RICK GONZALEZ

Executive chef at The Restaurant at Address, Address Boulevard

My father owned a restaurant in New York and that’s where it all started for me. I used to go there as a 15-year-old to help with various jobs and even occasionally cook.

A crucial aspect to a successful restaurant is having passionate people managing and driving the business. Everyone from front of house to the senior chefs need to drive the restaurant’s concept and maintain a level of consistency.

I really enjoy braising food. They tend to cook slowly, allowing the flavours to form and making a great dish. The lamb shoulder from The Restaurant at Address menu is a favourite of mine.

Who do I enjoy cooking for the most? The guests who say: “Chef, I will leave it up to you to cook whatever you want me to eat.”

The dish on my menu that I eat the most? Without hesitation it’s the seafood fregola – a seafood pasta with prawn, baby squid, scallop and asparagus.

When I’m in the kitchen, I’m a bit like a fiery hot sauce – but in a positive and passionate way, of course.

If it was the last weekend on Earth, I know exactly where I’d be eating. I’d be in Lima, Peru.

aAddress Boulevard, Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, daily 24-hrs. Tel: (04) 8883444. Metro: Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall. theaddress.com