Dubbed one of the most promising stars of Italian cuisine, Two Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini flew to the UAE to launch a new menu at Bice Mare in Downtown Dubai. To create the new dishes he teamed up with Terra Del Sole, an Italian brand of superior extra virgin olive oils that will soon be available in Dubai. We caught up with Bartolini and grilled him on the finer points of Italian cooking. Welcome to the UAE chef. Your new menu at Bice will run until April 30th – how did the collaboration come about? Why Dubai? We were looking into promoting authentic Italian products in the UAE and BiCE Mare is the only restaurant outside of Italy with 10 Italian chefs in the kitchen. Thus we thought it was the perfect venue partner. Honestly, while in BiCE Mare, I felt like I never left Milan! Highlight for us three of your favourite new dishes? Firstly, ‘Soffice di uovo e uova’. It’s a dish made with light and fluffy potato foam. We add capers to give a salty flavor and add lemon for a pinch of acidity. Salmon roe gives an explosion of flavour in the mouth and the olive oil adds a peppery and bitter touch to the dish. Secondly, ‘I bottoni di lime con caciucco e polipo’. This is a dish that reminds me of the time when I would witness fisherman bring in the catch of the day and sell it on the beach. I would eat the fresh catch raw with just a drizzle of lemon and a hint of olive oil. Lastly, ‘Biscotto alle erbe’. It is a combination of sweet and salty ingredients and the olive oil acts as a perfect cherry on the top. What are the key characteristics of a good olive oil? A good olive oil should remind one of the land the oil was produced in, highlighting every flavor the land represents. What are the secrets to good Italian cooking? In Italy there are lots of great ingredients. What is important is how you choose them. There are many tomatoes but not all of them are good. My kitchen is open to all ingredients as long they are of fantastic quality and I can portray my emotions to the customer in the form of a beautifully presented and well-cooked dish. The secret of cooking to perfection is attention to detail. When was your passion for food first awakened? I remember when I was four and in nursery school l made a candy with almonds and caramel and instantly felt in love with the flavour of the caramel and the crunchiness of the almonds. That was the first time I savoured two raw ingredients put together and create a new flavor altogether. I went home and asked my mum to make the same candy with me again. Describe the moment you received news of your Michelin stars? Two days before I got my second Michelin star I received a phone call from a secretary that worked for the Michelin guide and was told that I was invited to give a speech (two days later) in a hotel in Milan. The day I received the stars I was taken to an old, worn down building in Milan and was asked to reach the 6th floor with no elevator operating. Once I reached there, I saw a screen with Michael Ellis, Michelin Guides International Director on it and on the side a jacket with my name and two stars on it. This was the moment I understood what was happening and I felt I was happiest person in the world. *To book a table at Bice Mare, Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai call +97144230982 or go to
