With three new restaurants under his belt this year, don’t be surprised if George Calombaris opens another one in Dubai soon. The MasterChef Australia judge confessed how after spending so much time here recently, cooking for government delegations at Atlantis The Palm and filming his reality show atop the Burj Al Arab, he’s come to love the shiny emirate. “It’s become a bit of a second home for me, Dubai,” the slimmed-down chef told GN Focus at Bloomingdale’s Home Store, which retails his books.
Apart from one in Greece, all of his eight eateries are in Australia — the 35-year-old is careful not to spread himself too thin. “Look, there is definitely opportunity here; we’ve had plenty of discussions and meetings. But how do I do it and sustain the quality? If I was to do it for the money, I’d have done it two years ago.”
He says a version of his souvlaki bar, Jimmy Grant’s, would pump in Dubai, but insists he couldn’t run anything high-end remotely. Until he has something more concrete to talk about, here are his top tips on bringing the MasterChef magic into your home.
Your spoon is your best friend
Whether it’s salad dressing or curry, tasting a dish at every stage is important to get it right. “If you don’t taste, don’t cook,” Calombaris says.
Salt is mandatory
A no-brainer, you’d think, but the Greek kitchen god isn’t talking about your standard supermarket variety. “Not the fine, bleached, refined stuff,” he says, “get yourself a good salt. Pink salt, fleur de sel, something nice.”
Start with top produce
Another basic tip, perhaps, but chefs of all stripes consistently stress buying the best ingredients you can afford. “If you have the best produce, you’re going to pretty much end up with a good result,” Calombaris says.
Pull your guests in
The key to a good dinner party is having as much ready as possible in advance. “Try and be prepared, but don’t be afraid to finish your food in front of your guests. That’s a lovely way to get them involved,” he says.
Do batch cooking
Prep is also vital for working professionals who can’t find the time to cook every evening. “Take lentil soup — make a batch on Sunday night and freeze it down in containers,” he explains.
Stock the staples
“Things like salad ingredients in the fridge are always great. I’ve always got good tinned tuna in the house, and lots of seeds, grains and pulses,” he says, espousing the merits of tinned tuna. “I wouldn’t use it in the restaurant, but at home, it’s great as a filler to a salad. Finely shredded cabbage, tuna, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, little bit of vinegar, some olive oil, you know, shredded parsley and suddenly you’ve got a lovely salad.”
Experience is a very good teacher
A final throwaway tip as he poses for our photographer: “Once you’ve burnt yourself, you’ll never burn yourself in the same spot again,” he laughs.
