The Chef JKP Podcast
The Chef JKP Podcast
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Giovanni Papi - Armani, The Burj Khalifa and Michelin!
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Giovanni's passion for his craft is palpable.
In this episode, he shares how he believes in the power of food to bring people together, to create memories, and to evoke emotions.
It is this belief that drives him to constantly push the boundaries of Italian cuisine and create dishes that not only satisfy the palate but also touch the soul.
With a coveted Michelin star and two toques in the Gault and Millau guide, Giovanni has become a prominent figure in the MENA region's gastronomy.
ChefJKP and Giovanni discuss:
• Guest's Impact on UAE Food Scene and Michelin Recognition
• Challenges and Growth in Shanghai's Culinary Scene
• Learning Through Language Barriers and Kitchen Dynamics
• Seasonal Work Patterns and Exploring New Cuisines
• Transition to Dubai and Joining Armani Ristorante
• Humility and Growth: Stepping into Sous-Chef Role in Dubai
You can follow Giovanni on HERE
The podcast is bought to you by Twentyone06 - you can follow them on HERE
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE
That's right. The podcast is now on YouTube, so you can watch all of the interviews at your leisure. At the same time, your contribution to the show by hitting that subscribe button makes a monumental difference to the show,
as you can keep inviting the guests you love and keep having the conversations that no one else is having. The only thing that I ask is that you share the show. Welcome to the Chef JKP podcast with me,
James Knight Pacheco. checko. memories.
Wherever you are in the world, whatever you're doing, I ask that you sit back and listen and perhaps take away a few more sorts of advice. There will be laughter,
we're gonna get serious. Above all, lessons for life. You're listening to the Chef JKP podcast and this is what you can expect on today's show.
I was crying. This I started. During these two weeks, I was starting to study French. That's why French... is my first language that I learned after Italian, after English came.
It was, a lot of feelings was there, it was my first job outside of Italy, I was the only Italian person among the old French chef,
yes, the moment was quite there, the really challenge started. This is the challenge start. I remember the question,
the first question who asked to me was, you was executive chef in China. Why you want to come back here for SuChef's speciality? I say,
chef, I'm really honest. I feel that I still have a lot of learn. I need to grow. I would like to keep growing, learn, and be part of. your team.
It was really come from Sincerely. A chef was agree on that. Shanghai as well helped me to enter in the world of Michelin because I have the pleasure to meet Chef Pierre Gagnere.
Of course, during the years I was studying Italian chef, like Guattiero Marchesi is the chef who really inspired me to do the Italian cuisine, to travel the world.
Guattiero Marchesi. first, Massimo Bottura after reading his book, listen to him to talk about the, be curious, be passionate, you know, love people, love food.
And this is what I carry during my experience. (upbeat music) - The chef we have on the show today has made a big impact on the UAE food scene. The restaurant where he creates modern Italian dishes is located within the tallest building on the-- planet.
And if that's not enough, the restaurant has a coveted Michelin star, two toks in the go and mellow guide, and he is a prominent figure within the MENA region when it comes to all things gastronomy.
He is the speciality head chef of the Michelin starred restaurant Armani Ristorante in Dubai. On the podcast this week, I talk to none other than Giovanni Paolo.
We discuss his formative years as a trainee, as well as his extensive travels within Europe, China and the Middle East. We also discuss what it's like to work in the legendary kitchens of Alain Ducasse,
to then being on the stage and receiving the iconic Michelin chef's jacket. Giovanni is a real gent, softly spoken, but you really feel his energy and passion come alive when discussing all things food.
Listen out for a story involving 20 kilos of fish. Time to rock and roll. Just before we begin, here is a small message from this week's guest.
Hi, I'm Giovanni Pappi from Armani Ristorante, Armani Hotel Dubai. If you like the podcast, please make sure to follow, share and subscribe. Welcome back to the Chef JKP podcast.
and on the show today we have an incredible guest he is the head chef of the Michelin star Armani ristorante Giovanni Papi Giovanni welcome to the show good morning James welcome thank you for having me so first thing is first I know that you're Italian so I want you to tell me your first or favorite ever food memory as a child?
As a child still today my food memory is definitely two dishes that I still remember and I still one of these having in my menu today.
It's definitely the pastel pomodoro from my mother's side. It was the everyday meal since we was child and the second one it was from my father's side my grandmother's dish.
dish was the couscous and I tell you why this couscous recipe. My grandmother's side was Sicilian origins but immigrating to Tunisia at that time.
We talked about maybe 60 years ago. So once the civil war came of course all the foreigner people for Italian and everything was sending out from the city and of course the family went split.
So my auntie went to France and my grandmother went to Sardinia, my hometown and where my father born and that's why this culture of food came from.
Wow. So tell me first of all about the Pomodoro dish. What's so special about that for you? Very simple dish, pasta al pomodoro, but so incredible, patient and patient.
to prepare it, you know? Pasta al pomodoro was the everyday meal, very simple, and was available every lunch, but not only in the lunch, but also, you know, the takeaway food in the afternoon,
and it was super good once it's hot, once it was cold, and my grandmother used to cook every day at home. So today, I really carry on this recipe once I get chance to come back home.
because my grandmother's for my mother's side is still there she cooks today still and this dish is in my menu current menu I love that I love that it's on the menu that's amazing yes I quite like and and I was obviously I wasn't aware the couscous I really like that so what's special about the the specific couscous for you you know we talk about since the young age seven years well old,
I used to spend a long time with my grandmother's side, father's side, because my father was to work in the nightclub like Barman, so they used to work in the night.
And me, of course, I would stay with my grandmother to sleep at home. The couscous was the dish of the Sunday. This was the famous family meal, which all the family come in the house and...
share. The Italian cuisine is all about sharing food, stay together, sharing meal, the long preparation. So we used to wake up maybe four o 'clock in the morning to have him breakfast together.
At the time, I was only me and her because his husband was already passed away. Me, I didn't know my grandfather. He just passed away one year before I... - You were born?
- I was born. So she started, you know, a big process in terms of cleaning the vegetables, watch the meat, prepare the meat and everything. And me, after the breakfast,
it was 4 .30 to 5 .00 a .m., I used to sit on the table and watch my grandmother starting to all this process preparation. I started this early morning to have the food ready for one o 'clock.
Oh my God. Talk about long cooking, very couple... low fire, you know, this vegetable was a lot of love. A lot of love. There is no boiling in the water,
it was just a simple low fire, you know, and the vegetable, the meat, we used to cook all these hours until one o 'clock, the time was lunchtime and the food was ready.
So, we used to stay there and admire this process. You must have actually learnt a huge amount during that time. Yes.
I mean, you probably were not even thinking about it then, but you must have learnt so much and spent such valuable time. A lot of time, yes. Spent a lot of time with her and after I started,
you know, just do simple things like pass her the vegetable and admire her washing the vegetable. vegetables and start, you know, the semula, the blue.
