommended dishes to order. “A lot of our guests praise the energy of the restaurant as well as the offering, which to them feels different to other Italian restaurants in Dubai. “We were con dent that our new location and refreshed concept will have a good reception but we did not expect such a great follow through, especially during such uncertain times.” To differentiate itself from Dubai’s wealth of Italian restaurants, and retain its place on The 50 Best Discovery list, the quality of The Artisan’s food will be of vital importance. It’s something Tresoldi is taking very seriously as he looks to improve on previous efforts. He says: “With the same passion and enthusiasm I had for the ‘old Artisan’, I have created the new menu offering. My aim is to have the best of everything on this menu in the region and to create an explosive dining experience for our guests in a less pretentious space.” He tells us he’s working closely with Italian suppliers to import 90% of the ingredients that help him insert a twist into the traditional Italian dishes offered. “Ingredients are the most important elements in menu development,” he says. “We are faced with many challenges, especially now during Covid-19, in sourcing the right ingredients so I import almost everything. If I don’t nd what I need, it simply won’t go on the menu. The number of suppliers witnessed a surge in recent years but not all of them have geat quality products. “At the moment, I work with 16 suppliers that I’ve built good long- standing relations with throughout the years; it would be easier if I could work with less but because I search for “The menu changes based on seasonality but not signi cantly” excellence, it is not possible. I get to cherry pick what the best options are from each.” Tresoldi says he keeps his menu short, preferring to guarantee excellence with each dish rather than “confusing guests” with many options. He explains: “I make sure that I give each section justice. For example, I make sure to include raw, slow-cooked, deep-fried, and pan-fried in the starter section and a good mix for vegetarian, meat lovers and cheese lovers. The key is to create something that caters to all palates and preferences. “The menu changes based on seasonality but not signi cantly as you want to keep something that the guests are already familiar with and that they’ve enjoyed during their regular visits.” Some of those already well-known dishes include the agnolotti with pumpkin and sage and 30-month aged parmesan fondue, while the slow- cooked octopus with lemon- avoured potato cream has proven to be a favourite with social media users — not that Tresoldi is one to follow social media trends in his cooking. He explains: “Everything in our kitchen is made from scratch. I always believe that to be considered a good chef means to start from a simple base and add a unique signature touch to traditional dishes. Everything on the menu is unique this way. I don’t follow trends; I follow my heart and my creativity to make every dish a signature one.” It remains to be seen if The Artisan’s latest iteration can take it from the Discovery list to The World’s 50 Best proper this year but Tresoldi and Fawaz are showcasing the passion to do so. The entrance at Waldorf Astoria DIFC caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 42 ZERO PROOF Will non-alcoholic cocktails save the bar industry? Try these inventive creations and decide for yourself Ingredients: Fresh rosemary Fresh kaffir lime leaf Fresh thyme, fresh cardamom Fresh lemongrass Lychee puree Orange blossom Lime juice Unsalted yuzu juice Ginger beer Sugar syrup Method: Muddle all fresh ingredients with yuzu and lime to release the aroma. Shake and fine strain over stamped ice ball with frozen orchid inside. Top up with ginger beer and stir. Garnish with a bouquet of lemongrass, thyme, and rosemary and use cucumber as a tie. Add pink peppercorn and cardamom and serve in an old fashioned glass. Kana Chi Sanjin Dilaver Group beverage manager, Okku Riyadh “Mocktails in 2020 are what cocktails were in the 70s, but why? There are so many wonderful pairings that create sophistication I call it palate pleasing. In conjunction with our brand I have endeavoured to use as many Asian inspired fruits and ingredients such as yuzu, blossom, lychee as an example amongst many, to make a guest experience second to none.” MIX MASTERSMix Masters 43 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Ingredients: 20ml Giffard Elderflower 30ml Giffard Mango 40ml Sparkling Water Method: Stir all ingredients, then pour in coupette glass. Add ice cube, then add garnish with caramel tuile and edible flowers. In Safe Hands Jean Abou Jaoude Giffard brand ambassador “A composition that attracts the eye. A simple combination of a fruit and a herb, where mild mango gives a hit of acidity followed by a tropical taste, which suits the garnish of edibles. Finished with elder ower for a slight herby, musky taste.”Mix Masters caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 44 Conrad Colada Tanasiev Roman Beverage mixologist, Conrad Dubai “The piña colada hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico where it was created by bartender Ramón ‘Monchito’ Marrero at the Caribe Hilton in 1954. He mixed up a fruity blend of rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice and created everyone’s favourite summer treat. Now in 2020 in the Middle East, a 0% take on the concept has been born.” Ingredients: 3 dashes of nuts and almonds bitter 60ml pineapple juice 30ml coconut puree 0.5ml sugar free syrup Top up with coconut sparkling water Method: Shake all ingredients and serve in a champagne glass. Garnish with blended nuts and almonds. How to: 45 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com Chicken parmesan To see more recipes like this, head to www.youtube.com and subscribe to the Caterer Middle East channel INGREDIENTS: FOR BREADING THE CHICKEN 100g all-purpose our 25g rice crispies 25g corn akes 300g panko breadcrumbs 200g parmesan 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 2 large chicken breasts – halved horizontally to make four llets 500ml corn oil/olive oil/vegetable oil for frying FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 large onion chopped 2 teaspoon minced garlic 100g chopped capsicum 400g peeled tomato in tin salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon oregano (optional) 1 teaspoon sugar Aman Modak Sous chef, Distillery Gastropub TO FINISH 250g mozzarella cheese 100g parmesan , grated 1 tablespoon of parsley INSTRUCTIONS: FOR THE SAUCE 1. Heat oil in a medium sized pot on a low ame. Fry garlic until golden brown (about two minutes), then add onion and cook until transparent. 