Chefs do not need Instagram to prove they are talented

Our readers have their say about Salt Bae, the Philippines, and Emirates airlines

Salt Bae has a chain of restaurants all over the world including in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. YouTube

I write to you in reference to Laura Koot's video titled Watch: Salt Bae has some competition - in Uzbekistan (May 16).

This is a fun video but I think that people should refrain from watching TV or looking at their phones while eating. We must be able to have a proper meal without the need to be constantly entertained.

Many chefs these days are simply attention seekers, who make a name for themselves online rather than in real life.

There are plenty of chefs out there who serve exquisite cuisine without having the need to boast about their feats on social media.

As a customer, what I want is to eat and enjoy the company of loved ones, in a nice restaurant with skilled professionals, not Instagram chefs.

Ukhaggis Bhaji, Danemark

I really like Salt Bae. His food is delicious and I recommend him. The only problem I have with the chef in this video is that he does not appear to be using gloves, which is not very hygienic.

Rasheed Ali, UAE

The beautiful Philippines is not the world’s rubbish bin

I write to you in reference to Sholto Byrnes's opinion piece Why are western nations happy to treat the Philippines as a rubbish dump? (June 3).

Wealthy western nations such as Australia and Canada should take responsibility for their own unrecyclable waste and sort it properly at home instead of dumping it in other countries.

This is not the Philippines’s mess to begin with. It is not the world’s rubbish bin.

Timea Maria Karlik, Hungary

The Philippines is a wonderful, beautiful country. It would be a shame to let its sandy beaches and lovely countryside become polluted.

By refusing to take in any more unrecyclable waste from wealthier nations, the Philippines really did take a stand, and showed the world they will not be stepped on.

Gregory Marshal, Dubai

Emirates puts safety first when regulators have failed

I write to you in reference to editorial Emirates set an example for the aviation industry (June 3).

The airline’s decision to ground the Boeing 737 Max for the next six months is laudable, particularly given its serious problems.

Because of the aircraft regulators’s inability to come up with a swift decision concerning this model, airlines have decided to take matters into their own hands to ensure passenger safety.

By doing so, Emirates is maintaining its reputation of excellence and winning the hearts of millions of passengers around the world.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru