Culinary collaborations have been around for years with chefs working hand in hand for ticketed dinners or recurring events. In addition to giving guests an incredible chance to partake in the experiences created by not one, but two (or more) notable chefs, collaborations are powerful drivers towards learning best practices, discovering new suppliers, and the use of local produce.
Looking back at his recent Copenhagen pop-up at JuJu, Chef Reif Othman, a Dubai-based owner and restaurateur shares that international collaborations amongst chefs creates an immense sense of community and camaraderie which is also beneficial for the industry. He said: “Overseas collaborations are an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and a chance to spend time with talented colleagues. Traveling is all about education and learning from each other’s culture. The Danes prioritize the use of local produce and I had the opportunity to work directly with farm owners that supply fresh and premium ingredients to the chefs and restaurants.”
Kristian Baumann, chef and owner of JuJu Restaurant, which welcomed Reif and his team, said that by honoring the use of local produce, “It empowers a whole ecosystem of suppliers to strengthen their produce regionally which positively affects the economy.” Done right, apart from fostering knowledge sharing and expertise, collaborations also benefit both chef, diners, and the supplier community.
The ethos of both chefs revolving on sustainability and implementing zero-waste cuisine drove synergy between teams making their recent event a success while learning trends in sustainable practices and becoming more conscious about food waste.
Reif explained that “By embracing a zero waste mindset, the F&B industry could dramatically cut down on unwanted trash. A common practice at Reif Japanese Kushiyaki is using every part of the ingredient that you are cooking with. Our chicken dishes for example use all parts of the produce from bone to broth. The meat and skin is used for kushiyakis, chicken rice, and more while the bones and off-cuts are simmered for 18 hours to create our signature chicken ramen broth.”
The one night only event where both chefs joined forces to curate a 9 course tasting menu fusing Korean cuisine – which thoughtfully blends inspiration from global travels with the diversity of Nordic ingredients – paired with Reif’s innovative and creative approach and chef Baumann’s exceptional touch was a full-house success.
“It’s always great to make new friends. Especially when it’s people like Chef Reif and his team, who are adaptable, have an open mind, and are ready to share their experience and knowledge. That and the fact they’re cooking from the heart – really shines through”, said Krisitian.
Reif added that: “The effects of successful partnerships can reach well beyond the actual event. I am grateful for Chef Kristian and his team which gracefully welcomed us to their city. I look forward to inviting them to Dubai in the future and create another collaboration dinner in one of my upcoming outlets.”
The key takeaway of these collabs is the sense of familiarity and discovery – the way in which chefs co-create soulful, heartfelt meals while working together as they impart experiences they’ve learned from throughout their global culinary journey.