2. Once onion is cooked add the red capsicum, mixing frequently until softened, add the tomato puree, salt, herbs, pepper and sugar. Cook on a very slow ame until the sauce has thickened slightly. The sauce can also be blended with a hand mixer or a blender to suit the consistency you prefer. FOR THE CHICKEN 1. On a cutting board, place the chicken breast llet and cover with cling lm, lightly atten the chicken with a meat tenderiser. 2. In a dry shallow dish, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan, rice crispies, corn akes and parsley, with your hand gently crush the mixture lightly to make a breading mixture. 3. In another dish add our. One by one, drop the chicken breast into the our and lightly dust on both sides. 4. Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chicken into the egg, rotating to completely coat each llet with the egg mixture. 5. Drop the egg coated chicken breasts into the breading mixture. Completely cover the whole chicken breast with the mixture and set aside. 6. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat until hot and shimmering. Drop the breaded chicken llets into the oil and fry until golden brown (about four minutes on each side). TO FINISH 1. Preheat the oven to 190°, place the golden fried chicken breasts on the tray, cover the chicken with one ladle of tomato sauce and nish with parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat this step for each llet. 2. Bake the chicken parmesan until the cheese has melted. 3. Finish with chopped parsley and serve.Supplier section caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 46 The Egyptian food delivery platform Otlob will be rebranded to Talabat from September 1, 2020, revealed parent company Delivery Hero. The popular aggregator was acquired by Delivery Hero in 2017, and will now be brought under the Talabat brand, with aggressive expansion planned. In a press release, Talabat said it planned to create 50,000 new freelance rider jobs in Egypt by the end of 2020 as it prepares to launch into eight new cities in the country this year. Tomaso Rodriguez, chief executive of cer of Talabat, said: “First of all, let me pay homage to Otlob and the Otlob team, an Egyptian success-story which we’re privileged to continue to build on. We are hugely proud of all of the talent that has had a role in Otlob’s success since its inception in 1999, and are excited to continue this journey together, working as one team. “When we acquired Otlob in 2017, we saw that Egypt is a country of massive potential. It is a market of 100 million Egyptians with a love for food and the joy it brings to friends and families. “From the street vendor selling koshari from their cart, to the many family-owned restaurants, as well as your local stores who are looking to move into delivery; at Talabat we will continue to provide services to our partners which improve their livelihoods and their pro tability, allowing their businesses to prosper on our platform.” Egyptian food delivery platform Otlob to rebrand as Talabat Will expand into eight new cities and create 50,000 jobs estaurant supplier Fresh Express has launched its own online platform to deliver its high-end produce direct to customers’ doors. Fresh Express Online offers a wide array of fresh and gourmet food, including a diverse selection of fruit, vegetables, meat, and baked goods. For those looking for ne-dining quality meals, there are premium offerings of caviar, truf e oil, heritage items, organic food, and delicacy items. If you’re not looking to cook, Fresh Express Online also offers ready meals, and all the available produce comes direct from its hand-picked top quality suppliers — as used in many high-end restaurants throughout the country. Brands include Giuseppe Giusti aged balsamic vinegar, Lorenzo olive oil from Italy, Kaviari caviar, and Voss water. Overall there are more than 400 food and beverage brands available and almost 6,000 fresh products. Fresh Express joins a number of regional food suppliers to start marketing direct to customers at home including EMF, Bidfood, and Reach. Fresh Express launches online home delivery platform in UAE The restaurant supplier is offering premium gourmet food NEWS RTUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 2020 CATERERMIDDLEEAST.COM/AWARDS #CATERERAWARDS FOR SPONSORSHIP REBECCA LOCKWOOD SALES DIRECTOR TEL: +971 55 484 8301 E: REBECCA.LOCKWOOD@ITP.COM FOR EVENT ENQUIRIES DANIEL FEWTRELL DIRECTOR OF AWARDS & MARKETING TEL: +971 4 444 3684 E: DANIEL.FEWTRELL@ITP.COM FOR TABLE BOOKINGS ANTHONY CHANDRAN TABLE SALES EXECUTIVE TEL: +971 4 444 3685 E: ANTHONY.CHANDRAN@ITP.COM MEDIA PARTNERS CATEGORY SPONSORS Laundry Equipment Trading LLC Kitchen &Ingredient focus caterermiddleeast.com September 2020 48 WITH OR WITHOUT YOU Is free-from a fad, or should you make it your focus? looking for free-from alternatives to meet particular intolerances or allergies but also nding consumers are just looking for more plant based