November 2016 133 www.bahrainthismonth.com dining Discover a new horizon of gastronomy in the monthly Raw Vegan Food cooking classes with executive chef Stefano Andreoli at Bahrain Bay Kitchen. A maximum of 12 vegan and vegan-curious foodies will learn how to prepare a delicious, five-star-worthy dish without actually cooking any of the fresh ingredients. The highly interactive classes will teach you how to create dishes such as zucchini lasagne, avocado date pie, yellow corn chowder, tomato basil ricotta pizza, and a key lime tart. And, at the end of the session, you get to enjoy the meal with the chef and go away with a new repertoire of raw dishes, as well as a certificate. Chef Stefano is an Italian national who worked at many prestigious establishments in Europe before joining the Four Seasons in 2006 as opening sous chef in the Maldives. He moved across the group to Amman, Mauritius, Singapore and Guangzhou, China before heading to Bahrain. The keys, for Stefano, are first getting good produce and then giving it the respect it deserves. Given the dearth of local produce in the Kingdom, his dining operation receives the vast majority of “the very best ingredients” imported from France three times a week. He says: “We keep things natural, creating healthy dishes that maintain the colour, flavour and nutrients of the ingredients.” He likes things simple, too, adding: “The mouth won’t recognise more than three ingredients at once. Add more and you risk confusion.” His ethos of simplicity came from his mother, who the young Stefano would watch in the kitchen. He says he can remember every item his mother cooked, the passion and love she put into the process and the way she used only products that were in the market at the time. Having been part of the opening team for four hotels, he has gained vast experience and his time in Guangzhou was particularly charmed, with an appearance on the Chinese version of the Iron Chef TV show. Of his challenging role in Bahrain, he says: “My main focus is for this hotel to be the best in the city. Middle Easterners don’t ask. They always tell: ‘I want.’ They really know what good food is and what ‘five star’ means.” His strategy for satisfying those desires is straightforward: “The best product, the best service, and the best design.” The hotel, he notes, has six dining options with every type of cuisine available. “That’s a 360-degree angle for the chef to do what he wants,” he says. And his focus throughout is on authenticity. He explains: “There is no fusion in my mind, and I’m no fan of molecular gastronomy. Customers come to Four Seasons for an experience; otherwise, we are no different from anywhere else.” He is very keen to impart his skills in the latest run of vegan cooking classes saying: “Every ingredient has its best way to die. If you are a porcini mushroom, eight hours in the oven is not the best way.” The next class takes place on November 20 from 4pm-6pm. Numbers are set at a minimum of eight and maximum 12 and the cost is BD20++ (BD15 for spa members). Call 17 115-500. Going Green in the Kitchen FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BAHRAIN BAY Executive chef Stefano Andreoli
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