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A celebrity culinary war is soon to explode on the island as two celebrity chefs have been signed up to offer their concepts to the eating out scene and woo diners to two rival luxury hotels.
The well-established Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa has fired the first salvo by introducing Michelin Star Chef Oliver Glowig to offer his take on authentic Italian fare at its popular Primavera restaurant.
It follows the recent announcement that the soon-to-be opened Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay will have three destinations created by rival Michelin-starred Chef Wolfgang Puck.
The Ritz-Carlton management appears not to give a Puck about the newcomer’s plans, claiming ‘we are not even competing on the same page as Four Seasons’.
Cedric Klein, the Ritz-Carlton’s executive assistant manager of food and beverage, added: “Their Wolfgang Puck concept is very much related to meat and the cut. We wanted to have a chef that ideally represents the authenticity of Italian cuisine.
“Chef Oliver aims to provide his own ideas and interpretations of what authentic Italian cuisine truly is. He is particular with his technique and style.
“Primavera is already popular but we want to make sure that when customers dine with us, they get the full experience of what they would have in Italy. We have more Italian chefs now and servers in the restaurant. Our aim is to become a true Italian restaurant, where the entire experience is out of this world and you wouldn’t need to go back to Italy for the food.”
Many products will be sourced from Italy and the restaurant claims ‘exclusivity’ on certain ingredients such as its olive oil and mozzarella cheese. Local fresh produce will be added to the mix.
Although a German, Chef Oliver, 44, says he fell in love with Italian cuisine and culture from a young age. He told GulfWeekly: “I loved the fresh products that were used and every day I fell deeper in love with the work in the kitchen.
“I have been living in Italy for around 15 years, visiting different parts and seeing how every region has its own original folk dish.
“What I aim to do is bring that authentic Italian kitchen to the beautiful Primavera Restaurant. Of course, we will use a lot of local produce but we will cook them the Italian way.
“I love the quality of produce at the Farmers Market and the fish is amazing. It doesn’t make sense to bring fish from Europe to Bahrain.
“I have already started my menu which will feature colourful plates of freshly-made pasta and traditional Italian food served with a little modern twist.”
Chef Glowig, who is married to an Italian and has two children, is no stranger at making headlines as last year he brought life back into The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto’s signature restaurant TOCA as its new consulting chef.
He swapped its Mediterranean menu for an Italian one, working closely with and training the team to master his culinary creations.
He received his first Michelin Star at the Acquarello restaurant in Munich and in 2001 left Germany to take up post at the Amalfi Coast at the ‘Capri Palace Hotel & Spa, in Anacapri. He became executive chef at the L’Olivo Restaurant and in 2006 was awarded a second Michelin Star.
In 2011, only eight months after opening his own restaurant in Rome, the Aldrovandi Villa Borghese Restaurant, he received two more Michelin Stars.
Last week Chef Glowig staged an interactive pasta cooking demonstration in Bahrain and offered a taste of his Italian interpretations at Primavera.
For starters, guests devoured plates of stuffed risotto balls, ricotta and beef bacon calzone as well as potato croquettes. Also, the aborigine, zucchini and cauliflower Parmigiana came with a tomato base. It’s an Italian dish made with a shallow or deep-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. Starters ended with a delectable Tuna Carpaccio and Veal piedmont-style.
The main dish featured an aromatic medley of heartwarming pasta and risotto, including his signature ravioli stuffed with caciotta cheese and marjoram with tomato sauce and Tomato risotto with burratta and anchovies. The Veal ragù Meatballs were memorable too.
Guests can savour the Chef’s new menu during the business lunch and a la carte. The official relaunch of the restaurant will be in the spring season starting from March 21.
Meawhile, the finishing touches are continuing to be made at The Four Seasons, a short distance away and they are confident they will be a ‘cut’ above the rest.
The hotel will open two of 65-year-old Puck’s signature restaurants and a bar & lounge: CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Re Asian Cuisine / Wolfgang Puck and Blue Moon Lounge / Wolfgang Puck.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to pair with Wolfgang Puck once again, especially myself having personally worked with him and his team at Four Seasons Resort Maui when he opened his restaurant Spago,” said Greg Pirkle, general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, at the time of the announcement.
“He is a true talent in the culinary world and it’s a real coup for the Bahraini dining scene for someone of Wolfgang Puck’s calibre and repute to enter the city with such a strong presence.
“That he is seriously eyeing the Middle East diner says something about the growing maturity and sophistication of the dining landscape in Bahrain and we are sure his presence will pave the way for many more international dining concepts to enter Manama.”
One has arrived earlier than he thought.
