Between now and December 15 there are some amazing free cooking classes taking place in Abu Dhabi.
Taking place in The Galleria Al Maryah Island’s Central Kitchens area (on the third level), is Chef Studio, part of Abu Dhabi Culinary Season.
There will be free cooking classes covering all kinds of cuisines, dishes and styles, led by the city’s top chefs and some special celebrity guests.
For the full line-up of sessions you can click here, but to find out more about which classes will take place this weekend and until the end of the campaign, read on.
With only six spots available for each session, they have been a huge success and are all now fully booked. However you can still go along to watch.
Chef: Jaka Akbary, Glo at Rosewood Abu Dhabi – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Glazed flank steak
When: 4pm, Thursday December 10
Sous chef Jaka Akbary discovered his love of cooking while traveling from island to island with his father in his native Indonesia, sampling dishes along the way. He specialises in pit barbecue and smoked meats, as well as Asian and Latin American cuisines, combining street food and a touch of fine dining. On December 10, he’ll be showing you how to make glazed flank steak with habanero salsa and parmesan broccolini. You’ll learn how to season the steak with brown sugar marinade, and make your own salsa.
Chef: MJ DeGuzman, COYA at Four Seasons Hotel – The Galleria – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Maki acevichado
When: 8pm, Thursday December 10
Chef MJ DeGuzman didn’t plan on becoming a chef, but we’re certainly glad that he did. Specialising in Japanese food, he spent time at the Kanpai restaurant in Souk al Bahr before moving to COYA in 2016. Since then, he has been fascinated by Peruvian food, with its unique blend of Spanish and Japanese cuisines among others. Chef DeGuzman will be showing you how to make maki acevichado, by frying sea bream and making sushi rolls.
Chef: Asanka, Yamanote Atelier – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Kids’ Tiramisu
When: 2pm, Friday December 11
Chef at Abu Dhabi’s branches of Japanese bakery Yamanote Atelier, chef Asanka will be teaching family-friendly class showing you how to make tiramisu suitable for kids.
Chef: Hugo Sipp, Fouquet’s at Louvre Abu Dhabi – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Crepe Suzette
When: 4pm, Friday December 11
We’re still amazed that visitors to the Louvre Abu Dhabi can visit such an incredible restaurant, and we’re huge fans of the pastries on offer at Fouquet’s. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you definitely won’t want to miss Chef Hugo Sipp’s class on December 11. He’ll be showing you how to make crepe suzette and it looks amazing.
Chef: Nikita Ghandi – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Gulab Jamun
When: 8pm, Friday December 11
Abu Dhabi-raised chef Nikita Ghandi rose to fame as the youngest winner of MasterChef India in 2015, and has since been since fronting her own foodie TV show as well as blogging about her vegetarian cooking to almost 60,000 Instagram followers. A firm favourite on the chef circuit, Ghandi has had dishes featured in the MasterChef restaurant in Dubai and has appeared at Taste of Abu Dhabi to showcase her latest creations.
Chef: Jaka Akbary, Rosewood Abu Dhabi – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Jimbaran-style grilled sea bass
When: 2pm, Saturday December 12
Rosewood Abu Dhabi’s Chef Akbary will be back again on December 10, and this time he’ll be making Jimbaran-style grilled sea bass. You’ll be making fresh green papaya and mango salad, as well as a Jimbaran-style paste to marinate the sea bass in, before pan searing the fish. Sounds delicious.
Chef: Chef Tanu, Barfly by Buddha-Bar – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Beef tataki with truffle ponzu
When: 8pm, Saturday December 12
With 12 years of culinary expertise under his belt encompassing everything from Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, and Indonesian, chef Tanu is an expert in Asian cuisine. His passion was instilled in him by his family who share the same love of cooking as him and his motto is to enrich is guests’ culinary experiences by providing impeccable hospitality and quality culinary creations. He’ll be taking you through a beef tataki with truffle ponzu which is bang on trend right now.
Chef: Greg Malouf – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Salmon kibbeh nayeh
When: Noon, Sunday December 13
Known as the master of modern Middle Eastern cuisine, Michelin star winning chef Greg Malouf combines his Lebanese heritage with his classical cooking training in Europe to create unique and delightful dishes. Focusing on allowing the flavours to speak for themselves, Malouf’s cooking is unpretentious and authentic, making him the perfect teacher to bring out your own talents at Chef Studio. Showcasing one of his classic recipes, salmon kibbeh nayeh, Malouf will have you creating a show stopping dish to wow friends and family for years to come.
Chef: Francois Leo, Le Café at Emirates Palace – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Coconut cheesecake
When: 4pm, Sunday December 13
Talented Chef Leo has more than 15 years of experience in pastry, having previously worked positions in Italy, Switzerland, and Barbados. Since joining Emirates Palace in August 2018, he has created cakes, pastries and artisanal chocolates, allowing guests to take a little piece of the palace home with them. On December 13, Chef Leo will be showing you how to make an exotic coconut cheesecake.
Chef: Gary Abdel, Grills @ Chill’O at Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Seabass Fillet
When: 8pm, Sunday December 13
Known for his traditional cooking style and use of seasonal produce, Chef Gary Abdel specialises in Mediterranean cooking. He’s been a part of the team at Grills@Chill’O for the past three years, and on December 13, you’ll learn how to make Potato Colcannon, Poached Shrimps, béarnaise sauce
Chef: Divesh Anand, Tamba – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Sweet and sour pumpkin, spinach paratha
When: 8pm, Monday December 14
With more than 13 years of experience, Chef Divesh Anand specialises in modern Indian cuisine and international food. He gained much of his culinary knowledge while working at Oberoi Hotels and Resorts. His twist on Indian food is sure to be devoured by those taking part in the class.
Chef: Raj Dagstani, Marmellata – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Struffoli
When: 4pm, Tuesday December 15
The Marmellata man is back again, and this time he’ll be cooking something family-friendly up.
Chef: Khaled Alsaadi – FULLY BOOKED
Dish: Skills with fish
When: 8pm, Tuesday December 15
One of the most highly regarded young Emirati chefs, Khaled Alsaadi is most well-known for his ever-popular Fae Café in Abu Dhabi. Having started cooking to lose weight around six years ago, Alsaadi quickly discovered his aptitude for it and went down the avenue into fine dining. Having earned his trade under some of the top chefs at Atlantis, The Palm, Alsaadi is now well and truly a culinary expert in his own right.
