Dubai and its amazing colour of life and Vibrancy
My arrival at Dubai International airport was the most surprising and scariest moment in my life; I had just left my small children crying with my wife in Australia as I was embarking on a new journey to further expand my Culinary Career.
The Dubai airport was a huge melting pot of different languages, the above speakers were announcing arrivals from all over the world in many languages, Arabic, Indian and lastly English. I got my luggage and I proceeded to walk toward the exit where strange but elegantly dressed men had signs up with all kinds of names, mine was not there. Instead at the exit of the airport into a heat hard to explain I heard my name being called, I looked over and saw this huge white smile staring right at me. He helped me with my luggage and once we had loaded the car he introduced himself.
I am Uwe Micheel Executive Chef of the Intercontinental hotel Dubai, welcome to Dubai. We talked very briefly as it was 3.45am and I was sleepy, tired and most of all hungry, He showed me a little of Dubai as we were driving and when we finally reached the hotel my heart was full of wow, sadness and most of all Jubilance, I had reached my calling in life, the ability to express my passion for food and culinary diversity with one of the most Iconic Hotels in the world, the first 5 star hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
We were greeted in the lobby of the Hotel by a distinguished Indian gentleman, Draped in a suit that was the essence and splendour of what was surrounding us, he was the Manager on duty and soon to be a dear and well respected friend. He escorted me to my new home for the next three weeks, room 1835, the room that turned a chef into a culinary Ambassador
I got to bed at approximately 4.30 am and fell asleep almost right away. I awoke up at 8.00 am, showered and then proceeded to meet the executive sous chef as chef Uwe was off.
I asked Concierge to call me the executive sous chef...He called him on his mobile without explaining whom wanted to see him....All of a sudden a lanky, tall and I mean tall also German chef arrived with this angry look on his face, Can I help you? With a very angry almost croaky voice he asked, then he continued to ask, was there something wrong with your breakfast? No chef, I replied, I am Salvatore, the new Italian chef de cuisine... He fumbled, He was shocked for a second or two then laughed.
He escorted me to have breakfast at the Boulevard Café’. He left and never saw him again until I went upstairs to La Moda my Italian restaurant at about 12.30 pm, when he walked in he to check on the restaurant, he exclaimed with his thick German accent, OH SHIT!!!!! I completely forgot about you, Do not worry chef I am okay I replied and continued my round to meet everyone and introduce myself.
It was Friday the day of Brunch and the holy day of the week in Arabic countries. Francis my second chef made a pizza, which I shared with Chef Christian Kerr and two other colleagues Venura my wonderful Italian restaurant manager and George a Bulgarian bar man with the heart of gold.
This was the beginning of the most amazing experience of my life, I could not wait to start and that evening in an unconventional uniform I proceeded to help my new kitchen brigade to cook.
The restaurant was filled with strange dressed men and women, they were all opulently garnished with their traditional habits and gold and jewellery a plenty.
Welcome to Dubai a voice called over the pass area where I was working, Buona-sera I replied and then thanked him for his wonderful and warm welcome to his country.
I went to bed that evening and was filled with joy, happiness and at the same time bitter sweet agony, because I missed my wife and my little ones. The following morning I went to Chef Uwe’s office and officially started my new career as an Intercontinental hotel Chef.
