TURNING JAPANESE
Marco Polo never made it to Japan, but armchair historians think the thirteenth-century explorer took Chinese noodles back to Italy, kick-starting a love affair with pasta that has endured for centuries. Just how much the two regions have in common will be in focus at a Sicily-meets-Japan dinner tonight, when Chef Tomoo Kimura reinvents Italian cuisine for the UAE.
“It’s my understanding that both countries have great ingredients and respect for the seasonal ingredients. “To name a few dishes, both cuisines have tender-cooked octopus, mushroom soup, salt dome grilled fish in common,” he told Gulf News tabloid!, name-checking such other commonalities as noodles, cured meat (sashimi or carpaccio) and mushrooms. “I find that many Italian chefs use Japanese ingredients within their preparations and cooking, in both Japan and Singapore.”
But the strongest Italian influence on Japanese cooking, he says, is olive oil. “We believe olive oil is amazing! When I began my career 22 years ago, most chefs thought olive oil is only used when preparing deep-fried food. That’s changed hugely.”
Kimura helmed the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Sushi Ichi in Singapore before launching his own eatery, Sushi Kimura, last December. The Tokyo native brings two decades of sushi-crafting experience to Roberto’s Dubai for two nights this week, where he’s serving up a sharing menu that incorporates some of these commonalities.
Three ingredients will stand out on his crudi menu, however, both for their rarity and flavour profile as well as for the way he treats them. Ikura, or golden salmon roe, which is hard to find even in Japan will be teamed with yuba, or soya milk skin, yuzu, and Japanese dashi jelly. Awabi or abalone, the marine snails served breaded in Italy are marinated in sake and served in a soup – “so when customers open the cover, their senses will be able to feel, see and smell the sea.” And hotate, or scallops, are being served with the best-rated Japanese seaweed (there’s an annual competition!) and sea urchin jelly and an abalone liver sauce!
“The importance of each dish is flavour. I want to give guests a new experience,” he says.
Details: Sicily Meets Japan features Chef Tomoo Kimura at Roberto’s Dubai on Tuesday 21st November and Wednesday 22nd November. The sharing menu is served from 7-11pm, and costs Dh420 per person.
TWENTY CHEFS
For selfie fanatics, the place to be this week will be Five Palm Jumeirah, whose penthouse hosts 20 Italian chefs on Wednesday, November 22.
They are led by Umberto Bombana, whose Hong Kong restaurant 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana was the first Italian eatery outside Italy to win three Michelin stars, and between them, these chefs’ restaurants rack up a combined 19 Michelin stars.
The event, part of the ninth annual edition of the Italian Cuisine World Summit, will be a combination of live cooking, grape tasting and culinary demonstrations. Hosted by the Milanese chef Donato de Santis, judge of Masterchef Argentina and owner of Cucina Paradiso restaurant in Buenos Aires, it will celebrate Italy’s bid for Unesco World Heritage status. “This one-night only event brings together extremely talented chefs representing their Michelin-star restaurants. These chefs, such as VincenzoCandiano and his two-star Locanda Don Serafino, will cook live before guests and let guests sample their signature dishes,” says Aloki Batra, CEO FIVE Hospitality.
Who should you look for, then? Massimiliano Mascia of the two-starred San Domenico in Imola, Iside De Cesare of La Parolina in Acquapendente, Andrea Brambilla (formerly of Michelin-starred Bice Tokyo and now from Hotel Resort Campagnola, Ticino in Switzerland), Maria Grazia Soncini or La Capanna di Eraclio in Codigoro, cyclist-turned-chef Christian Milone of Trattoria Zappatori in Pinerolo, spaghetti-mad Michele Biagiola of Signore te ne ringrazi in Montecosaro and TV chef Felice Lo Basso from Milan.
Details: November 22, 7.30pm at The Penthouse at Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai, with entertainment by the Mark Zitti Band. Tickets are Dh490 per head.
STREET EATS
Closing out Italian Festival Week on Saturday November 25 will be a day of food and drink at the Le Meridien Hotel Dubai. If you aren’t at the F1, the Venetian-themed event promises to feature plenty of top chefs, live cooking stations with bands and live entertainment, as well as traditional Italian delicacies and beverages. For those who like to throw themselves into things, the top prize at a risotto-making contest is a round trip to Venice.
The hotel is also hosting Chef Alessandro Breda on November 21 at Casa Mia, with a special truffle menu.
Details: Noon to 9.30pm, November 25, Le Merdien Hotel Dubai
