Executive Chef Sergio Cabrera, an Argentinian national, has 21 years of culinary experience, five of which are in the UAE.
Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?
I graduated from the Culinary Institute of Argentina in 2005. Soon after, I grabbed my suitcase, and decided to move to Spain to gain experience in cooking Mediterranean cuisine.
After working at Spain’s luxury hospitality company Le Relais & Chateaux, I began working at the three Michelin-starred Martin Berasategui restaurant, located in the culinary-centric Basque region of Spain. I then spent some time honing my skills in working with fish and Japanese dishes at Nobu, Miami.
Then, I went back to Latin America to gain more experience in my country Argentina, and Chile, working with our traditional flavours. In 2015, I moved to the Middle East; the UAE is like a second home. I have been learning and developing my career from day one.
What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?
My favourite dish is a BBQ, which we call ‘asado’ in my country; it combines tender, juicy meat with fire and a grill, and the most important part is the meaning behind it, sharing it with friends and family.
What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.
I’m cooking up a tenderloin with magic mashed potatoes, corn in different textures and Nestlé Demi-Glace.
As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?
Since arriving in the UAE, I could see the increase in demand for local ingredients such as vegetables, lamb and fish; it’s very important to buy local and include more of it in our daily cooking.
What are some of the most recent important food trends you can tell us about?
I believe that we have been experiencing a gastronomic revolution in all aspects for a few years now. In everything we do, if we do it with responsibility and dedication, it will become a food trend. While we need to stay on top of innovation, we should always respect the product offered.
What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?
It’s very important to have consistent quality and competitive pricing, especially during these Covid-19 times.