Semula was working with very kind, you know, to have the warm water, put a little bit of water, massage the semula to make the grain, to the next step,
to the steam and after cook. They have this pan, you know, for the couscous. You have this three sauce pan, one boiling, one steam and the top.
top of on top the vegetable. So everything was cooked in one single pan divided into three steps. And after, of course, you will open the, you remove the vegetable,
you have the meat, you remove the meat, you have the semolina. And after, of course, you would mix together everything. And it was just the amazing, how fantastic was how fantastic.
Yeah. So then as you were getting a little bit older, sort of as a teenager, what were your sort of day -to -day or go -to foods sort of growing up?
Was definitely not difficult for me to choose my currently job. So since that time, I already know that from when I was growing, kitchen has been my work,
my passion. So you wanted to, you knew you wanted to be in the kitchen. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. time, the patient was growing in me. - Okay. - Seeing this feeling with the food. - So that's why I,
once I was growing, I have this, my mind was growing, say I want to do the cooking school and become one day, even, of course, you dream to become, but during the process,
you don't know. - Of course. - If you really, because you know life, if we put you in front of some, life, life things. Yes, yes. Definitely, I start to work in the kitchen,
starting with the cooking school. So how old were you when that started? My first experience in the kitchen was 16 years old. Yes, first apprentice, training in the cooking school first.
And how long was the school? How long was that course for? The course, no. it was the first government school, which was five years. But to be honest with you, it was not too much practical.
It was too much theoretical. And chefs love theory. - I have this refusing with the math.
I was horrible in mathematics. So it definitely was not for me, this school. school. So at that moment, it was between the 17 and 18 years old.
In my hometown, Bosa, the region was decided to open some regional school of hospitality. So it was just a cooking and FMB training for only three years.
And it was very less practical and a lot of, very less technical and a lot of practical. Right. So I have decided to quit the first school and transfer in the city. one. Okay.
So I start there to work in the chef. So I decide I choose the cooking side, of course. Naturally. Naturally. And the professor on this school was the executive chef in the in the winter,
of course, that in the summer they used to work as executive chef in the hotel in the Sardinia, in the Costas Meralda, in the north. So this was being contacted by the school. It brings them here to teach us from the very beginning,
ABC of the base. So we start like this. The good point was after the first year, the chefs, they bring us directly in their hotel to do the first apprenticeship.
Amazing. Okay. So after the first year finished the scholastic year, we start the first apprenticeship in the summer. So the first year. just so I understand,
you were doing sort of the basics, right? So knife work, understanding vegetables, going through different fish, meats.
Did you do pastry as well? A little bit? A little bit, not too much. We really was focused on, you know, cut of vegetables, all the kind of cut, Brunoise,
Mirepoix, Julienne. Okay. Okay. And of course. the classic French classic French. Yes, this was the really beginning of the base. OK, which is good because you need. Yes. Right. So then after you finished,
what happened next? Finished these three years of of school. I got the certificate, so certificates of coming one. And really after these three years,
I start my first experience. experience as a Komiwan in my experience starting in the Costa Esmeralda Hotel in Cala Divolpe Hotel. So between four years,
I've been working all in the summer season. So you already had a lot of experience? The first one was as a Komi of course, and the job of the Komi was not like today, which is everything is more easy,
but that I, you know, muscles, fish to the bone, feel it very very basic stuff from the school, which is today, I thanks this because we cannot be a chef without pass from the very beginning base.
Correct. Yeah. So then you did all of this. But what I'm particularly interested in is how you went away and started working at the kitchens of Alam Dukas,
because I think this is quite big. big, you know, to work with somebody or to work especially within the kitchens of someone so iconic. How was that experience for you?
Was that in Italy or was it in France? It was in France. Why? Because in Italy I was working only in summertime and wintertime I was at home.
So after the third summer season, I have to say it was not enough work only on the summertime. summertime. My first target come, you know, when I understand that this job was really what I want to do in my life,
I want to really take seriously. And French, of course, after the Italy have learned of the basis of my roots, because what I always say before go outside and learn other culture,
we really need to know where we come from. And my Italian culture, root, I have to know exactly everything about Italian cuisine. So what's up? ready to step out of it from Italy, and the first city that came to my mind was French,
of course. So I started to search jobs in French. I found one contact there, it was my auntie living in Côte d 'Azur. I really called her asking if it was a possibility to host me in her house,
and after me I was preparing my CV and going around. to search job Okay, I really want was determined Determined to go in French and find everything and that was your first travel abroad abroad in Italy So it's quite a beautiful place to go code does or code does work.
Yes. It's beautiful. Yes Is that must have been quite nice for you walking the streets? Yes. Yes. Yes. The first trip was so scary Mm -hmm.
Let's take the the really the baggage and go see my father you know say I was quite scary for the first time because when I was in Sardinia it was easy just one hour from my home yeah it was very easy so nothing compared the first trip in French yeah yeah yeah wow all the baggage we I go I don't know when we see you again but definitely I got this opportunity my auntie said,
come, I will host you. Nice. And after that, I will help you to find something. So I just take 50 CV. Wow. A few t -shirts in my bag. So the CV was in French or in Italian?
No, it was in Italian. Yes. Yes. Well, in Italian, French, still, I didn't speak nothing at the time. Sure, sure, sure. I went there. I went there.
I went there. It was just, you know, love at the first site. Once I arrived there, the first two days, of course, I didn't do, I just rest. And I buy one little book with all the basic words in French.
Okay, very good. This was the first. I start to go around with my auntie, door by door, sending CV, waiting for the first call.
We was the city of Juallepan. Juale Pan. Juale Pan is just the heart of Côte d 'Azur. It's between Nice and Cannes. - Oh, wow. - It's very beautiful. - Beautiful spot to walk. - Yes, Mediterranean Sea. Antibes,
very famous city. - Yes, of course. - It's happened that the second, maybe the third door, no mistake, the third door that we give the CV, the second one,
it just came out from the door and the call has. I say, "We have a job for you." you we have job for you and this hotel was the Hotel Ijwalaipan Hotel Ijwalaipan Hotel Ijwalaipan is the hotel where Chef Alan Dukas got his first stars two years before.
Amazing. Just lucky. Yes. I can say yes I can say yes it was by chance by already but I really was ready already determined to enter in the French culinary world.
I was so young, I was 18 years old. - And Giovanni, at that time at 18, were you aware of who Alan Ducasse was? - No, absolutely no.
No, I don't know who Chef Alan Ducasse was. I didn't start straight away. I just wait maybe two weeks before starting. because the hotel was coming to close from the summer season and going into the high season.
- Okay, and also can I just ask at that age or throughout your culinary education, were you aware about Michelin or not really? - Not really,
not really. The time all what I understand was just cooking, learn about the Michelin, the high season. cuisine, I can say, he just come after over my process.
Okay. Yes. So then after those two weeks, you joined that kitchen, tell me about your first day. I was crying. This I started.
During these two weeks, I will start to study French. French is my first language that I learned after Italian, after English came. A lot of feelings were. there was my first job outside of Italy.
I was the only Italian person among the old French chef. Tough. Yes, tough. Yes, the moment was quite there. The really challenge start.
He's this is the challenge start. OK, the challenge with myself. I say, oh, you look back and you give up or you look forward. and you really start to push." Yes.
