'Gordon Ramsay taught me to deliver to the best of my abilities'

Your favourite food-related experience.
On a holiday in Spain, I once hosted a paella party to mark my birthday. A local chef came and cooked a huge paella for everyone. It was such a memorable occasion for me, and watching him cook from start to finish was an amazing experience.
Who do you admire most in the culinary world, and why?
Gordon Ramsay, as his determination and passion are why he is where he is now. He doesn't take or make any excuses and simply demonstrates what he can do. In fact, I worked for him when I first moved to London and it was a great experience, as I learnt a lot. It was when I first realised how challenging this industry was. Gordon always wanted perfection when it came to the quality of food we cooked, and this really helped set the tone for me to work with passion and deliver to the best of my capabilities.
Your favourite culinary destination, and why?
Well, I am still young so there's still a lot out there for me to see but, for now, I would have to say France, as I would go there every year when I was a child with the family. I loved seeing all the different types of pastries, cheeses, fresh vegetables and fruits in the local markets.
How often do you eat out? What's your favourite place around town?
I love to eat out and generally try to do so twice a week. Perry & Blackwelder's Original Smokehouse at Souk Madinat Jumeirah is my guilty pleasure. Another one of my favourites is Nobu - amazing food.
If you could cook for a high-profile personality, who would it be and what would you serve him or her?
I would love to cook for the Tottenham Hotspur football team, as following them is also a big passion of mine. I would make them a lot of my healthy dishes from the restaurant menu. Our sustainably-sourced ingredients help us to make super salads that are full of nutrients to help people get them through the day and achieve their goals.
You're asked to invent an unusual dish - what would it be?
I like to think outside the box and, while working with healthy food, you tend to come across some unusual ingredients. For example, sea buckthorn is an interesting one. I have used this in dishes and it is super healthy for you. So, to answer your question, my unusual dish would be sea buckthorn and cocoa nibs granola.
One ingredient/dish you can't stand, and why.
Jelly eels! My dad and mum would take us to the local fish van down the road when we were young and they would always get jelly eels. I couldn't get used to them.
After cooking all day, do you cook for yourself at home too?
I do cook a lot at home - mostly meals that I grew up with. I cook for my wife and son and tend to take the lead when in the kitchen, so my wife leaves the cooking to me.
Favourite comfort food?
My mum's lasagne with homemade cheese sauce. To this day, when my mum visits or I go to see her, I ask her to cook this meal as nothing beats a homemade meal by mum.
If you could choose a last meal, what would you want it to be?
A tenderloin steak with peppercorn sauce never lets you down.
Where can we find you, when not in the kitchen?
With my family or out eating. My wife and I love to eat. We have eaten in many places around Dubai. I am lucky as she is also a foodie and I get to experience the amazing world of food with her.
- Staff reporter