From Tottenham kitchens to Dubai fine dining: Meet Chef Izu Ani, who named his royal-approved restaurant, after wife

Dubai: “Honestly,” Chef Izu Ani says with a grin, “if I do this, I want credit for at least… no, lifetime credit!”

He’s talking about naming his signature Dubai restaurant, Carine, after his wife.

Dinner service is underway, calm, efficient, precise—plates moving smoothly, the team synchronised.

“Many men go home with flowers. I named a restaurant after my wife. Street credit for life,” he adds. It’s the kind of moment that defines Ani: focused, practical, and with just the right amount of humor. Did we also tell you that he has the widest toothy smile you can think of.

For Ani, Dubai is more than a city—it’s a place to plant roots and execute ideas.

“If you live like you’re just passing through, nothing grows. I bought a home, planted roots, and told my wife, we’re part of this. Dubai pushes you to show up, to run, to make ideas happen,” he says.

Ambition here is visible, but Ani approaches it with discipline, not hype. “Dubai celebrates action. It’s a place where you either engage fully or you don’t.”

Many a times, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council, were also spotted frequenting his restaurants.

Ani’s story is rooted in early responsibility and hard lessons. Raised in Tottenham by a single mother alongside four brothers, he started in kitchens at 13.

“One week my brother lost the 15 pounds our mother gave us for groceries. That memory stays with me. It taught me resourcefulness, gratitude, and the value of hard work,” he recalls.

Those lessons would guide him through years of building a culinary empire, now spanning more than 15 restaurants across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and international locations like Monaco. His restaurants such as Alaya, Gaia, La Maison Ani, and Kai Enzo are UAE's culinary hotspots.

But even as his business expanded, Ani’s approach has remained hands-on and personal.

“I live on a plane most of the time, but I make sure every dish and experience meets my standards. That’s the work,” he says. At Carine, the emphasis is on the guest.

“I’m just a person organizing the theater so people can enjoy the play,” he explains. The restaurant’s design, lighting, and flow all serve the food experience, not the chef’s ego.

Ani’s philosophy extends beyond the plate, focusing on consistency and respect for ingredients. He talks to every ingredient, understands its origins, and adjusts recipes for differences in climate or altitude.

“I took the same recipe from Dubai to Monaco. It tasted completely different. If you don’t understand the science behind it, you’re just guessing,” he says. He applies this attention to detail at every level—from sourcing Canadian meat responsibly to insisting on precise kitchen specifications. “I would know if anyone cut corners. I don’t care who else does.”

For Ani, food also carries emotional energy. A simple chocolate cake once brought a diner to tears.

“It reminded him of his grandmother. That’s what food does—it evokes memory, joy, and connection,” he says. Cooking is a way to communicate, and Ani takes it seriously: “Humans are 60–70% water. Whatever energy you put into cooking travels to whoever eats it.”

Curiosity is central to Ani’s craft.

“You pick up something, you lick it, you put it in your mouth to discover it. That’s how I look at life,” he explains. It’s this childlike inquisitiveness that allows him to adjust recipes, refine flavors, and consistently raise the bar, even across multiple restaurants. “Longevity isn’t complicated. It’s about showing up, doing the work, and understanding the process,” he adds.

Consistency is what separates Ani’s restaurants from fleeting trends. “Everyone praises the visible beauty of a dish, but the roots—the work that’s unseen—are what matter. That’s what keeps a restaurant alive,” he says. Every recipe, ingredient, and staff member is carefully considered. “You invest in the base, and the rest follows naturally.”

Ani’s perspective on money is equally grounded.

“Money doesn’t change you—it reveals who you are. It’s a byproduct of passion,” he says. Growing up with little, he understands its value: “Money can extend what you want to do, feed more people, create more experiences—but it’s never the goal.”

For Ani, financial success enables quality and reach, but it doesn’t define his purpose.

Humor punctuates his philosophy. Naming Carine after his wife is just one example of his playful practicality.

“I named a restaurant after my wife. What have you done?” he says. Even amid global expansion, Ani remains grounded, balancing discipline, curiosity, and careful joy.

Ani’s respect for nature shapes his work. He visits farms, studies ecosystems, and adjusts sourcing accordingly.

“Even the grass has a science to it. If you cut it too short, the ecosystem changes. Understanding that makes me respect the product more,” he says. This meticulous approach ensures that every plate reflects both craft and responsibility.

Dubai itself requires adaptation. Ingredients, air composition, and climate all affect flavor.

“Dubai is beautiful, but it’s not the same as Europe. You have to adjust, understand, and execute,” he says. His international projects follow the same principles: precision, curiosity, and practical mastery.

Ani’s focus is also philosophical. “You can’t control everything that happens, but you can control how you respond. That’s where growth comes from,” he says. Every decision, every detail, and every interaction is deliberate. “Show up, be curious, and do the work.”

As the night winds down at Carine, Ani reflects on the journey.

“The journey is great, the destination is amazing, but it’s the company you keep that matters. I’ve had incredible partners, great teams, laughter, tribulations. That’s what makes it worthwhile,” he says.

From Tottenham kitchens to Dubai fine dining, from early lessons in scarcity to international expansion, Ani’s story is a blueprint for ambition executed with care and intelligence.

His Dubai success is simply grounded in discipline, curiosity, and quiet mastery—one plate at a time.