Yes. So this first day, for the rest of maybe three weeks, it was hard because the chef, all the team was there.
No one speaks Italian, and I'm not speaking one word of French, not even Chao. And Chao was just simple Chao, but that time I didn't know. It was like this. Wow.
Wow. So we just communicate through body language. Right. I'll give you this vegetable. I'll show you one, you continue.
Okay. It was like this. So first eight hours, maybe ten, and after finish, go home, study. My first lessons on French was the vegetable,
knife words, chopping board words. words, all the culinary... Again, the basics. The basics, but in French language, this was the... So you had two major challenges,
actually, if you think about it. You had to not only learn the language again, but you also had to learn the kitchen language and be in quite a established Michelin kitchen and you were the only...
Italian person there. So that must have been quite difficult. And as well as that, mentally, you were away from your family for the first time. Yes. So of course, all of that put together is quite a difficult situation to be in,
especially at 18. Yes. But so what happened after those first initial sort of three weeks when you started studying and starting to get to know everybody?
Yeah. I still remember remember now how the sous chef is introduce himself to me. So after the chef I came, he didn't say his name, he said,
"I am the bad person in this kitchen." Nice to meet you. - In French. - In French, of course. I say, "I'm Giovanni." They turned my head. And after this,
I know his name, I think after two weeks, after. my apprentice Ash in this team. So it was quite difficult to speak with the,
because of course we know the French Yerarchie was a discipline, principally I went there to learn this, form my character,
discipline and everything. But of course, once you're in, you really feel this first step like this. The shock was quiet. quite positive away. - Okay,
okay. - Day by day, start with very basic things. I see, I think my first blue lobster after three weeks of work, premium ingredient is there that I start,
you know, San Jacques, scallops, oysters, caviar. Is it in French that I start to see this high quality ingredient for the first time? - Okay. - I can say. - So how big was that ready?
at the time as in like how many seats? - You know, was the restaurant gastronomic French. They have, the day maybe was fine dining, but in French fine dining was not really used the word.
- At that time? - Yes. It was a restaurant gastronomic, which is the restaurant with macaron Michelin. - Right, right, right. Yes. - So very simple, like 38 seats. - Okay.
- Plus of course, the kitchen was, there is two kitchen, one for the guests of the hotel breakfast and one focus on the Alakart restaurant. How was of course part of the team in Alakart restaurant doing,
you know, scaly fish. At that time I even didn't touch the lobster. My duty was just the scaly fish like dorad, seabream, red mullet,
you know, rougé barbet. I still remember the, it was just scale, debone, cleaning side, but maybe 20 kg of fish every day. So the challenge was to finish the task in a very short time.
And how many hours a day were you working? Eh, there we talk about eight a .m. until maybe a little break and after 11, 13,
12 p .m. So it's quite, it was full on, full on. - It was full -on, yes, full -on day. So back home, sleep, study English, call home, cry a little bit.
(both laughing) And after, ready for the next day. - So how long did you stay at that place for? - That place I worked for six months. You know, I start to, also the book was not enough,
but you know how I start to learn French? The day was the TV. TV. I had one, a small TV in the room. There is this comic French comic people was talking in the TV.
And I saw the public laughing. And me, I was laughing with them alone in my room without understanding nothing. I was just laughing. But you have to find a way. You have to find a way to learn and be with the team.
TV was always there on speaking French. My book was there. So I was always on the TV was on. Try to absurd all these words in French.
And also you didn't really have anybody sort of teaching you. Yeah, yeah. So during the day off, I, my auntie came because she they live in grass. He's one city just outside the Côte d 'Azur.
So during half day, I spent my half day with them. Right. And yes. But the rest of the week, I used to come back at work and focus all the day there. Wow. Yeah. So what happened after that stint?
Where was your next move? He's always... I finished the winter, so it was quite a good season. Hotel Joana, as I will always remember,
because it's my first job in French. I went outside to have one pizza. I remember during my day off, it was already maybe April, so winter was finishing, starting in the spring.
the spring, I went out to eat and I found a lot of restaurant stand -alone, I just ate something. It was one Italian restaurant at the time. I just ordered,
I tell, people was just working there, in Hotel Ijuana, chef come out, was an Italian chef. I say, but our season is going to start soon,
our summer season is going to start soon. How you been? be interested to work with us for the next six months? I say, "Look, yes, I will be definitely interested to join your team." So,
that contract was almost finished in Hotel Giorna because it just was a seasonal contract because the hotel was going to close. I have decided to join this Italian restaurant. So, it was,
again, it was maybe the time I have decided. to come back to something that was more comfortable to familiar, you know, the time the numbers was,
you know, a restaurant in Côte d 'Azur is open only for dinner. You do a big amount of guests, you replace the table two, three times. I was not really into the fine night.
At the time, I was just trying to experience things, absorb culture. and know people through food. So I didn't know exactly what I want to, if work on a fine dining restaurant or restaurant gastronomic or big restaurant like two,
three, four hundred packs every night. Okay. So it was just to adapt myself to the French style, the hierarchy style. Yeah. Yeah. And you took the job?
I took the job. And again, it was seasonal? Yeah. Yeah. It was seasonal? Yeah. Yeah. April, May, until the end of September. So it was good because the restaurant have only for dinner time,
but the same owner have a few restaurants in the beach as well. 'Cause the Juale Pam is a beach place, plus there is of course a little center. And the restaurant was in the center, but he offered me to do like extra on the weekend,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If I was interested to work for them. also in his restaurant in the beach, because my work was only for dinner in the center of the city.
I say, yes, definitely. I was free in the morning. I say, let's do it. I go to work, do some Italian dishes. You know, Côte d 'Azur restaurant place was very busy for summer time.
We talk about June, July, August, but what just for, you know, for 11 a .m. until four, finish the service, do Italian salad, pasta. Principally, I was there to do Italian dish.
The rest of the team, Brigade, was French as well, and doing, you know, grilled fish, turbo fish, sharing style. This was the menu, the time. Okay. Yes. So after your stint in France,
then of course you managed to learn the language after some time. which is good. But then I know that you traveled quite extensively. So tell me about the time that you sort of decided to travel again to go to places like Australia or China.
See, the experience in French was doing good. At that time it was a Christmas approaching and it was, you know, some maybe some missing family.
I have decided to come back home. But when you go out from the first time, you know, you come back home, you don't want to stay too much in your hometown. Because I understand that there,
I really understand, you know, discover the world. I always, what I always say is I work in the kitchen because I love, you know, discover people throughout food. This is my personal philosophy.
And that's why I decided to start to travel. to know, to discover the culture of the people through the food, and this is just amazing now. Before Australia was Luxembourg,
so I spent four years in Luxembourg, it was just Christmas time, I spent the time with my family, but I started how I found a job, all my job at home, make my CV,
and search internet all around Europe. place to work. I really literally spend my winter, the time, searching for job, sending CV.
