(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Celebrity chef Jun Tanaka was recently in Abu Dhabi where City Times spoke to him.
How did you feel about coming to Abu Dhabi
It was my first visit to Abu Dhabi so I was very excited to discover the food scene and the city. I think that Taste of Abu Dhabi will become an annual event that everyone will look forward to.
How do you come up with your recipes
Recipes always starts with the produce. You can’t have great dishes without fantastic ingredients. I will choose and source the best seasonal produce and marry this with one or two other ingredients and use this as a starting point of the recipe. As chefs it’s our job to bring out and enhance the natural flavours of the produce and not to mask or change it.
What recipe would you suggest for a novice chef trying to get into cooking
I would start with something simple but challenging to perfect like a roast chicken. Everyone can cook a chicken but very few people can cook it well…even chefs.
What are your thoughts on the UAE’s culinary scene
It’s an exciting time for the food industry in the UAE especially with the Expo 20/20 in Dubai. The culinary scene of a city always flourishes with the influx of new people and concepts.
Where is your favourite place to eat in the world and what would you order
That’s a really hard question! My most memorable dining experience as a whole and not just the food was a restaurant called The Salon in Tel Aviv. It’s only open two evenings a week and the ambiance and food is incredible. Their signature dish is a beef carpaccio - the waiter literally flattens the beef on your table and seasons it with lemon olive oil and sea salt. It’s so simple but delicious. Also at midnight they set the kitchen counter on fire with rosemary and sage…no joke!