Chef interview: Enrico Bartolini

What is your opinion of Roberto’s?

Roberto’s is a successful restaurant. I’d visited before I met Amin Kadrie (chairman of Skelmore Hospitality). In the kitchen, I’ve started collaborating with the team. I want to work with the chefs here and in Abu Dhabi. I will definitely respect what they’ve been doing in the restaurant because Andrea Mugavero and Alessandro Miceli are wonderful chefs. They think differently than I do, but I respect their flavours and the experience they have in the Middle East.

Any pressure after receiving Michelin stars at your age?

Actually, it helped me a lot because when I received my second Michelin star, it was like receiving compliments for what I did a year before.

What’s next?

I want to strengthen my second Michelin star — not alone, but with my team. In Italy I have three colleagues whom I can speak to about everything, and this helps to manage the restaurant, the bistro and the catering. In the Middle East, I will start to think differently for the menu for Roberto’s Abu Dhabi.

Advice for young chefs?

All chefs must know the technical base. They have to respect the team they work with. Then they need to specialise — whether pastry or pasta.