I can say maybe 50 CV every day. My mom was almost scared because I used to spend all the afternoon in the computer. I was not playing, just search an email address from the restaurant,
whatever was. I don't even have a plan of a hotel restaurant. [BLANK _AUDIO] I just want to go out from my home town. So you managed to,
again, secure a job in Luxembourg. Yes. And where was this job? What type of restaurant was it? So I found it after maybe it was February. February,
yes, it was winter. So I found one job after a thousand CV that I have sent. You know, it was one day I was for lunch sitting and I received one call. I received a call. I even didn't know where Luxembourg was at that time.
Tell you honestly. Because there was a lot of CV that I've sent. I even didn't know that my CV was arriving in Luxembourg. Right. But the chef called me and the chef at that time was Italian working in an Italian restaurant in Luxembourg.
So I got your CV. You have quite good skill in the pasta section. I use, I am looking for chef the party in our team. the restaurant is in Luxembourg city. You were like joy.
I say yes, after one second, ask me this question. Not even I didn't ask nothing. I just say yes, please tell me when, when I need to prepare my baggage again and restart.
Wow. Yes. So we did things very less than one month, also two weeks. I just advise my parents say, um, found a job in Luxembourg. Yeah, hi, I'm off again.
I'm going to leave. I'm going to leave Luxembourg. Okay. Yes, I found a job in Luxembourg. Of course, the restaurant was Italian restaurant. I stayed here for one year. It was not in the center city of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is a city and state. The restaurant was the Eche Sural set, one city outside Luxembourg, but it was good for me to enter and try to find a job.
adapt myself in this new world. So the restaurant was good, it was like a chef's party, pasta fresca, I have the possibility to do fresh pasta, fresh ravioli.
It was a good team at the time, but my goal after this year was during the day, the whole day, I go into the center, my goal was move into the center,
so in the business area. area of Luxembourg. Right. So after this one year, I moved, because I stayed for almost four years in Luxembourg. It was three and a half years.
So you must have liked it. I liked it, yes. Because it's quite some time to stay. Luxembourg was very beautiful city, so workplace was very good,
comfortable. I'm learning a lot. And after this first job, I have... a job in another French restaurant. So you went back to France? Back to French restaurant. I really went to perfection,
you know, the technique of the source of restaurant gastronomic. It was good, two years in this restaurant, but I understand it was not enough because I was studying,
the time I started to study kitchen, not only work, but also study at home, open... izgledaj o tem, sveč, sveč frič, sveč. Nesakram, da vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh.
Pa sem zelo vseh različil. V nekaj različil sem odličil nekaj zelo v Australije. Zelo sem, da zelo vseh zelo vseh.
Zelo sem zelo vseh, da sem zelo vseh vseh vseh. Zelo sem zelo vseh. Vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh
vseh vseh vseh vseh vseh v I have a nice little apartment. I bought my first car in Luxembourg. I apply in Australia. And the day after, I found the reply in mail. I just send the email with my CV.
Not even letter. I just send the email. - You just send the CV. - I just send the CV in the email. I didn't know about the reference letter. - Right, the cover letter. - Yes, yeah. - This chef there was recruiting people to help a new restaurant in the beach side in front of the Pacific Ocean.
It was the coast of Brisbane coast. The morning when I opened the email, I found this email. The chef said, "I'm interested in your CV. You would like to join me in Australia to be part of my team." I said,
"Yes." Yeah. Yeah. In two weeks, maybe I... So you had to fix the passport? I just, that's why my passport I did in Luxembourg.
I just fixed in two weeks. I applied for passport and everything. Bang bang bang. In Australia, you know, it was all working holiday visa at the time. Yes. So this was most easier visa to have and between 13 years old.
And obviously, obviously, throughout your time, you'd been in Europe. So of course, Sardinia, beautiful parts of the world, Côte d 'Azur, beautiful parts of the world,
Luxembourg, also very beautiful. But then you're making a big move. It's a huge move to go to the other side of the world. So how was it when you first arrived in Australia?
He definitely remind me my first experience in French, because same the time I did speak one word of English. Of course! And my colleagues were all Australian,
you know, Australian. And the accent is very different. Yeah. Very different. Very different. Brisbane and the Gold Coast is a beautiful part of the world, really. But that must have been quite eye -opening for you.
The culture. The culture. Very different. Yes. the work style, the kitchens. Yeah, communication, and again, once again, we give you this ingredient,
I will show you one, you just do it. At the time, base was already there. But you were coming or you were chef to party? I'm there still, still for chef to party. Okay. Yes, I keep going on the chef to party at the time.
Yes. So base was there. And how big was the restaurant? The restaurant. restaurant was used to open and was like a 70 cover lunch and dinner and lunch and dinner yes yes it was one inside one resort of because South start Brock Highland okay she's in the island outside Briggs the chef he brought me there was Italian okay it was just a recruiter oh so he was it was not on the team in the team was Australian chef
there. He helped me a lot. I went through these days, same once again, maybe two weeks without understanding. The accent was totally different.
It must have been like... Sometimes I was forced to say yes without understanding nothing because I was scared to repeat. Sorry, can you repeat? Two, three times, you know? I don't really want to make upset Australian chef at the time.
So I just say yes and after maybe he saw me... me that I was wrong what I'm doing. (laughs) - He understood. - I was, yeah. - Wow. But at least, I mean,
Australians are very friendly. - Very friendly. - You know, very friendly. - It take me very, we really make good, great connection. You know, I like them. They like me,
you know, this genuine. So maybe this, I was there just to learn really a little bit. to learn their own culture. So beginning,
we start just to, you know, connection, you say, we have to do this. I start to understand, of course, the task to do, make the service working and the service went very smooth and never had the issue on that.
Okay. Yes. It was great, great experience. Amazing. For almost one year. Because the working goalie Davis was for one year, right, and And you know, six months you need to work,
and after the next six months you have to do the farm if you want to get another year of visa. I admit that time I was not really into the farm, so I was there to work in the kitchen.
So I finished six months in Brisbane, and I searched some job, another job, between Sydney and Melbourne. Both they replied to me,
but restaurant. one in Sydney, one in Melbourne, and I have decided to quit my colleagues there to fly to Sydney, restart the experience there. I make a very great connection in Australia,
but you know Australia is always a tricky nation because you make very great friends, but once you leave Australia, you may be, you will not going to see them very often.
- Sure. - Or maybe never anymore, we don't know, we're not going back to Australia. So I make very great connection there. And the time I left Australia was quite tough, because you know that you're not going to see them again.
So since the time was good experience, and yes, I finished in Australia. Sydney was another French restaurant, we call Bistrogio, again back to the beginning.
It was a great restaurant, it was in the middle of the street, Georgia. George Street, quite busy, you know, business lunch, hundred cover every day, very traditional French cuisine.
But I did six years, so six months. I finished my working holiday visa. That time I was almost ready to pack my items and go back to Europe.
I say, you know, call the parents. I'm ready to. come back. And I remember my mother say, OK, now you went to Australia, you come back, you're not going any more far like this. I say, OK,
sure, yes. Typical mums? Yes, you know, it looks like something, someone listening this. I was ready to fly back. And I received one call from one colleague to me that I was meeting Luxembourg.
