Patrick Valentine Bischoff. Patrick Valentine Bischoff.

Patrick Valentine Bischoff, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi

About Patrick
In December 2009, the challenge of the executive chef opportunity at Abu Dhabi’s Beach Rotana, the flagship hotel of the Rotana group, brought Patrick Bischoff back to the UAE for a fourth time. Looking after a team of over 160 chefs, in a five-star, 540 keys hotel, Patrick overseas the culinary teams of 12 restaurants and a busy banqueting and outside catering operation, in what is certainly one of the most well-loved and financially successful food and beverage operations in the Capital. Prior to this Patrick spent three years in Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he opened the 5 star Asara Wine Estate & Hotel, a luxury boutique property on a 200 year old working wine estate, which later proudly became a member of Relais & Châteaux. Born in Strasbourg, France in 1962, Patrick fell in love with cooking from a very young age, and still today, uses many of his Mums recipes.

Above and beyond the call of duty…
Chef Patrick has excelled in his role as an executive chef in all areas, including but not limited to personal & team achievements and awards, financial results, colleague loyalty survey results and culinary promotions. Chef Patrick actively contributes and participates in numerous corporate social responsibility and environmentally-friendly initiatives. In November 2011, one of the hotel’s long staying guests had a brain tumor and was confined to her room for two months, during which time Chef Patrick arranged for special food deliveries and, after discovering that she was struggling with her head bandages, Patrick arranged for chef hair nets which were perfect for the purpose required. He works very closely with the local Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and in November 2011, he was invited to be a guest speaker in a seminar with the topic of implementing Regulation 6. Whether Patrick is amongst a team of young chefs, guests in a restaurant, or just cooking for friends at home, he never fails to inspire others with his lifelong love and passion of being a chef.

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Testimonials for Patrick
“I joined the kitchen brigade at Beach Rotana almost at the same time as Chef Patrick, and I must say it has been a real honour and pleasure working with him. Chef Patrick has been an inspirational and motivational driving force behind the kitchen brigade. With his tremendous experience and expertise he leads the team with a demanding palette and a keen sense of presentation. Attuned to the changing trends of tastes and trends in food, Chef Patrick has injected us with renewed enthusiasm to provide innovative, seasonal, and distinctive menus using fresh and top quality ingredients. When I see my peers in similar hotels being forced to cut costs to survive in the market, here I have a boss who believes in nothing but quality. Progressively improving quality of ingredients and equipment across the hotel. His contribution in creating newer concepts has been tremendous. He encourages his team to think out of the box and supports them through and through. He sets the bar very high for us (the team) and thus keeps entire team dedicated to meet his high standards He has personally helped me groom myself for the future, playing the roles of a tutor, mentor, counsellor, leader and a friend. Thank you Chef!” Gaurav Gaur, speciality outlet chef, Indigo Beach Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi.

“It is a real pleasure to work with a true professional such as Chef Patrick. He displays true passion for his trade, not only in the preparation of food but also in the professional care that he displays towards his team and our guests. His constant support for his team and his drive towards excellence ensures that our guests enjoy excellent food at all times. You will often see him waltzing around the many restaurants, greeting and taking the time to interact with the guests, taking note of their special preferences, and he knows each one of them by name. The standards of excellence that he sets within his department, is echoed through the many guest compliments that are received on a daily basis. His team admires his strong, yet gentle way of coaching and support for them. He takes special interest in each person’s development and guides them towards their chosen speciality. He encourages them to take part in all the competitions in order to hone their talent and skills. This has resulted in the chefs, winning numerous awards and creating a strong sense of commitment, pride and camaraderie amongst the brigade. Although he can be a tough and demanding Chef, he is also fair and is seen as a fatherly figure, who is approachable and always ready to give a word of encouragement or wisdom during challenging times. As a housekeeper I value his opinion and can always count on his support. Having worked with him on numerous events and projects, I appreciate his drive and willingness to participate at all levels. He forms a valuable part of the management structure and he has played a pivotal role on various committees in ensuring employee wellbeing through monitoring and improving duty meals, menus, food quality and the overall experience.” Maryke Tredoux, director of housekeeping, Beach Rotana Hotel Abu Dhabi .

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