This high-stake qualifying round for Seafood Scotland’s Chef Poissonnier of the Year UAE was fierce. The highly competitive battle produced 8 top-scoring chefs who have made it through to the filmed ‘live’ semi-final heats being held at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in Dubai, on 21st March 2022 for the ultimate Scottish Seafood ‘cook off’.
The 8 semi-finalists are:
Saraj Mohamad, Commis chef, 3 Fils
James Knight-Pacheco, Executive Chef, ME Dubai
Kabeer Rayamarakkar, Head Chef of Hurricane Bar and Grill, JBR, Dubai
Jorge Rodriguez, Head Chef of Tortuga and Executive Sous Chef, Mina A’ Salam Hotel – Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
Indong Jung, Head Chef, COYA, Dubai
Nigel Lobo, Group Executive Chef, Stars n’ Bars, UAE
Prashant Aripirala, Head Chef, McGettigan’s, Ajman
Islam Ezzat Masoud – Junior Sous Chef at Caesars Palace, Bluewaters Dubai
Of the 8 contesting chefs, 4 winners from the semi-finals will compete in the filmed ‘live’ finals, with extensive UAE media coverage in May 2022, where a panel of judges will score finalists across several criteria.
So how did they get this far?
Over the last few months UAE chefs from different culinary backgrounds went head-to-head in a 2-part qualifying round.
The tough qualifying round challenge required chefs to demonstrate their seafood knowledge, skills, and creativity. Part 1, a ‘Knowledge and Skills Challenge’ held online, quizzed chefs on their Scottish seafood knowledge, including classic culinary techniques and generic fish skills. With a 10-minute timer ticking, chefs had to answer 20 multiple-choice questions.
In Part 2 of the challenge, within a set time limit, chefs were required to submit a written seafood recipe for any seafood dish from ‘Around the World’ of their choice using Scottish salmon, for 4 covers, with the inclusion of a full list of all ingredients used and the method for producing their dish. In this part of the challenge, chefs were judged on the range of ingredients used, the imagination of the dish, use of different textures through the dish, balance of flavours, understanding of a dishes regionality, techniques used in getting the best from the ingredients used and use of ingredients to effectively show acknowledgement of minimum waste whilst preparing.
The chef crowned ‘Chef Poissonnier of the Year UAE’ will win a once in a lifetime all-expenses-paid educational trip to the beautiful remote Highlands and Islands of Scotland, an opportunity to perfect their fish skills with the masters of seafood and the world’s greatest fishermen and fisheries, a personal tour of a traditional Scottish smokehouse, a premium personalised Bragard Chefs Jacket and more!
For more coverage of the competition and to keep up to date, please visit www.sfschefcompetition.com