I say, how are you? I say, I'm good. good, I'm in Australia. I'm ready to back to Europe. I'm back to Sardinia. Let's see what, if I found something again, no? I said, I have something for you.
You know, do you interested to, you would be interested to work in China? I say, China, I say, no man. I really, literally was not think about this.
You know, my idea was just back home. - So your mind was already-- - Yes, fly back, you see, in China. I say, China, I say, China, I say, China. why you are in Luxembourg, why you offered me this job? No, actually I am in China now,
working as an ice cream master. This is my friend, he's from Sicily. He do consulting, opening in the gelato. He's a very professional in the gelato master.
So this company in China, his Italian company, contacted him to open his own gelato shop. - Okay. - So he went there for one week to, you know-- the team,
make his own recipe of gelato, very high quality ingredients, pistachio from Sicily, nocciola del Piemonte, very high quality ingredient to make the gelato. They say, you know why?
Because these people where I am now, they are asking for Italian chef. They are looking for Italian chef in their own restaurant in Shanghai. I was thinking about you. You know, when the idea, you are not thinking something,
but after when they, they, you know, they, you know, they, you know, you one idea in your mind, after this idea, start to move, start to move in your mind. Of course, it starts to tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Yeah. So if you want,
I give you the contact with the owners and I let them to call you. And say, you know what, we'll see five days maybe. Give me the time to come back home. And yeah,
definitely we're going to speak with them. I say, well, now what are you going to say, my mom? I say to her that I'm not going to far and now I'm going to work in China.
He's even more far than this. - Yeah. - So I go back home and these people call me. They offered me a job was literally more above that the position I was covering in Australia.
They offered executive chef and not only for one, but like five restaurant with different concept. So it was Italian. Italian company. Here you have one Italian restaurant, one wine bar,
tapa style, pizzeria, different concept of outlet they had. And they was looking one Italian chef in charge of all these concept. - Wow. - It scared me this opportunity.
That's why at the beginning I say, "Thank you for this," I spend the call with them, say, "Thank you for this," I didn't say that what position I was in. doing in Australia,
but I just refused. I say, I don't think I really was fit for this high task, but they really keep me calling. - Oh,
so they must have been very interested. - They must have been very interested, because also me, what I did, I sent my CV. Main time, I say, okay, let's send anyway the CV, even I say no, but who knows. - Hmm.
They keep calling me for, I remember I left, Australia was August. And for two weeks in September, they keep calling me almost every day. Try to offer everything they can to just make me accept the offer.
One thing that he made me maybe accept the offer was, okay, let's do something. You came here two weeks. You see how we work? how is our philosophy,
culture, and everything. If you like, you stay. If you don't like, you go back home. I say, okay, you know, it makes sense. I will do it, let's do it, so let's do it. - Attention chefs,
restaurateurs, and business owners. If you're looking for hospitality design experts with a keen sense of interior design, branding, and customer journeys, and look no further. than 2106.
They believe that design is a powerful tool to shape narratives and elevate the human experience. Their design mastery is evident on projects such as Terro by Reef,
Nama Yosso, Holy Cow, Yvonne and many others. Find 2106 on Instagram and LinkedIn at 2106 or visit their website.
www .2106 .com. Now back to the episode. - So then you go to a metropolis like Shanghai.
So for anybody who doesn't know about Shanghai, it's 25, I can't remember how many millions, I think it's 25 million plus. - Yes, yes. - It's a huge city.
I mean, it makes London look tiny, really. - Absolutely. I've been and it's a busy, busy place, bustling, full on.
So how was that for you when you first arrived? Because that must have been another shock. And you didn't speak Mandarin. Still now. Still now I did.
This was not like French Australia. But I don't even try to understand. maybe one word, like hi, good morning, it's not more than that.
Okay, so you arrived first two weeks, how was it? Was again, my personal motivation was always, okay, I go there to see new ingredients,
to see how people eat, how people live, how they cook their own food. I know that everything was different from Europe. I mean, all the... But drastically different.
... drastically different. Yes, yes. Wow. Yeah. So I fly back to China. I remember the first trip was... I mistake the ticket and instead make direct flight to Shanghai,
maybe because I was looking for some... So the first two weeks I went, the company bring me directly from Rome to Shanghai. Okay. Okay. And vice versa. We haven't come back after two weeks.
So the last two weeks, I arrived there. Of course, the owner take me in this restaurant, we speak, you know, make me comfortable to all the team, everyone was local,
Chinese, you know? So the menu was, okay, you know, tried the menu, what they serve in the restaurant already start to really focus on on the So with this person,
okay, so that's why they really need one Italian chef and especially young age The time was already now we talk about 18 when I start China. I was already 27 So there is the process between French Luxembourg,
Australia. There is experience there already and Wow, so but did you have to did you have to spend time in every single of those outlets? Yeah, yeah, so today's in the restaurant the next two days.
I was in in the pizzeria. The other day I was in the wine bar and everything with different concept menu was different. So I see that there is potential in me that I was maybe ready to cover this position.
Okay, because yes, I was come from Chef de Parti, but they say, you know, there is not really Italian culture here. here, and what I can add from me is Italian print,
so Italian, classic, very classic Italian dish. And it was my first -ever menu that I start to implement in these restaurants, in the age of 27,
yeah, 27, 21 and a half years I spend after, because after the two weeks of trial. trial, I have accepted the offer. So I fly back to home.
Hi, mom. Just there. Yes. Again. Yes. It was... You say, "No." You say, "Okay, you're going to fly again." Okay. I say, "Yes." Because she knows that time,
no? She was already happy to say, "Okay, we're not going to... We cannot stop you now." I say, "Yes." Okay. Now, my... My DNA was already focused on work outside from my hometown.
But travel, learning about food, cultures, you mean it really seems that you love to do that. Yeah, I really love it. And every single travel I moved, I made,
it was always alone. The most tough travel that I made was definitely the travel to China, because the second time when I had to fly again for all the year. I mistake the ticket and instead book one from Shanghai.
I don't know why. Before I arrived to Shanghai, I made three steps only inside China. So I instead spent 17 hours of flying. I think I spent 22 hours flying that time.
So I land in the first country in China. I don't even remember. It was Anjou. or Guanjou, it was. So when I landed, my voice was gone,
maybe because I didn't speak with anyone during all this fly. And when I tell them, I say, "But why?" There was a little surprise because I won't do by my own the ticket.
So you should tell us. We will put you just in one straight fly, but I mistake something and, you know, first... landed in China, there is no English translator.
Oh my God. Just my instinct. What I have to admit, I have a very great sense of orientation. I always have. Maybe because I always travel alone, even without knowing the place,
the people where I am. I have this, you know, when something comes naturally from you, I have to go there. Maybe this ticket, all. all boarding pass,
everything in Chinese, you land in one Chinese airport, everything is in Chinese, not even a English translator because, okay, big city like Shanghai,
Beijing, some big city there is, but there is some, still the English is not there. I mean, nobody speaks English yet. So all the internal people was Chinese there,
literally, I didn't find one. one person to speak to ask information. - That must have been quite tricky for you. - Yeah, yeah. First, second, another Chinese country, and the third was the Shanghai.