options to support their choice of a exitarian lifestyle – this may be motivated by animal rights, being environmentally conscious, or just reducing processed foods and re ned sugars in their diet.” But although customers are looking for healthier options, they aren’t willing to sacri ce when it comes to taste and quality. Ensuring its new plant-based healing broth just as good as the original bone broth version was a priority for Clean Living Company, says Henry. “In reality this was a very challenging aspect as the bulk of the bene ts and results we have seen rsthand are from the amino acids and collagen in our bone broths, however we already know that colourful fruit and vegetables assist with collagen synthesis to help us maintain our own natural levels of collagen.” Interestingly, while most consumers think of free-from diets as being more vegetarian friendly, MacRitchie, says there’s now a growing trend for free-from plant diets. “The carnivore diet has been a trend over recent years, where all/almost all plant foods are excluded owing to the in ammatory compounds in some — or all — plants. Some companies have started making provisions for this sector in free-from plant ranges. It may seem a bit extreme, but then again, so did low fat diets way back when.” Across the world, food allergies are on the r ise. Couple this with a trend for consumers being more wary in general about what they are putting in their bodies, and it has led to a thriving free-from food market. And most experts agree that this trend isn’t going away. “It’s certainly here to stay,” says Bronwyn MacRitchie – education and health coaching director at ing t. “With the increased platform of well-informed doctors and health coaches on social media, people are becoming more and more aware of the impact not choosing wellness will have not only on their life span but also on their health span. When you consider diseases such as arthritis and Alzheimer’s that make later life less enjoyable, and you learn that by choosing wellness you can greatly reduce your chances of developing them, there is simply no way this is just a temporary trend. We see the demand growing signi cantly in the future.” Dean Henry, chief executive of cer, Clean Living Company, agrees, saying: “I believe health is now starting to become peoples number one priority (as it always should’ve been) and will be here to stay now as we are rapidly starting to realise the immune system is our best defense and this starts with the gut and what we ingest.” More and more, customers are de ning themselves by terms such as vegetarian and vegan, with growing numbers of meat eaters also trying to expand their horizons and look for healthier options. Sameer Vaswani, CEO and founder of Prodigy Snacks, says this is leading to increased custom for the UK-based company. “We are nding consumers Partner content 49 September 2020 caterermiddleeast.com The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is obliging foodservice operators and restaurateurs throughout the Middle East to adapt their processes and entire operations, as well as seek the support of manufacturers in making the most out of their equipment. They are also finding innovative new ways to adapt their menus. The culinary team at Alto-Shaam has been working closely with new and existing customers on demonstrating how its complete portfolio of kitchen solutions can be utilised and maximised to deliver the highest food quality consistently and safely, often in challenging environments. Gabriel Estrella Talentti, Alto-Shaam Foodservice operators look to manufacturers for support In these challenging times, working together is vital, says Alto-Shaam director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), says delivering support, advice and culinary tips is essential: “It’s the main thing we are being asked for, and our customer service and support offering is s omething we at Alto-Shaam pride ourselves on, with 24/7 technical support in place across the entire region to give our customers peace of mind. “During lockdown our customers have been looking for inspiration on new ways to maximise the efficiency and performance of existing equipment during these unusual times. We have created equipment packages and combinations for different market segments, tailoring our offering for specific customer segments such as C-stores and supermarkets, making it easier for them to start and create new food programs. “We have also brought our ‘A Taste of Alto-Shaam’ demonstrations online, which are free to join for anyone in the foodservice industry, as well as creating new regional social media channels enabling us to post and share ideas and tips on how to expand menus and increase food variety.” As well as seeking support in maximising food operations, Talentti says there has also been a huge increase in demand for solutions that cater to new social distancing guidelines and reduced workforces, as well as helping to reduce costs: “We have experienced a particular interest in more compact, ventless and multi-purpose equipment as a result of the new reality all operators face with regards to relieving crowded kitchen spaces,” he explains. “At Alto-Shaam we have the perfect solution with our Combitherm combi ovens and Vector Multi-Cook Ovens that allow operators to execute a variety of cooking applications while maximizing food quality and consistency, even when cooking in high-volume. In addition, our holding solutions with innovative Halo Heat technology can be utilised to safely hold food at optimal temperatures and help reduce service times in any type of ‘a la carte’ restaurant operations. “As industry needs continue to shift, we are committed to helping operators develop their menus, adapt to changing demands, attract new visitors and retain existing customers.” Gabriel Estrella TalenttiNext >