Celebrity Chef Q&A: Rachel Allen

Celebrity chef Rachel Allen, the name behind the Rachel’s brand, visits Gourmet Abu Dhabi and tells Hotelier whether she believes there’s any hope for the concept of Arab-Irish cuisine.

What inspired you to become a chef?
I came down to study at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in East Cork when I was 18. The school is set in the middle of an organic farm and is the definition of inspirational. I was not the first and certainly won’t be the last to be inspired by Ballymaloe to dedicate my career to cooking.

Why did you feel it was important to come to Gourmet Abu Dhabi?
There is a great synergy between Abu Dhabi as a rising global gourmet destination and Ireland — which is known as the land of a thousand welcomes. Both have shared cultures of warm hospitality, and this is an incredible opportunity for me to experience the smells, flavours and tastes of Arabia, it is very new and exciting territory for me to explore.

What would be your style of cooking if it had to be described?
My style of cooking is influenced by Irish and European food of course, as well as the Asian flavours that I love. I always try and write recipes that are easy to follow and reproduce.

What are the latest food trends globally?
Fresh, organic produce — straight from the farm, and traceable back to the farmer. We are seeing this trend in Ireland, with a preference for people to seek their meat and cheese and fresh produce from local providers.

What are your thoughts on the Middle East’s food and beverage market?
I was really looking forward to trying all the spices and ingredients before I came! I often cook Middle Eastern dishes and I could not wait to try all the food in restaurants and homes as well as bring back the wonderful ingredients to cook myself.

Indo-Chinese works, do you reckon there’s any hope for Arab-Irish?
Well their traditional food cultures are quite different, but Ireland's food culture is now thoroughly modern and Irish cooks are often looking for new influences, ingredients and ideas to incorporate. The ubiquity of hummus is just one example of the many Arabic dishes which we eat all the time. I don't know about the situation the other way round though? I hope my visit could bring some of the Irish food culture to the UAE.

What was the best career advice anyone has ever given you?
The best advice I ever received relates both to my career and to all aspects of life. My friend’s father said to us when we were younger, “you won't shine any brighter by blowing out someone else’s flame.”

What is the worst dish you have ever tried?
I think really overcooked cabbage is quite unpleasant.

What is the one dish you still haven’t quite mastered, but would love to perfect?
It’s not a dish exactly, but I’m really interested in getting better at using agave syrup in my cooking.

If you were not a chef, what would you have been?
I probably would have been a shoe designer.