- Okay. - I see, man. If I'm not now, I really can go anywhere in the world. - Yeah, exactly. - If I survive on this, without, I literally land in Shanghai without voice.
- Amazing. - No, it's okay. We start. the experience. So then, you had that phenomenal experience in Shanghai, 18 months. Of course,
you succeeded within the concepts. You learned the culture. But then, if I fast forward, 2018, is when you first arrive to Dubai as a speciality sous chef at Ristorante Armani,
which didn't have a Michelin star. back then because there was no guide and you're not only in a beautiful restaurant but the location is the tallest building on the planet.
Again, so going from China, traveling again to the Middle East was it a culture shock for you or were you a bit more relieved because there were so many cultures here that you already knew?
Yeah, you know, I maybe like this kind of shock. It was already a start to be part of me. But I tell you, it's funny part of my second time that I tried to Dubai when I finished from this,
it was kind of training in China. My first experience has this high position. Finish the experience, go for it. to home, because before go somewhere else, I always go home to restart again.
Of course. It was my second time that I was trying to apply into the Armani Hotel, because I think during my period of time to send in CV everywhere.
The 50 CVs, yes. One of them was also Armani, because I was see like Armani Hotel. in Dubai" before even fly to Australia. And I think I have sent the CV there,
but of course he didn't, I never have received any reply for this. That's why I have decided, okay, let's go to Australia. This second time, after China, I didn't have any other work after this.
I just decided to finish and the rest, okay, I have to restart. Like always what I did when I was home. And my first instinct was I will try again to send the CV in Dubai because the time I already start to see,
talk about Dubai and Middle East, Dubai especially. I said I will restart, I will try again. Maybe this time I will have more chance. I don't know.
I think I send again, go back home. Find some job offered all around the world at the time and Middle East come I send a CV to Dubai and I can say I'm honestly with you after maybe half an hour.
I Have received the not even the reply in the email, but directly the call from plus nine zero nine seven one Wow, so you like the UAE Mom Yeah "Mom?" [Laughter] Okay,
I replied. At that time, the chef was Italian. He was the chef from Armani restaurant, but at that time it was Armani daily, the Italian restaurant, not Armani restaurant.
Before COVID, Armani, we had two Italian restaurants. One was casual dining, and one was the fine dining, which is Armani restaurant. The chef who called me was in Armani restaurant.
whole day dining, so always Italian restaurant. I say, so your CV, I'm looking for a chef. Do you be interested? Even I know in your CV is mentioned high position from China.
I say, honestly, thank you for your call. I'm ready. I mean, it's not just a name what I have in the CV, but please I'm ready to step back and keep learning because all what I want to do is keep learning,
keep grow and see continuously no discovered culture. And the chef will say, "I'm interesting on UCV and we definitely, if you want, we can proceed for the next step with our executive chef and why not proceed for the higher process." I say,
"Yes, please, I'm interested for this." He starts the adventure there. The next goal was with Executive Chef. I was really formal speaking with Executive Chef on the phone.
The English was not really great at that moment. I remember the question, the first question who asked to me was, "You was Executive Chef in China.
Why you want to come back here for SuChef's speciality?" I say, "Chef, I'm really honest. I feel that I do." still have a lot of learn. I need to grow. I would like to keep growing,
learn, and be part of your team." It was really come from Sincerely. Chef was agree on that. It's quite a mature thing to do. Yes. And you have to take your ego put to one side and really do that,
but that's a lot of maturity. Never ask any extra questions. question, what the question of the young generation today ask when they're going to hire, how many days off I have,
how much salary you offer me, can I hear Saturday Sunday off? These things in me, it never exists, this kind of question. I never ask this kind of question, honestly. I just see the position and I see the potential of the establishment and they say,
I can learn, I can learn, I can learn. grow there. So whatever is the offer, I will take it. And we definitely go forward. - So you got the job?
- We got the job, we got the job. - You came to beautiful Dubai. - And they finally landed to Dubai. So it was 2018. - So now, if I talk to you, you are now the head chef,
but I want to talk to you about 2022. 2022 on the day that you received the Michelin star because for most chefs who Working in fine dining establishments one of the things to really tick off is to get a coveted Michelin star Now you're not only in the Michelin guide You also in going below which again is a phenomenal global food guide But I want to just talk to you about when you were in that sort of presentation
with all Michelin there, all the chefs there, did you know that you were going to get the star? Definitely not. Definitely. So how were you feeling at that time?
How were the nerves inside? The nerve was definitely high pressure. You know, when the first trip in French, I say it came in my mind when I was 13.
I really would like to travel the world. This was the idea that I had when I was 18. But of course, you don't know if you really can do it. This or what's going to happen during your life.
But these were the things that I say. I say I would like to travel the world when I am 30 years old. So looking at today, maybe I didn't do all the work,
but I was able to arrive in such great countries, always with my mind of mentality of discovered culture and people throughout food. French Shanghai as well helped me to enter in the world of Michelin because I have the pleasure to meet Chef Pierre Gagnere.
Okay, of course, during the years I was studying Italian chef like Guattiero Marchesi is the chef. chef who really inspired me to do the Italian cuisine, to travel the world.
Guattiero Marchesi first, Massimo Bottura Hafter, reading his book, listen to him to talk about be curious, be passionate, you know, love people, love food.
And this is what I carried during my experience, always traveling, cooking and serving food to the people. And this... them happy. This was,
I think, the most beautiful things to interact with people in our job. Absolutely. So I meet in Shanghai Chef Pierre Gagnere. I have the pleasure to cook for him because he came in our restaurant and after he asked because he had one restaurant there in Shanghai also.
So he had this annual visit in this restaurant. So I went to have the dinner with our owners in the restaurant. He had one. one sit menu for two years, like all the celebrity chefs do around the world when they have his restaurant.
They visit every year and I never talk about always we work, for me the guest happy, okay, but we never think about Michelin star.
It's a dream, see always the chef go to the stage. It's a little bit, you know, for me be there here today, you know, see all your podcasts, all all your chefs sitting in front of you,
and now today I'm here. It's a great pleasure for me. I mean, I'm very glad and really thank you for having me. The moment of this,
we received the email, already this moment was... Okay, so there was no phone call, there was a direct email. You have been invited to the...
Michelin guide. For the Michelin guide. Yes. Okay. So that email, I just wanted to ask you, was it one day before? Was it one week before? It was a week before.
Oh my God. So you were already thinking, okay. You know, the time in 2022, a month before, all the scene, the destination,
by late culinary destination, of course, before the start. start after the start much more yes after the start and all the 50 best yeah 50 best everything okay and all the chef all the people start to talk about me be michelin guy used to he will come to dubai he'll come to me the least he was just a voice not everyone rumors rumors but nobody knows if it was real when it's going to happen so we we we don't know
when the date was being released. Okay. A couple of months in advance. Right. We didn't know yet. And after, of course, the official name, official date has been released,
and the big announcement came. I really would see all of us as a chef, all the colleagues in general. Everybody was... Everybody, how we feel when we really see the announcement in the...
the day before you even received, before it was announced that you received the star. When you were sitting there, how were you feeling?
