Dominic Samuel, from India, is pastry chef/trainer at Apron and Glove. He has 14 years of culinary experience, eight of which are in the UAE.
Can you give us a glimpse of your career journey so far?
I started my culinary journey in India and worked my way through different hotels and bakeries across the country. I came to UAE in 2012, again working my way around. I’m currently working with Apron and Glove, a culinary institute located in Jumeirah, where we train new aspiring chefs as well as individuals who are passionate about food.
What’s your favourite dish to eat and why?
My favourite dish is a simple crème caramel as it’s easy to make anywhere, but brings back so many memories.
What are you cooking up today? Tell us more about the dish.
Today, I’m preparing a chocolate soft brownie with a KitKat crumble, topped with Docello Chocolate Passion Chantilly, served with coconut crème brûlée and Arabiana coffee jelly. Some of Nestlé’s signature products, such as the Docello range, coffee, KitKat, condensed milk and coconut milk powder, were the inspiration behind this dish: it combines local favourites with tropical flavours.
As a chef, what are the top ingredients and products you’re using these days?
Using quality products is very important in the culinary world, be it pastry, bakery or anything else. I use the best flours for breads, as they make all the difference, good butter to give the right texture and of course quality cocoa bean chocolates, they are my favourite as they bring so much more to the dish.
What are some of the most recent, important food trends you can tell us about?
Some of the most important food trends today are simple, and yet made using a process where one keeps the integrity of the product intact. For example, if you make an apple dessert, the apples must not be overcooked or smelling of cinnamon, but rather embrace being what they are and how they taste as if you had just taken a bite of an apple.
What would you advise suppliers and foodservice professionals who are looking to offer their best to the market and meet demand?
I guess suppliers are already planning on doing this, but if they ask me, I would tell them to create more solutions in similar fashion to the Docello range, as there’s a need for good quality offerings.
