Giorgio Diana was leading restaurants that earned Michelin stars while still in his 20s. While his Mediterranean food with a molecular touch has wowed diners and judges, it represents a life of sacrifice.
To reach such high standards at a young age requires not just innate talent, but discipline and some big life choices.
“I lost my family,” says the Italian, who is currently guest chef at L’Olivo Ristorante at the Rixos hotel in Dubai. “I have two kids in Germany but lost my family because I don’t have time for anything but work. I didn’t have time for Christmas so I haven’t seen my mama at Christmas for 22 years, I haven’t gone out for my birthday in 15 years and I forgot my girlfriend’s last birthday – I only focus in my kitchen and on my job.”
Despite this, Diana has no regrets – but is quick to dispel the impression some young people have about becoming a chef.
“Now it’s like a trend with people wanting to be a chef, but they have no idea what it takes,” he says. “For young chefs, I’d say don’t work for money – the hours are too much. We work a minimum of 15 hours every day and you don’t have a social life. You either do it 100 per cent or you change jobs.”
Other chefs based in Dubai have also reached high standards at a young age. Grégoire Berger, the head chef of Ossiano at Atlantis The Palm, who represented the Middle East and Africa at the global 2016 San Pellegrino Young Chef competition, tells a similar tale of sacrifice.
“At the age of 16, I was doing 16 hours a day,” says the Frenchman. “You don’t ask for anything, you just work and learn and you need to be mentally strong because the pressure is high. You don’t see your friends, you don’t earn lots of money – I wouldn’t go as far to say I sacrificed my childhood, but you do compromise on your life. Even today, I compromise with my daughter and my wife but at 30, I’m still young.”
American chef and writer Anthony Bourdain confirmed the notion that culinary excellence comes at a cost.
“In Europe, most of them started cooking in their teens, at an age that would be completely illegal in the States,” he says. “These are abused children ... they worked 17 hours a day, seven days a week, for most of their career.”
There is, however, no shortage of young people wanting to become chefs – but again, Berger warns there is no overnight route to fame and acclaim.
“Patience,” he says. “People think because they are doing three slashes of sauce on a plate everyone will say it’s genius, but to be a chef you have to learn how to clean the plate, learn how to correctly clean, cut and cook a potato, learn the basics.
“It’s what I tell all the young chefs coming into my kitchen. Don’t take shortcuts because it’s not going to work. You need to know it’s going to be painful and the first four years you will just learn the basics.”
For Marina Social’s head chef Tristan Farmer, it would appear he took a more glamorous route, having worked at Gordon Ramsay’s London restaurants where he became a head chef at the age of just 26, and then with Jason Atherton – but like others, he had a tough start.
“I first stepped into a kitchen when I was 14 at a family-owned hotel and I was washing pots for almost two years,” he says, but insists he does not see it as a sacrifice as he has no regrets.
“I did what had to be done to get where I am – and by that I mean a lot of hard work. There is no end to the number of hours you have to practise to be good at something and good is never enough – you need to be the best and that does not have a limit.”
One thing Berger identifies as a key driver for young chefs is a willingness to take on responsibility – something he has done throughout his career.
“In Morocco, I opened a restaurant from scratch when I was only 20, and the head chef was not on the scene in Casablanca, so I had to take responsibility myself, from hiring staff to buying furniture,” he says. “At a young age you need leadership, maturity, and the ability to drive yourself.”
There have been some changes in the past decade. Diana points out that there is more and better kitchen equipment to help young chefs, when “10 or 15 years ago you have only the oven and two pans”.
Berger has noticed a softening – in some countries, at least – of how young chefs are treated.
“When I went to Morocco, I was typically French, and swearing at people, just like people swore at me when I was learning, because you’re strong and can’t have time for drama,” he says. “But after one week, nobody came into the kitchen. So I realised that I had to change myself because you can’t change others, and you cannot behave in Morocco or Dubai like you behave in France. I had to learn to drive different nationalities, especially when they are young chefs.”
Sunjeh Raja, the director and chief executive of the International Centre for Culinary Arts, sheds some light on what is needed for a young chef to survive in the industry.
“In the first few weeks of training, we can see what that person is like and if they have the required traits,” he says. “The most important thing is a person’s attitude because that is what will help sustain them through the challenges they will face and help them excel long term.”
It’s traditional, especially in Europe, to start in a kitchen as a young apprentice but Raja believes this is less common in this region and the modern world.
“Pre-training helps a lot, from learning about regulations to neurolinguistic programming to help them adapt to the challenges of working in a kitchen environment,” he adds.
Berger has only just turned 30, which is still young, but by the time a chef hits that age they will have dedicated most of their life to cooking – and if you have not already started young, some say it is too late.
Bourdain wrote in his book Medium Raw: "Nobody will tell you this, but I will: If you're 32 years old and considering a career in professional kitchens, if you're wondering if, perhaps, you are too old? Let me answer that question for you: Yes. You are too old."
So start young, be prepared to work long hours, sacrifice your social life and don’t expect to get rich. But if you still have not made the big time by 30, do not worry, most chefs don’t reach their peak until later in life.
Consider the case of Jiro Ono, one of the greatest sushi chefs in the world, who is credited with many of the innovations in that cuisine.
He began cooking in restaurants at the, probably illegal, age of seven and opened his own restaurant when he was 40. That restaurant – the famed Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo – didn’t receive its third Michelin star until 2008, when Jiro was 82 years old. He’s now 91 and still works.
Four more chefs who made the big time at a young age
Luke Thomas
At the age of 18, Thomas became the youngest head chef in the United Kingdom and went on to work in Dubai, at the Burj Al Arab, and with Gary Rhodes. He also opened a branch of Retro Feasts at JBR in Dubai. Still only 23, he runs Luke’s Fine Dining at Sanctum on the Green in the UK and regularly appears on television.
Massimiliano Alajmo
In 2002, at the age of 28, executive chef Massimiliano Alajmo led Le Calandre restaurant in Padua, Italy, to its third Michelin star and became the youngest chef to do so. Nicknamed il Mozart dei fornelli (Mozart of the stovetop) he’s considered one of Italy’s more innovative chefs.
Logan Guleff
The boy from the United States won the MasterChef Junior competition at the age of 12 and has gone on to win – and judge – other cooking contests. Last year, Forbes magazine named him one of the Young Innovators Who Are Changing the World.
Aiden Byrne
When UK restaurant Adlards, in Norwich, won a Michelin star, head chef Aiden Byrne was 22, making him the youngest person to lead a restaurant to a star. Now 44, he has worked all over the UK, written books, appeared on TV, opened his own restaurants and is estimated to be worth more than £300 million (Dh1.3 billion).
artslife@thenational.ae
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)