Bad, honestly, in terms of always bad, but the night we finished, so nervous, we finished the service in the night.
Of course, they mainly came. the invitation was, the date was being released, and the announcement was in Dubai Opera at the time. The first year was in Dubai Opera. We finished the service.
I started, I don't know why. My body started strumbling, sweat. I finished my service in the restaurant. I went home.
I cannot not, I just take shower. I cannot, I need to sleep tomorrow. we need to wake up early, but this was already stress, I'm not going to sleep, I'm not going to sleep, man. - Yeah, the more you think about it,
the more awake you are. (laughing) - And this I spent my night, like think about I need to sleep, but that was four, five, six a .m. - Oh my God. - Okay, I need to try to eat something.
I cannot even eat. The feeling was like, I won't eat something to be ready for the day, I cannot eat for the night. going on in the mind, ready for the attend the event in the morning.
- Okay. - Really, honestly, okay, we change, I change. I really try to have breakfast at home, one coffee. Just many had one coffee, which was not good idea.
- It was not good idea. - The blood pressure was already through the roof, okay? - At the moment of the, we, we, in the arena, in the opera, I say,
"Guys, I am going to collapse." I was looking around, all the colleagues were there, so that is only me that I'm feeling this feeling, or after,
you know, okay, at least for the presenter, start to introduce the event and the everything start to, anything start to come down. - Okay.
- Yes, when they announced our name, here they say, "No, guys, I need to change my mindset. I cannot call out, I need to, of course,
we need to take this as a happiness moment of the life, of the life." Besides me was our executive chef, Fabian was there.
- Yeah. so it was a big act to him, so a big boost, you know. Yeah, of course. Yeah, so this went up to the stage,
see what came out from my mind. It was quite emotional. It was so emotional. And because the team had worked extremely hard.
everybody involved, you must have been extremely proud and everybody could see that on your face. But then, as you quite rightly said, after the star,
Go Milo, and so many things came afterwards. But what would you say then, now, you've had some time to sort of mature the food? What is the DNA or the bloodline of the food for Amadi restaurant?
Yeah, the bloodline, you know, what I say, the moment of the yes, start, this was a point of start for me. For me, for us, for all the team is a start.
We really start to keep our work hard, you know, to keep come out with the ideas how we can make the food as delicious as possible.
as fresh, you know. We just keep doing what we have done, you know. Always our idea was, our philosophy of food is 100 % Italian cuisine for the brand,
for the place that we are. Our cuisine in Armander restaurant, you know, is not like influenced by fusion, some influenced by, however, I've been world -called around the world.
but how I use this experience in my menu today is only in the technique that we apply, not in the product and everything,
because our product is Italian cuisine. So Italian clay, using of course, thanks to the great work of Dubai, they are doing now to grow local,
we are starting of course, to support. support the local farm, using some local vegetable, sometimes local fish, and of course, source item from Italy,
from all around Mediterranean area, I can say, no? - But mainly the food and the heart is Italian. - Is Italian, yes. - And is it, would you call it modern Italian,
or is it mainly focused on the most incredible flavors? - Yeah, most incredible. incredible flavor with the Italian cuisine with modern touch. - Okay. - I really like to reinterpretate some dishes.
You know, some is classic, just reinterpretate, but some is new as well. So create by me, work with, affinate with the team, and after confirm put on the menu.
No, I really love try discover new pasta shape example for the ravioli. ravioli. Working always constantly with a new feeling, combination of flavor to add inside our ravioli.
Now our pasta fresca is made fresh in ours. Our starter are using with the only seasonal ingredient. Not only the vegetable but also the fish.
Fish he has his own season as well. So we really need to focus today. today on yes it's quite today we are in the time that everything needs to be available okay if we focus only on the season everything is available today we find tomatoes in January we find zucchini in January we find all kinds of ingredients all around the months okay no all the all around the year here but my mindset is respect the season so we
need to buy the pumpkin in October we need to find the pumpkin October even I know that we can find in January March July I know everything is available today but it's not because there is demand and everything but we find the pumpkin the the truffles,
the chestnut, the porcini mushroom, now currently in this season, from October to January, in our current menu. We already focus on the spring,
focusing, I mean, start sourcing fresh produce for the next season as well. - So the menu is really seasonable. - Menu is really seasonable. - Wow. - Yes. - That's fantastic.
- Yes. - We... When you work in the season, the ingredient is cheap. But cheap, sorry, the word, don't misunderstand.
Cheap is not mean, it's low cost. - It's low cost and it's the best, right? - It's the best, it's in the best of his flavor. - Exactly. - This is, I mean, this we need to follow.
I cannot put one menu with the pumpkin soup in June. - Yeah. I can't put pumpkin soup in the June or May or July. No, the pumpkin is not giving me his 100 % of her property.
Of course, of course. But look, one thing I wanted to sort of discuss and we touched upon just before we started recording. You know, you've followed the trends of chefs and what I mean by followed the trends is that you specifically studied different languages languages,
different chefs, you were not linked to social media, you really wanted to study as much as you can learn from those chefs. Now, in this modern age, there is no way that you can ignore social media.
But one thing that I get a lot of, I talk to a lot of chefs, a lot of restaurateurs about the challenge within social media and and as you touched upon hard work with sort of different generations what's been your biggest challenge when when working as a head chef and you're recruiting apprentices or younger chefs for sure we this cannot be avoided the powerful the importance of social media today is the most powerful
communication channel that is is. This is absolutely important. And we need to live with it. We all have social media,
but what we need to keep in mind that we cannot lose the focus on the real everyday operation.
- Exactly. - Yes, the recruit process, today maybe every young generation is a little bit more difficult. difficult to let them understand the importance of our work. Because we cannot become chef in a month,
we cannot become chef through one TV show. Working in our kitchen is really a commitment that it starts since a young age,
and you work all your process during the years. It takes really a lot of time. time. It takes time to achieve, to grow, to grow,
I can say. So, there is still a great young chef, of course. We want to learn, they are very committed to working in the kitchen.
I'm quite happy with the team that we have in the restaurant, but of course, everything has a circle. And not today. Today, honestly,
our team, they, that was good, like every two years, you finish the circle, which just makes sense, actually. Long year, today, I turn, today, this year, I turn five years in the company,
and I really wish, same motivation as the first day, clearly, happy. But the line cook, I can say,
you know, they'll be in shape the party. party, I see I was in her place. So every two years is the right time for them to visit to discover new experience,
to do experience. So it's good already that we stay two years and not less than this. But also it gives them the opportunity to do every section under you, for example. But yes, I do agree with you.
I think, of course, social media must and we live it in. day. It's an important part of life now. But when it comes to kitchen operations, I think for me,
I'm the type of chef where I'm just like beginning a service, phones off, lock them away. And we just simply focus attention to detail and the guests attention to detail on the food.
