‘I particularly enjoy cooking fish and seafood at Burj Al Arab, hence my ambition to eventually open my own seafood restaurant in my native country of Sri Lanka.’

From starting as a trainee cook in a catering firm in Sri Lanka up to a Diet Restaurant; where as well as contributing to the concept and décor of the establishment he was also tasked to plan special menus for some customers’ unique dietary requirements.

With the Burj Al Arab since 1999, Moorthy now greatly enjoys his job preparing seafood delicacies at Al Mahara restaurant.

‘I’m always interested in the culture of a region and how it shapes the local dishes. For example, in Indonesia, how the local spices, flavourings and use of the traditional wok have created the cuisine’s distinctive style.’

Siswanto has a thorough experience of his native Indonesian cooking, having spent five years as a chef at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Jakarta.

Only in Dubai since September 2004,

‘Whether cooking for a top VIP or someone who doesn’t know a great deal about food, the diner’s complete satisfaction is very important to me.’

With a degree in Culinary Arts, Ulrich completed his chef’s apprenticeship in Germany while picking up several cuisine awards before going on to work with the German Nutrition Society developing diet-related menus and becoming the youngest certified dietician chef in Germany.