Fairmont chef offers a taste of his world

The Life: John Cordeaux, the executive chef for the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, is preparing to cook up new culinary hotspots for a forthcoming Fairmont hotel in Dubai.

John Cordeaux, the executive chef for the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr.

John Cordeaux, the executive chef for the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, is preparing to cook up new culinary hot spots for a forthcoming Fairmont hotel in Dubai. He plans to share the challenges of hiring staff, mastering menus and putting out fires behind the scenes at new restaurants that he will oversee ahead of the hotel's planned opening in September. Here is his first interview.

Previously you worked at Fairmont hotels in Canada. What brought you to the Emirates?

I came out here to open the Fairmont in Abu Dhabi. That was in May 2009. We had restaurant concepts that were presented to us: the steakhouse, Frankie's, a beautiful buffet restaurant. Each has its own identity.

How involved were you in creating different dishes at each restaurant?

Very much involved. The whole role of an executive chef is you have the chefs in all the outlets, visions for the dishes will be presented and, through trial and error, you present, go back to the drawing board and eventually come up with a menu.

What business challenges are there in creating the menus?

It's not just the creativity but whether you can source the product, and have it available through the year. Does it make sense from a cost perspective? Can you produce it?

Were there any dishes you hoped for that did not make the cut?

I don't think there was anything we couldn't deliver upon. I think you're always surprised, though, because my role as an executive chef is to mentor, train and encourage people. You're always asking your team to come up with ideas. It's not just me, or the sous chefs - it's also the young members. It's very much a collective.

On March 1, you begin working to launch new eateries at The Fairmont Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. What is the first step?

The first thing we'll do is hire the people. Once you have the key people on board, then you start looking at the restaurant concepts that are available. Then we're looking at china, glassware, flatware - what the rooms look like, what the menu concept is going to be. Once you have all that, then you can put pen to paper as to what the food will look like and menu will be.

Then what?

Then you practise and taste and see if this makes sense. It's a long process.

How long?

I'm starting six months out. We're still going to be experimenting right until we open the doors in September. Even then, once you have a menu in place, honestly you're never satisfied. You always modify and see how can we make this better. You also wait for guest feedback.

What are you most looking forward to with the new role?

I can't wait, honestly, to get into the kitchen. It's a beautiful kitchen. Once you're in there, getting it clean and the equipment in place. The first time you turn the stove on: does it work or not? There are all sorts of teething problems.