DUBAI: Dubai’s The Nice Guy, the first international outpost of the West Hollywood Italian restaurant known for its “no photos” policy, is a dream-come-true assignment for its head chef, Robert Stevens.
“My favorite thing about (the job) is for sure the team,” he tells Arab News. “Teamwork makes the dream work. The venue is so beautiful. I love the feeling of walking into the restaurant when the live band is playing and the restaurant is full.”
Stevens’ introduction to the restaurant industry came in his home country of Finland after he graduated with a culinary diploma from the Turku Vocational Institute.
Dubai’s The Nice Guy is the first international outpost of the West Hollywood Italian restaurant known for its “no photos” policy. (Supplied)
“My first inspiration to become a chef was foraging and fishing in Finland’s beautiful nature,” he says.
Here, Stevens talks teamwork, seasoning, and Korean cuisine.
When you started out what was the most common mistake you made?
Not properly seasoning my dishes. I often relied too heavily on the final seasoning at the end of cooking instead of adjusting flavors throughout the process. I learned the importance of layering flavors, tasting as I go, and understanding how seasoning interacts with different ingredients.
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What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Embrace the process and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Cooking is about experimentation, so if you forget an ingredient or something doesn’t turn out as expected, view it as a learning opportunity.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Salt. It enhances the natural flavors of ingredients, balances sweetness, and can even elevate textures.
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What’s the most common mistake/issue that you find in other restaurants?
A lack of balance in flavors — dishes can be either over-salted or under-seasoned. And inattentive service always detracts from the overall experience.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
Korean. I love it for its emphasis on fermentation, which not only adds depth of flavor but also leaves you feeling light and refreshed. The balance of spicy, savory, and umami flavors in dishes like kimchi jjigai and bibimbap is so satisfying.
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What’s your favorite dish to cook?
I don’t have a specific favorite dish — I’m inspired by the seasonal produce available. Cooking with fresh, in-season ingredients allows me to create vibrant, flavorful meals that highlight the best of what each season has to offer.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
Risotto is the most difficult. We have a butternut squash risotto on our new brunch menu. Achieving the perfect creamy texture while ensuring the rice is cooked just right can be challenging. It requires constant attention and a delicate balance of adding stock gradually. Despite its simplicity, timing and technique make it a dish that demands focus and precision.
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What are you like as a head chef? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laid back?
I lean towards a more laidback style. Having worked in many high-paced kitchens, I prioritize teamwork and trust in my staff. I also emphasize support for mental health, recognizing that hospitality can be a really tough industry. It’s essential for my team to know they have support when they’re feeling down, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
CHEF ROBERT’S ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ALMOND AND BROWN BUTTER BURNED LEEK
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Ingredients per plate:
-120g roasted cauliflower
-20gr Butter
-10 gr Cauliflower shavings
-2gr Salt
-1gr Pepper
-10gr Burned leeks
-10gr Truffle oil
-1 portion Almond brown butter puree
-Mustard cress to garnish
Plating
1) Sautee the roasted cauliflower in frying pan until golden.
2) Baste cauliflower with butter and truffle oil.
3) Heat up almond brown butter puree.
4) One table spoon of puree into the plate.
5) Pile cauliflower on top.
6) Garnish with shave cauliflower, burned leeks and mustard cress.
7) Season with Maldon salt and few drops of truffle oil.
Sub recipes:
Almond and brown butter puree (2 portion)
-120gr butter
-350gr cauliflower
-150 gr peeled almonds (soaked)
-60 gr shallots
-6gr garlic
-salt to taste
-100gr vegetable stock
Method:
1) Soak almonds overnight in water.
2) Cook butter until brown and skim off milk.
3) Cook cauliflower in salted boiling water until soft.
4) Sweat shallots and garlic in the brown butter until soft.
5) Blend all ingredients until very smooth. Use pacojet if available.
6) Season with salt and pepper.
Burned leeks
1) Cut the white part of the leeks into 10cm-long pieces and slice into half.
2) Cook in oven at 250 C until completely burned.
Roasted cauliflower
1) Cut cauliflower into half.
2) Seasoned with salt, pepper, olive oil and thyme . Add 50 ml vegetable stock into container.
3) Cook in the oven at 180 C covered with aluminum foil for 25 min.
4) Uncover cauliflower and raise temperature to 220C cook for 15 min until it starts to caramelized and the cauliflower is cooked.
