'In Greece, food is about culture, not just nourishment': Thorsten Beermann

The executive chef of Hilton Al Hamra lets us into his kitchen

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Published: Thu 28 Mar 2019, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Fri 29 Mar 2019, 1:00 AM

Your favourite memory of food.
My favourite - and most intense - memory of food was the first time I tried street food in Jamaica prepared on the roadside. I tried spicy jerk meat - and the explosion of flavours and textures was unreal to me.
What's the most challenging part of your job?
Turning the insanity into a sense of purpose. Working in the kitchen and spending every day with your team, you grow closer to each other in a very different environment. For an outsider, it might look insane, but that is exactly the breeding ground required for creativity, which gives me a sense of purpose. Every good chef needs to foster this.
Do you have a personal mantra or motto that drives the way you cook food?
Simple but stellar.
If you could cook for a high-profile personality, who would it be and what would you serve him or her?
My wife is my most high profile VIP when it comes to my craft. When I make my authentic spaghetti carbonara, the praise I get is priceless.
How often do you eat out? What's your favourite place around town?
My family and I eat out, more or less, weekly. Toro Toro at Grosvenor House Dubai is my favourite spot; they have amazing food and fantastic service.
After cooking all day, do you cook for yourself at home too?
Yes, I find it relaxing. At home, it's all about comfort food in a comfortable environment. Being with the family and having a home-cooked meal re-connects you with your roots and the people that are most important.
You're asked to invent an unusual dish - what would it be?
Something that people will remember positively. Creating and inventing are two different things, but I would want to invent a new ingredient or flavour combination - something that has not been experienced before.
Who do you admire most in the culinary world, and why?
Grant Achatz - he is a fighter, creator and well known for how he plays with food.
Favourite comfort food?
Masala fried fish. It must be a staple in my diet. It's full of spice and really takes a simple fish to the next level.
One ingredient/ dish you can't stand, and why.
Raisins - love them on their own, but hate them in food (for example, in apple pie or Danish pastries).
If you could choose a last meal, what would you want it to be?
Cretan Dakos from Greece, with lots of fresh olive oil. It is probably one of the most traditional things you'll find in Greece - it just screams sunshine. It is a rye rusk sprinkled with water to soften it, and is topped with freshly-diced tomatoes, black olives, onions and feta cheese.
Your favourite culinary destination, and why?
Greece. The food there is solely based on respect of the ingredient. Food has so much culture at its core and Greek food can translate that so well. It's not just something to nourish yourself with.
Where can we find you, when not in the kitchen?
Wherever I am, I seek experiences. I enjoy my time away from the kitchens primarily with my family or riding my Harley Davidson motorcycle with a group of friends.
- Staff reporter