Meet The Chef

“I wouldn’t say it’s more trendy, I think it’s just what people want these days,” says Bartolini. “And you can see that everywhere. You have the fine-dining restaurants, even here in Dubai, and some of them just don’t work. Compared to comfort food and street food, fine-dining restaurants are a dying breed in a way.”

He says guests are seeking out a more relaxed atmosphere in Dubai and abroad. Wistfully describing street food around the world, he says his favourite way to experience a country is through its cuisine – from Mexican tacos to authentic Chinese fare and Italian pizza. “I want to enjoy food, but sometimes I think I’d rather be eating on the streets of Thailand, rather than sitting in a suit in a fine-dining restaurant.”

But Bartolini says it’s not about one specific cuisine or fitting dishes into a particular style. He explains, “Some chefs will say, ‘I only want to do Italian food’; but for me, I just want to do good food.” 

The Argentinian national has been working with Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant group for 11 years, and when asked about the notoriously hot-tempered celebrity chef who heads up the empire, Bartolini says he enjoys his flare and attention to detail.

“You just learn so much from working with the team when you're working in Ramsay’s restaurants. It’s about the passion, the consistency, the systems and the produce – you want to work with someone who’s so passionate about these things.”

Ramsay teaches his proteges to focus on perfection, hence his fiery attitude on television. “It’s passion,” explains Bartolini. “You’re always searching for errors, rather than concentrating on the positives, so you become very picky. You strive to adjust and improve the small details, so you're constantly getting better.”

To taste that perfectionism on the plate, book a table at Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen and Bar in Dubai.