Five minutes with Chef Francesco Cavazzina

A handout photo of chef Francesco Cavazzina of L’Olivo Ristorante at Rixos The Palm Dubai (Courtesy: Rixos The Palm Dubai)

Chef Francesco Cavazzina, from Rixos The Palm Dubai's L'Olivo Ristorante, says a good moods helps in creating the perfect dish.

My earliest memory of the kitchen was during my school years more than 10 years ago, I was working for a very beautiful vintage hotel in Chioggia, Italy. I asked to be part of the team during the busy summer days. It`s normal in my hometown to find seasonal jobs in summer, Chef Roberto, he believed in me. It was a really amazing experience for me because I started in that moment to love cooking. I was lucky to be a part of a very talented team with Chef Roberto in the beginning of my career.

The first dish I remember making was a homemade black ravioli, angler fish and saffron coulis. I took fresh pasta and fresh fish in the morning from our famous fish market in Chioggia and the high quality saffron was so delicious.

The best cooking advice I received was from Massimiliano Alajmo, a famous chef in Italy, He told me :"You need to be in a good mood for cooking because your mood reflects on the dish." I always follow his advice.

If I could choose one dish for my last meal it would be Spaghetti Carbonara, for sure it is one of my favourite, very easy to make and always has a wonderful taste.

For me the culinary scene in the UAE has good potential. There are very good restaurants and qualified chefs. Everyday new chefs are discovering Dubai, which means the guests have chance to try authentic food with real Italian taste.

For more details on L'Olivo Ristorante at Rixos The Palm Dubai go to www.rixos.com