WORDS: OLIVIA MORRIS
Authentic
Where does your love for food come from? My father who worked in the Hospitality industry gave me the passion for this profession. What brought you to Dubai? My first job was in Dubai, for the opening of the One & Only Royal Mirage. For 3 years, I was mentored by Lew Kathreptis. Several years later and
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after some experiences around the world, I was back in Dubai, where it all began, for an exciting and challenging project: La Cantine du Faubourg. Talk us through the concept of Gohan. The main guideline when it comes to Gohan was to get as close as possible to authentic
Japanese food with a twist of modernity and street food. I wanted the concept to be straightforward in terms of taste but also accessible and not fine dining. What are the hero dishes at Gohan? Among the most popular dishes, there is the Miso soup with spicy crab and tofu, the Chawan mushi with caviar, the Shrimp okonomiyaki, Black Angus beef & cheese, Crispy Chilean sea bass and the Matcha sponge cake of course! What sets the F&B industry in Dubai apart from the rest of the world? The Dubai F&B industry is particularly interesting as it reflects the mix of cultures and nationalities we can find here. The spending power is also very high in Dubai, so it allows us to provide and work with good quality and high-end products. Describe the process that goes into curating new menus and new dish ideas. Personally, my main inspirations come from books. Travelling is also a great source of inspiration as it has been for Gohan with my travels to Japan. What have been the milestones throughout your career? My career choices have been guided by some chefs such as Lew Kathreptis and Gordon Ramsay. A big milestone was when I won a Michelin Star for the French restaurant L’Auberge à la Bonne Idée. The objective was loud and clear: I head the kitchen, I do whatever I want to do, but I had to get a Michelin star within two years. And so I did. Another milestone is when Gordon Ramsay called me to work in Qatar by his side to open two restaurants at the Saint-Regis and then two in Hong Kong. Finally, I am now back in Dubai where my career began. I chose to join La Cantine du Faubourg as the Executive Chef for the optimistic dynamic and I am now Corporate Chef of the Group. What’s next for Gohan in 2022? Among all the projects and ideas for Gohan, the goal for me is to maintain the consistency of the venue.
IMAGES: SUPPLIED
Gohan Dubai is the new Japanese speakeasy by the team at La Cantine du Faubourg. We spoke to Chef Gilles Bosquet to find out why it’ll be the go-to dining spot for 2022
LIFESTYLE
12/20/21 2:39 PM
