Michelin chef interview: Michael Caines

Two Michelin-starred celeb chef Michael Caines talks to Devina Divecha about his aspirations and influences, why he is considering entering the region, and the three figures who inspired his career

How has the experience been at Gourmet Abu Dhabi?
This is my first time at Gourmet Abu Dhabi but I’ve been to the UAE twice before. It’s been great; an absolutely fantastic experience. It’s been hard work, but rewarding. There’s a huge amount of positivity I’ll take away, and a real desire to come back.

You cracked a joke during your demos about having only one arm — not many people knew how to react.
As someone who is seen as one of the best chefs, I don’t want pity; I just want appreciation for the knowledge and talent I have. It’s my story, and therefore, I’m not belittling myself when I make a little joke. It is part of my story and it’s taken me this far, and it makes my achievement all the greater for achieving through adversity.

Will you come back to open more restaurants perhaps?
Yes, I’d like to look at the possibility of setting up a restaurant out here. I was thinking about it before I came out — Abu Dhabi or Dubai? I’ve made some great contacts here and it would be worth pursuing to see if there’s an opportunity to open a restaurant out here in Abu Dhabi.

Have you been able to try a lot of Middle Eastern cuisine?
I have had a little [experience] but not as much as I’d like. So I’m very intrigued by it, and it’s also an area that I find inspirational. I’ve eaten North African and Turkish, but there’s a lot of other dishes, there’s a lot of uses of spices and the ingredients are really different. It leaves me wanting more. As a chef, you are a foodie and therefore curious. I’d love to get out here and sample the local cuisine.

Does having Michelin stars to your name come with its own kind of pressure?
Good question. It’s not only a challenge to keep them but I aspire to get another one. Part of me wants to get a third, another part wants to keep two. You’re always aspiring to do better. There is a danger that you want to hold on to something so you cook in a particular style. I try not to, I try to innovate around the idea of doing stuff that I like because I think people come to my restaurant because they enjoy what I do. That’s why I love travelling. We go to great cultures, you always learn about great cuisine and that’s what I like about Abu Dhabi. It’s an oasis of luxury and a melting pot of culture, and it’s got a huge amount of opportunity in one place.

Michelin in the Middle East - your thoughts?
I can’t speak for Michelin but what I can say is, generally Michelin will follow where there’s a good population of people and where there’s a good population of people there comes a restaurant culture. It takes time; I think we forget just how quickly Abu Dhabi has grown in the last 20 years. Even though there’s been a huge amount of growth, the restaurant culture is now picking up. As people choose to live here, they will choose to dine out, you’ll see independent restaurants opening up, the quality of restaurants pushing up; it’s a matter of time before the guide books like Michelin follow. And why not? They’re in New York, Japan, Singapore and most of Europe. The idea that they won’t come to the Middle East is short-sighted.

Your career inspirations?
Three chefs who have been really inspirational - Raymond Blanc is the first two-star Michelin chef in England whom I worked for, for three years. He’s not only a mentor but a personal friend of mine and a wonderful man. He sent me to France and I worked there for two-and-a-half years. One year with Bernard Loiseau, and it was all about regional food and seasonal food. From him I went to work with Joël Robuchon and he taught me all about great technique and discipline. All three of them have had an influence on my cooking process.

Any advice for young chefs?
To me it’s all about passion. They need to have determination to learn, and should also give themselves time to learn. They should take criticism constructively. A lot of people say, “you’re picking on me”. No, look at your work progressively, take it constructively, see where you can do better, and work to your strengths and weaknesses.

What’s your most memorable dining experience?
When I was 18 or 19, I went to the Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisonsat - Raymond Blanc’s restaurant. Not necessarily because it was a great meal but as a young man, I was inspired by how great food could be. I have had many great experiences since but that was the first time I experienced fine dining and I still remember some of those dishes today, and that just shows the power that eating out can give.