Josette, renowned for its refined French cuisine, celebrates its second year with the introduction of a new menu and is thrilled to announce the appointment of Chef Rory Duncan as its Head Chef, joining Chef Burcu Cracknell and Josette’s talented culinary team. Together, the team has crafted a new menu that combines traditional French cooking with global influences, heralding a new era of culinary excellence at Josette.
With a career that spans over three decades, Chef Rory brings a wealth of experience and a unique culinary vision to Josette. His journey, from the vibrant kitchens of London to the culinary hotspots of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has been defined by an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Trained under the guidance of culinary legends like Marco Pierre White, Pierre Koffmann, and the late Nico Ladenis, Rory has developed a deep mastery of French cuisine, enriched by his international experiences and personal creative flair.
In describing Josette’s new menu, Rory Duncan said: “It is a celebration of the evolution of French cuisine, where classic meets modern. We’ve taken iconic elements of French cooking and reimagined them with the use of non-traditional ingredients. Our seabass, for example, is served with mussel butter and artichokes.”
New dishes on the menu include Crevettes grilles (grilled prawns), Rotisserie butternut squash risotto, 24-hour slow-cooked duck confit, Grilled octopus salad served with cauliflower textures, Lamb cutlets served with aubergine and Cevennes onion compote, and Seabream carpaccio with light citrus dressing.
The menu will also include some of Josette’s signatures with a slightly new take, including the Entrecôte (Grilled ribeye), Escargots de Josette (snails), Pâtes aux morilles à la truffe (morel pasta with truffle), and Poulet grillé (grilled chicken).
“One item on the menu that we have revamped is Josette’s signature Entrecôte, served with a spinach salad, shallot purée, and a choice of Périgueux, peppercorn, or the special Josette sauce. The shallot purée is a favourite of mine, as you get two different textures from the purée and crispy onion on top.” Rory also adds, “Another favourite, the sea bass, exemplifies our approach: classic in inspiration but innovative in execution, proving that the essence of great cooking lies in harmony and balance.”
Rory described his experience so far at Josette as a natural progression in a familiar environment, saying: “Working alongside Burcu again has been a seamless and familiar experience, allowing us to draw on our shared past at LPM Dubai to bring something truly unique to the table.” Josette new menu will be available starting from April.
Adding to the upcoming excitement, Josette will also be introducing a revamped menu for its ‘Sparkling Afternoons’ experience. Burcu said: “We’re also currently working on a refreshed afternoon tea menu. We believe that our guests deserve an experience that
is as refined as it is enchanting, and we can’t wait to unveil what we’ve been passionately working on.” The new afternoon tea experience will be available on Sundays, 3:30 PM – 5 PM with a live pianist and violinist.
