Life & Style | People
Adding taste to life
When her mother passed away, Susy Massetti decided to do something special in her memory. She came up with the idea of writing a cookbook, and thus Mangia!, a collection of 70 recipes, was born.
- Nadia Khalifeh, Sub Editor, Eplus
- Published: 00:00 November 12, 2009
- Image Credit: Christopher List
We don't just eat to live. We also live to eat. There's a bigger meaning that revolves around food and makes it one of the most authentic pleasures in life. Eating and cooking are experiential processes that involve all our fives senses and curiosity, and each time lead to a totally new experience.
Most people who're passionate about cooking tend to see it as an art. Executive Chef Susy Massetti falls under this category and she considers herself lucky to be the author of exciting culinary creations. "When it comes to appreciating food I don't just use my palate but I involve all my senses and that's what makes me an artist," says Massetti.
The passion for cooking has taken Massetti to different regions of her native Italy, to the US and then the Gulf. She believes that knowing the local cuisine is an important step towards uncovering the soul of a particular place. For Massetti, "food is tradition, history, and culture". "It's something totally embedded in the story of a country."
Massetti who recently relocated to Dubai after a two-year stint in Bahrain, knows all the nuances of dining out in different countries.
"The first thing I realised when I arrived in the UAE," says Massetti, "was that I have to dress up when going out to a restaurant. However, there are some restaurants where you don't need to, and I'm grateful for that. In general, the eating out scene in the UAE is very fancy and it reminds me of cities like New York and San Francisco."
When asked how she rates the food here (including budget restaurants and cafes) she gave a fair eight-and-a-half. "The food is good! The products and ingredients they use are definitely high-quality and there is so much competition that it automatically raises the quality of the food offered," says Massetti.
However, the traditional aspect is missing in the food. "In Bahrain, there is a road called Shawarma Road where I could walk through and find all the greatest street delicacies. In the UAE to find something like that you really have to look hard and you'll never find it in fancy areas."
Another thing the chef misses is having waiters advise her on what to eat. "In Dubai, she says, "the focus has shifted away from customer service. The staff is perfectly trained to efficiently serve diners but not to advise them, and that's because they don't have enough knowledge about the food they are serving. I love it when a waiter comes to my table and tells me ‘Don't worry, I'll order for you'," says Massetti.
Like many other expatriates, Massetti says the cost of living is pretty high, and that includes eating out. "If my husband and I go out to a nice restaurant we never spend less than Dh800 and that's really a lot compared to Europe and the States," she says.
There are only a few restaurants which serve great food and are also good on the pocket! As an example, she mentions the Italian restaurant Marzano where her husband happens to work. "It's not because my husband works there," she says, "but honestly the food is good and not that expensive. If I order a pizza and a soft drink, I spend a maximum of Dh75. And the pizza is huge! It fills me up."
Massetti honed her cooking skills under the tutelage of chefs who are experts in cuisines that are foreign to her. She learnt about Indian food from a UK-based Indian chef whom she met while working aboard a private yacht. While he taught her about curries and masalas, she introduced him to the secrets of Italian cuisine. She first came to know about Arabic cuisine when she started working in the Gulf.
"I love Lebanese/Syrian cuisine with all its delicious mezzeh." But there is another cuisine that Susy yearns for - Iranian. She finds the main courses filling and delicious and will never say no when it comes to a good Iranian meal.
But what does she think is the most popular cuisine in Dubai? "Definitely Lebanese, followed by Iranian. You can find these outlets everywhere and the dishes are requested by a lot of people."
What about Italian food, what does Massetti feel about it?
"Italian cuisine is my heart, of course. Even though I love to sample international flavours and can cook specialities from all over the world, I always incorporate an Italian touch in my techniques, ingredients and the way I present it. I'm Italian to the core," she says.
According to Massetti, "Italian fare is loved everywhere because it touches people's hearts with its simple flavours and ingredients." Speaking about authentic Italian food, the chef says we have to be careful. "In Dubai you can find authentic dishes as well as the less authentic. Of course in every cuisine there is need to adapt the taste to the local environment. It could be money-driven or just a matter of taste.
"But the best way to judge if they're offering an authentic meal is by checking out who's behind it. Either the management or the chef should be of that nationality, otherwise, I'd add, it's trouble."
Favourite eating-out places
Marzano Italian cuisine (Al Manzil Hotel, Downtown Burj Dubai)
Lemongrass Thai cuisine (Al Qasba; Ibn Battuta Mall; near Lamcy Plaza)
Creek Side Japanese cuisine (Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel)
Verre French/Italian fine dining (Hilton Dubai Creek)
Bice Italian cuisine (Hilton Dubai Jumeirah)
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