Sitting across from celebrity chef Tim Raue, with his perfectly styled hair and easy demeanour, one would never know of his hardfought street past. The 43-year-old German has come a long way from the streets of Berlin's Kreuzberg district in the 1980s, where, as a teenager, he used his fists to settle disputes.
For fans of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, the two Michelin-starred chef’s past comes as no surprise — he had an abusive father and a non-existent mother. In the opening scene of the episode Raue states he’s an egotistical taskmaster in the kitchen. In person, while he maintains his fiery attitude and no-nonsense approach, he could not be more different from his on-screen persona.
Today, the chef is hardly short of achievements. Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin has two Michelin stars, he’s on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and has a hit Netflix episode that has generated a new millennial fan following. So why did he decide on Dubai his next move as his new venture?
“Dubai picked me. I don’t want to spread myself around the world so it has to be a very special place if I am to lend my name to a project,” Raue told Caterer Middle East during an interview at his CityWalk restaurant, Dragonfly by Tim Raue.
Raue’s unlicensed restaurant opened six months ago. By his own admission, things haven’t been great, but he doesn’t seem worried about the restaurant covers just yet.
“What we learnt in the last six months is that there are two different types of clients: the locals who have a different taste in food and what they want, and then you have the expats and Westerners. So if you want to be there for Westerners you have to have an alcohol license. Sometimes when you open in an environment that’s not a 100% finalised like City Walk then you have to wait for a bit, and I’m okay with that. I’m not in a hurry,” he says.
In Dubai, licensing can make or break a restaurant but Raue remains hopeful.
“I’m not worried about the fact that we aren’t licensed in Dubai. If you see the reviews that we get people are happy and satisfied. "It’ll help Westerners come to the area. Westerners come here once and give great reviews, but for them to come back they need the booze.”
Raue has brought his award-winning menu to Dubai, but with a twist. His new Ramadan experience will cater to local diners by keeping flavours uncomplicated. The Ramadan menu at Dragonfly by Tim Raue will consist of dim sumsand signature dishes such as the wasabi langoustine.
But the chef is of two different minds when asked if Dubai is ready for the Michelin Guide.
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