Situated in Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotels & Suites, The Croft officially opened to the public on September 15, with chef Darren Velvick and restaurant manager Jane Nedanoski cooking and chatting up a storm.

With the focus on home-grown, local fare with a modern touch and a down-to-earth feel, The Croft was created with a refurb of an existing restaurant. Nedanoski spoke to us about the behind-the-knife work that went into making one of Dubai’s newest restaurants razor sharp.

Were you involved in the fit-out and/or design and/or layout of the kitchen?

Yes, we had US $50,000 to make changes within the outlet. With this, and devoted help from our team, we made some great low-cost changes to fit in with our concept; sourcing quirky elements to enhance the outlet. For example, we added black board art on the pillars and wooden features throughout the restaurant to give it more of an organic feel.

Story continues below
Advertisement

What are a kitchen’s crucial features?

Our main feature at The Croft is the open kitchen where we removed the glass that would usually divide customers from the area. This way, our guests can partake and watch the cooking in action and allow us to interact with them with no barriers.

What is your one desert-island product that you can’t live without?

Himalayan salt — I use it for everything, including cooking and cleaning. It also has great health benefits.

What is your (or the restaurant’s) signature dish?

It would have to be the organic chicken from Al Ain — beautiful local chicken which we then stuff with foie gras and truffles.

Who are some of your kitchen’s notable suppliers?

The brand of the stove and cooking range is Angelo Po (Italian). The restaurant itself was initially designed by the LW Design Group when it was a Mediterranean outlet. The Croft retained certain elements of that but the team brought in our own charm and taste to enhance the whole area.

Fun figure?

On an average Thursday, we go through 15kg of organic potatoes for our fish and chips and mashed potatoes.