Sami Selmi, Chef De Cuisine at Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels, on kitchen discipline and his joy at producing fabulous food.

When did you first know you wanted to be a chef and what was it that drew you to this profession?
When I finished my university studies in tourism management, I could have gone for any area of hospitality, and I chose the field of food and beverage. I chose the kitchen because I felt my personality was suited to show my talent as a chef and to lead the team. I started cooking when I did three-month trainings in the kitchen when I finished my exams after each year of university.
I worked very hard in both hot and cold kitchens with big-name chefs like chef Alain Ducasse, who had two Michelin stars at that time, 2002-2003, at his restaurant Spoon. It was my first opening of a restaurant in the high-quality food and beverage sector. I learned many skills in the kitchen at that time and I was thirsty to learn more and more about the basics such as the mother sauces, butchery, different styles of cutting and knife work. I worked side by side with strong chefs from Italy, France and Germany; they helped me to love food preparation and to be patient to learn more about the culinary arts.
The first thing that attracted me to being a professional chef is being able to prepare a beautiful meal with love and serve it to a guest. I see the happiness of the customer when he tries it and at that time you cannot believe how proud I feel.
Another thing that drew me to this profession is the discipline. To be strong in the kitchen, the chef is the commander, like in the army.
The good chef needs to be always the first employee to arrive in the kitchen, to make sure everything is under control and there are no hazards from which mistakes can be made. The chef must always focus in the kitchen, teach the team and guide them. In that way the chef can create the consistency in his kitchen to achieve results which lead to the satisfaction of customers, bring awards and profit his company.

What is your role at Souq Waqif – are you involved in menu development and so forth and what is the most interesting part of your job?
I am in charge of all activities related to the kitchens for La Piazza, Shurfa and Argan restaurants, which usually includes creating menus, managing kitchen staff, ordering and purchasing stock and equipment, plating design, enforcing nutrition, safety and sanitation and ensuring the quality of the meals that are served in the restaurants.
I am involved in menu development as I work side by side with my executive chef to create and change the concept of the menus of the restaurants, adding new dishes and developing new cuisines to attract more customers and creating promotions like our business lunch. I also receive the feedback of guests to implement improvements.
After 20 years of experience in the kitchen, the best part of my job is teaching other chefs what I have learned from my knowledge of food production to HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and kitchen management. I feel as if I have a message to pass to the next generation.

What three tools do you always have in your kitchens?
Actual material tools: knife, cutting board and pan. Non-material tools: focus – it’s very important to focus in the kitchen to avoid mistakes; discipline – respect for the kitchen hierarchy; and spices – the basics of good flavour.

What is your signature dish and what makes it special/ popular?
My signature dish is the mixed grill for two prepared with charcoal smoke and special marination. It is our best-selling dish and is popular as people like to see the smoke coming out from the special grill pot which produces a great flavour. Customers have even started to take videos of the cooking to share on social media. ✤