How easy is working under a three-Michelin chef?

Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire at the InterContinental Festival City, Dubai welcomed new members to its team, including restaurant manager, Kevin Prouve, who was previously the assistant manager for Gagnaire’s Paris restaurant.

Prouve shared the most important elements of training required for a Michelin restaurant with Hotelier Middle East.

He said: “Usually in France, employees of a three-Michelin restaurant primarily come from a culinary school where fine dining is part of their culture and education. At Reflets, just like the Pierre Gagnaire restaurant in Paris, we must pay attention to detail and ensure our guests are at ease while enjoying our high-standard service and food. Because at the end of the day, we are doing everything to represent Pierre Gagnaire's image and vision."

Prouve explained he was involved in the hiring process of service associates in the Dubai restaurant, while chef Francois Xavier Simon was responsible for the kitchen staff. “Qualities I look for in my staff are passion for fine dining and interest in French culinary culture,” said Simon.

“We don't tolerate arrogance as we are all very humble and more of a family than a team,” added Prouve.

He added that there is more to working at Reflets than generally perceived.

“We conduct a lot of training on our a la carte products, like white and black truffle for instance. Culture is also very important, and we discuss geographical topics and world news during our daily briefing as our clientele come from all over the world and we must be comfortable to interact with them, as in a fine dining restaurant, nobody is ‘just a waiter’.

“Being a mentor is crucial, and everywhere I've worked my managers have played the role of mentor with me, and I am now trying to instil the same philosophy with my staff,” he said.

Service in high-end restaurants has evolved, Prouve explained: “Nowadays, service in fine dining restaurants is less uptight and stiff than it used to be. Pierre Gagnaire in particular likes his staff to be warm, generous and approachable.”