Following in the footsteps of the Gordon Ramsay proteges Angela Hartnett and Jason Atherton, Matt Pickop took over as the executive chef at Verre last year. He discusses working with one of the world's most intimidating chefs, and how the pressure to perform in Dubai is as strong as ever.
It's great, he's a fantastic boss. Obviously, it's hard work. I've been with him for eight years, but working with him isn't like you've got this famous person around you all the time - you just see him as the boss. He's just like any other boss, he expects results and he expects standards to be kept up. At the end of the day, we're running a business.
Well, he has done in the past. But that's obviously all about driving results and making sure the standard always stays the same.
Probably Gordon - most of my professional life has been with him. Before, I was with a restaurant called Teatro, which was actually a consultancy that Gordon did anyway, so it's actually around 10 years working alongside or with him.
The madness (laughs). No, it's the constant drive - constantly pushing to the best standard, trying to achieve fantastic results out of great ingredients. We cook with some great ingredients from around the world, so we get a chance to taste some of the most amazing things in the world. Every day is a new challenge, and no two days are the same at work.
I actually started off at university studying photography, so I'd probably have been a photographer by now.
Well that's it - I found out at university that I'm more of a team player, more of a hands-on kind of person. Photography is a lot more slow-paced. Although you need patience in the kitchen, you need a lot more patience when you're behind a camera.
To carry on doing what we're doing. Food-wise we have amazing consistency, the food is excellent and the service is superb. I don't think there's another restaurant in Dubai that has such good food and service together. Perhaps our location has let us down, but that's changing as new roads and the new metro are being built. Our accessibility is getting better. Obviously, when a restaurant is running for seven years things can start to look tired, but we're making several changes.
I think the pressure's definitely there but it's no stronger than it was before. I think there's always a pressure to keep on top of things. The minute you sit back you've got complacency written all over your face, and then you have to start worrying.
Funny you should say that. I've just done some filming with City 7, but I'm not really comfortable with seven cameras in my face. It's not really for me, I don't think (laughs).
Verre by Gordon Ramsay, Hilton Dubai Creek, 04 227 1111.
jbrennan@thenational.ae
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh132,000 (Countryman)
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
RESULT
Deportivo La Coruna 2 Barcelona 4
Deportivo: Perez (39'), Colak (63')
Barcelona: Coutinho (6'), Messi (37', 81', 84')
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
