Recipes for Success: ‘A great dish starts before you enter the kitchen,’ chef Evgenios Papadimitriou says

DUBAI: Greek chef Evgenios Papadimitriou brings over a decade of experience in high-end, modern Chinese and pan-Asian cuisine to his current position as executive chef at Tattu Dubai.

“I don’t think there was one specific day when I decided (to become a chef). Cooking was something I enjoyed from a young age, but as I progressed through the industry, I realized I loved the combination of creativity, pressure and teamwork that comes with it,” he tells Arab News. “There is something very satisfying about starting with an idea or an ingredient and turning it into something that gives someone a great experience.”

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made? 

Probably trying to do too much. When you’re young, you want to show everyone what you can do, so you can easily overcomplicate a dish with too many ingredients, techniques or flavors. But one of the biggest lessons I learned is that a great dish actually starts before you even enter the kitchen. It starts with the produce. If you have high-quality ingredients, you already have the foundation of a great dish. Our job as chefs is to understand the produce, respect it and bring out the best in it, rather than trying to cover it up.  

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?

Taste your food and control your temperature. These are two of the biggest differences between someone who simply follows a recipe and someone who really cooks. Taste throughout the process and adjust your seasoning as you go, but also understand that temperature is critical. A pan that is too hot can burn your food before it is properly cooked, while a temperature that is too low can stop you from getting the right color and texture. Also: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Some of the best dishes come from experimenting and learning what works. You don’t need a professional kitchen to cook great food. You need good ingredients, a decent knife, the right temperature and a bit of confidence.  

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? 

Acidity. It can be lemon, lime, vinegar... With the right seasoning, it can make a huge difference to a dish. Everything just tastes better when you get the right combination of acidity and seasoning. It brings the flavors together, makes the dish feel fresher and gives it a bit more life. Sometimes you don’t need to add more ingredients. You just need to get the seasoning and acidity right.  

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?

I’m much more judgmental about the service than the food. When you go to a restaurant, you normally have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the food. And with other chefs, I know what it’s like to be on the other side, so I think you have to give other chefs some understanding. You understand the pressure of a busy service, things going wrong and trying to deliver the same food night after night. But service can make a big difference. Even if the food isn’t absolutely perfect, great service can make you enjoy the evening. Bad service can do the opposite.  

What’s your favorite cuisine to order?

I love discovering small Asian places with no fancy decor but big flavors. Those are usually the places I enjoy the most. You don’t always need a beautiful restaurant or an elaborate presentation. If the food has great flavor, is cooked properly and has a bit of character, that’s what I’m looking for.  

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

Anything with seafood. You can find great-quality seafood in Dubai, and I normally keep a few simple sauces in the fridge as well. Then it’s just a matter of getting a nice piece of seafood, cooking it properly, adding the sauce, and you’re done.

What customer behavior most annoys you? 

Honestly, nothing really annoys me anymore. I passed that stage a long time ago. I understand that everyone has different preferences and different requests, and if we can do something for the guest, we’ll always try. Of course, sometimes a request just isn’t possible, but even then, I think it’s important to try to find another solution rather than simply saying no. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook?   

At the moment, my favorite dish is the steamed whole sea bass with ginger oil, chili and aromatic soy. It’s a very simple dish with less than 10 ingredients, but it really shows what good cooking is about. We use excellent-quality sea bass that is flown in three times a week. The ginger oil, chili and aromatic soy are there to highlight the flavor of the fish rather than cover it up. I really enjoy dishes like this where you don’t need to do too much. When you have great ingredients, sometimes the best thing you can do is let them speak for themselves.  

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right? 

Anything dim sum-related. Unfortunately, I don’t really have the time or patience for it. There’s so much detail and precision involved, especially when you’re making everything by hand. Thankfully, we have some really skilled dim sum chefs who are very good at what they do, so I’m more than happy to leave it to them.  

As a leader, what are you like?

For me, it all starts with the right hiring process. If you get the right people in the team, there’s no reason to shout. Kitchens are already very demanding environments, and everyone is working hard and dealing with pressure. My job is to support them, develop them and guide them, and make sure they have what they need to do their job well. 

Chef Evgenios’ steamed whole sea bass

MAIN INGREDIENTS

COOKING METHOD

1. Steam the whole bass for 6 minutes.

2. Pour the hot chilli oil over the skin.

3. Garnish and finish table side with the warm sauce.

ONION OIL

SEABASS SAUCE