- Absolutely. - That's me. me, but I think sometimes it's a difficult relationship to balance at times, you know? So Giovanni,
now we have come to what we call the quick fire questions, all right? So I've put some questions down for you and I want you to just tell me first thing that comes to your head,
okay? So there's no wrong or right. So the first quick fire question for you, pasta or risotto? Pasta. Pasta. - Olive oil or balsamico?
- Extra virgin olive oil. - All right. - Parmesan or truffle? - Wow, like you say, parmesan and truffle. - Parmesan,
oh, okay, listen to me. - Who would you say are your top three culinary heroes? And they don't need to be chefs? - I'd say chefs. - Who did that eat?
yeah. Guantiero Marchesi is a chef. He's the, we call him the father of modern Italian cuisine. And my grandmothers.
Both. Amazing. Yes, both my grandmothers. What would you say is your funniest kitchen story or incident?
that you have either seen or you were involved in? Well, when they used to give me tasks, and the task has to be finished in two hours,
it was when you have some 20 kg of fish to scale, I think the task I went to spend on my duty is to try to finish this 20 kg of fish.
So instead to... two hours, I would spend five hours trying to clean fish. This was since the beginning of the career, you know,
it was so long, it was so difficult to finish this task in such a short time. So that's why I got a lot of "bam,
bam". I'm lucky to be able to finish this. you didn't understand what they were saying. Yeah, I think they asked me to move on. Yes, yes,
yes, yes, yes. Now, at the moment for you, what are your top three favourite cuisines? Italian cuisine.
Italian cuisine. Number one. I don't want to be a part, but yes. Of course, no. This is for you. Italian cuisine. Number two. Number two is, you know,
French cuisine. Yeah. Also today, you know, French, Italian, Mediterranean. Yeah. Definitely Japanese cuisine, but all for the way how they use as much the ingredient has to be fresh as possible to be served to the guests.
The respect, the have for the ingredient is just admirable. - Exactly, that is so true. And do you know what? Another thing I'm sort of seeing a lot of at the moment is that people don't seem to respect the ingredients.
They just think it comes off the back of the lorry or the back of the van and then they can do whatever. But they don't seem to understand the huge story behind getting this beautiful fish or getting this beautiful fish.
beautiful pumpkin or the season of the mushrooms. So I think that's something else that we really should touch upon. Yes. You know, that's really big. You know, James, allow me to say this part.
The example is the best form of teacher. Okay. So what I always say, I try to teach to people who work with me. And I always keep in myself,
our job starts with the farmer job finish the fishermen job finish The fromage a thinner job finish, you know So the farmer spend one year to produce a vegetable.
It can be one Spare goose one mushroom mushroom is more wild but pumpkin so vegetable in general our job start When the product ingredient is ready ready,
so only for this, the job that farmers spend to create this such a beautiful vegetable, we need to respect this ingredient in the kitchen and make this tasty,
I can say. Of course, of course, the most delicious. Yeah, that's your job as a chef. So before do any kind of cuisine and find dining, not find dining, we really need to know the story of every single ingredient.
And after we can create this. Yeah, I agree. Because we cannot create dish without knowing what we are putting on the plate. I agree. And that's such a powerful message. That's a really fantastic piece of advice as well.
So thank you very much, Matt. Yeah. Now, talking advice Giovanni. What advice would you give a 16 -year -old Giovanni puppy?
Pursue your dream. Mm -hmm. Be curious. Because curiosity is what push really to discover the life. I can say in every kind of business.
Our job, we discover people, we discover food. So we need to be patient. We need to be curious. And of course we love always positive.
You know, love the life, enjoy the love people around you. Be always positive. positive and perceive your dream. Love that. Now Giovanni, if people wanted to connect with you through social media,
how can they do that? Yeah, of course I'm a resident chef in Armand Listorante inside Guiscarifa, the tallest building in the world.
Iconically in the world. Giovanni Papi is my name. and Normani restaurant is the place where I work. So I will put all of those details in the show notes.
Absolutely. Well, Giovanni, all that's left for me to say is that we've had a really incredible journey talking about your childhood, your grandmothers, how you were on the table helping early morning,
your education in the kitchen the first few years. years working in Sardinia, in the beautiful Cougarie School, and then going off to France,
Côte d 'Azur, different French chefs. I mean, fantastic. Then again, lots of different travel, Luxembourg, Australia, China.
I mean, fantastic. Coming all the way over to the Middle East, always, of course. speaking to your mom and saying, "Hi, I'm here." And then,
of course, we cannot ignore Michelin, and that's that beautiful, special day. And the fact that, you know, the food that you guys are producing at Restaurante Armoni is phenomenal.
It's some of the best in the Middle East. It really, really is. It's a fantastic place. It's not just a big place. because it's in the location in Bocelli, but it's because of all the passion and the love that you put into those dishes and as well as what the team are doing.
Pasta or risotto, I like it. Extra virgin olive oil, very good. Yeah, parmesan and truffle. Okay, I love it. But look, Giovanni, all I want to say really is please carry on pushing the Italian flag.
in the beautiful food that you do because it was really fantastic and I know that you're going to do some phenomenal things and keep doing them and from all of us here at the Chef JKP podcast thank you so much for coming on to the show it's been fantastic.
Thank you Jeps, thank you so much from the heart. I really want to say I want to say go Italian cuisine, it's being nominated as a UNESCO Heritage, so we have received the nomination for this.
Wow. I really hope, as an Italian in Dubai, every Italian chef outside of Italy, to have to be proud of this moment,
and then we really push to respect our culture outside of Italy, and I'm pretty sure one day Italian cuisine will be a part of that. UNESCO heritage because He really deserves to do this.
Thank you so much. Grazie mille. Thank you Giovanna is such a fantastic guy He puts his heart into every single plates of food served in that restaurant And it is not easy to live up to the expectations of the diners Especially when in such an iconic location and brand.
I really admire the journey and Thank you so much for watching decision he took to travel at such an early age. Then going to learn the trade in another country, not being able to speak the language and then stepping into the kitchens of Alan Dukas no less.
What I took away from this conversation is that opportunities always come around the corner and when you least expect them grab these by both hands. That is exactly what Giovanni did.
Now he is running one of the very beautiful kitchens of Alan Dukas. restaurants in the world. I also agree on his points of respecting the produce. It is so true. Our job as chefs starts when the farmer's job is done.
Love that. I have absolutely no doubt that Giovanni will keep pushing the boundaries of modern Italian cuisine. I hope you managed to learn a few lessons or gave you all some food for thought.
If you want to see more of what Giovanni and his team are doing, I'll place all of of the details in the show notes. A big thank you to JJ and the entire team at Podcast Now for producing the show and don't forget that you can now watch us on YouTube and if you haven't already,
make sure to follow, share and subscribe. I would just like to ask a small favour, if you like the show or think someone you know could learn a few lessons from the guests and the conversations we have,
please share the show so that we can reach as many people as possible. as possible and who knows? Perhaps these episodes can inspire someone to take action and become the very best at what they do.
Thank you once again to the Grilled Podcast by the staff canteen for this incredible collaboration and finally a big thank you to you for staying and listening to the entire show and don't forget your support every single follow every single share really does make a much bigger impact than you.
than you could possibly know. Until next time, food is memories.