The occasion was a contest entitled ‘The Risotto Quest’, a culinary challenge organised by HostMilano TUTTOFOOD, in collaboration with Emirates Culinary Guild, Dubai Restaurants Group and the Italian Business Council; the aim was to find the best risotto in the Emirates.

And for us it was an opportunity to see inside the 15 best restaurants in Dubai and appreciate the style, the attention to detail and above all the major technological investments being made in their kitchens.

Details that reveal the strategic role played by equipment and its fundamental importance in guaranteeing diners a level of quality which in Dubai (but not only) is a categorical imperative for patrons who dine there. And it was also important to note how the chefs themselves believe in the usefulness of having advanced, high-profile technology at their disposal.

Confirmation of this came also from the two Italian chefs taking part in the contest: Francesco Dimonte of the Emirates First Class Lounge, who won the Best Classic Risotto category, and Davide Gardini of the BiCE Ristorante, who was awarded a gold medal in the Best Innovative Risotto category.

One thing the chefs agree on when it comes to the secret of success in the kitchen today, apart from the choice of ingredients, is the equipment found in the fabulous five-star locations in which they work, and which is fundamental if diners are to be offered dishes that come up to the expectations of a certain kind of clientele.

“Today, technology plays a fundamental role in the kitchen,” explains Francesco Dimonte. “We at Emirates Flight Catering can consider ourselves lucky, because we have behind us a company that enables us to work well. Added to that, the kitchen has all the equipment needed for us to perform to the best of our abilities: they range from the pizza oven and the wok for oriental cuisine, to the two tandoor ovens needed for preparing Indian specialities. This is the setting in which we create the cuisine of the future.”

Chef Davide Gardini also has tomorrow in mind when he is looking for inspiration for his dishes: “When you’re cooking I don’t think you can rely on special tricks or make short-cuts,” he says. “What matters is that you remain faithful to your roots while always keeping an eye out for innovative possibilities. Today, cooking techniques make all the difference: we make extensive use of the low-temperature sous-vide method to bring out the special characteristics of a dish and remove any risk of contamination. We use Italian technologies where we can, but not exclusively, and thos that we do use have to ensure the safety of foodstuff and meet the high quality standards expected by our clientele.”