The UAE wins BIG at the 2025 The Best Chef Awards. Kraken is coming. The Italian Project hits the bricks. Eats, writes and more. So sit back & enjoy a little Something for the Weekend #21.
I'm loving the great chefs that we know that won. But man, i find these lists hard to enjoy fully. I can't deny the brilliance of Rasmus and Himanshu etc., but there's some sensational chefs that I know well, especially in the UK and Dubai that are supremely talented, and do things with food, seasoning, balance, and innovation that others can only dream of. How do they get missed? What do they need to do to make the list? I fear that the answer is an uncomfortable one.
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I did think Reif was missing from the list at least for Dubai. I think he gets missed on a lot of these list, but I don’t know how much he puts into getting on them in the first place. I think he is focused on running successful restaurants and obviously he’s crushing that.
I agree. Reif is one of the ones I think of. He runs proper restaurants and spends time on his team (as shown by being APEX'S first and longest serving client). His food has a lightness of touch alongside a powerful flavour. Not easy to do and massively underrated.
Kraken for sure! We’re going find out the worst of it next week, but this has always been the danger with this project. You can’t really see the true level of risk in any of these rooms until you start pulling up tiles and smashing through walls. We’ve hoped for the best, but quietly we’ve known it’s not going be a pretty picture. I just hope it’s not something super invasive like having to completely replace the struts because that is very heavy structural work, which is code for very expensive work!
Ah I spied Wawa recently and thought it looked great! Shall probably give it a miss then...
Go because I would also go back to eat the Korean stuff. I just found it a bit same same and the otoro was really disappointing .
In other news, huge love for Girl and the Goose and Gabriella. And impending huge love for Grègoire and Kraken.
Utterly delighted for Gabriela. Watching her star rise has been so heartening to see
I'm loving the great chefs that we know that won. But man, i find these lists hard to enjoy fully. I can't deny the brilliance of Rasmus and Himanshu etc., but there's some sensational chefs that I know well, especially in the UK and Dubai that are supremely talented, and do things with food, seasoning, balance, and innovation that others can only dream of. How do they get missed? What do they need to do to make the list? I fear that the answer is an uncomfortable one.
Also, Ana coming second? I had some questions around this.
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I did think Reif was missing from the list at least for Dubai. I think he gets missed on a lot of these list, but I don’t know how much he puts into getting on them in the first place. I think he is focused on running successful restaurants and obviously he’s crushing that.
I agree. Reif is one of the ones I think of. He runs proper restaurants and spends time on his team (as shown by being APEX'S first and longest serving client). His food has a lightness of touch alongside a powerful flavour. Not easy to do and massively underrated.
Informative stuff, goose. 🫵🏼🪿
Cheers Nouran! I hope you’re well! I’ve seen that you’ve been out eating quite a bit and the videos look ace as usual!
Thank you, Liam! September has been super delicious that’s very true.😁 thank you! 😍
Ooooof! That ceiling looks devastating -- so sorry to hear this. Feel like we need a catch-up soon, maybe at Kraken?
Kraken for sure! We’re going find out the worst of it next week, but this has always been the danger with this project. You can’t really see the true level of risk in any of these rooms until you start pulling up tiles and smashing through walls. We’ve hoped for the best, but quietly we’ve known it’s not going be a pretty picture. I just hope it’s not something super invasive like having to completely replace the struts because that is very heavy structural work, which is code for very expensive work!