Rendering the UAE: The gourmand

There is nothing more blissfully satisfying than having that perfect morsel melt on your tongue, tantalise your taste buds and comfort your soul. It could be anything from a robust stew to a spicy curry — but nothing can compare to the rich smoothness and velvety texture of chocolate. And this National Day chefs at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr have put a decadent twist to patriotism with their special range of chocolate truffles inspired by the UAE.
The man responsible for creating these luscious pieces of art is Chef Dragan Rucnov (above), Executive Pastry Chef at the hotel. “The inspiration behind this range of chocolates is the history, unique flavours of indigenous ingredients as well as the increasing modernisation of the emirates combined with a long standing tradition,” he says. But what’s most exciting to the man is the abundance of ingredients that are available and that cross over with other cultures and regions, including the Levant, the Indian sub-continent and Northern Africa. The flavour profiles, while unique to the destination and the UAE people, is also influenced by migrant population coming to the UAE.
When it comes to the truffles, Rucnov says that he wanted to shy away from the overt representation of the emirates; instead the range features subtle variations on the Emirati theme, through design inspired, variously, by mosaic work and the Byzantine era and the sand dunes that were very interesting to capture in this medium.
When it comes to his work, the chef says that his work truly reflects his vision when it comes to pastry as an art form – clear, straightforward, with an emphasis on elegance and simplicity rather than artistic overkill. “It’s really about getting to the fundamentals of the craft, which is something that I also pass on to my team. The product that we offer guests in The Chocolate Gallery at the hold truly reflects this, as we concentrate on flavour profiles and meticulous design work.”
And we assure you that all this and more will come through when you bite into these edible pieces of chocolate art!