MEET THE CHEF: OLIVIER PALLUT
Chef Olivier Pallut is a French national with extensive experience in the culinary industry. He has worked for Hotel Charentais, Bistro Le Francais, Le Meridien St Martin, Le Meridien Mariador, Qatar Royal Palace, Mezzaluna and Zoe Restaurants in Bahrain, Thimar Reef Island and Cordon Bleu Istanbul to name a few. His previous assignment saw him take on the position of corporate executive chef for Bateel International in charge of the kitchens for 16 outlets in Dubai, one outlet in Oman, four outlets in Qatar and three outlets in Kuwait. His extensive hospitality background and experience in the industry have led to him working in the UK, France, Russia, Guadeloupe, Chad, Guinea, Ukraine, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkey, Africa and most recently as the executive chef at Le Cordon Bleu, Lebanon.
What was your initial reaction when offered the position in Lebanon?
I was very excited as I'd already had a very positive experience in Lebanon. After all, I like Mediterranean food so I knew that this location would suit me.
What do you think of Lebanese hospitality?
It is truly great; the Lebanese people have welcomed me with open arms.
How many cuisines are you familiar with and what is your favorite?
My passion is the ‘cuisine of the sun’. While my base is traditional and Mediterranean French cuisine, I am inspired by adapting this to the taste of the geographic locality of where I am cooking. I have a strong interest in local cuisine and I make a concerted effort to source produce from the local markets, creating European culture with a local touch.
How do signature menus differ from others, especially when it comes to seasonality?
I try to keep the most popular dishes, irrespective of season, top of mind, while offering seasonal dishes that are more appropriate, such as soups and stews which are not that heavy to stomach.
What are the important factors to consider when preparing banquet menus for private and corporate events?
Some of the major elements to consider are the hosts’ and attendees’ taste palates, the nature of the event, season of the year and budget. If it is a corporate event with a workshop, I will prepare a menu that is light to stomach, which would enable the client to return to work immediately afterward. If it’s a leisurely event where the guests have more time to spend, I will go for an array of festive dishes.
Fairmont Amman, managed by Accorhotels; the first and only 5-star deluxe hotel in Jordan, has announced the recent appointment of Toufic Ismail as executive pastry chef. Ismail has extensive experience in perfecting the art of baking, sugar art design and chocolate carving, starting his career at the Intercontinental Hotels Group - Lebanon. Afterward, he moved into leading positions in a number of prestigious hotels and resorts in Algeria, UAE, Maldives and Qatar, which allowed him to learn and modify recipes in addition to discovering new techniques through the experience he gained alongside the talented chefs he worked with, including the renowned chef Fabien Martinez. fairmont.com/amman