MEET THE CHEF: FREDERIC CHABBERT
Last April, and in line with Kempinski’s commitment to bringing exceptional experiences from all over the world to its guests, Kempinski Summerland hosted the French Michelin-star chef
Frederic Chabbert, owner of the Dôme in Belgium and one of Hong Kong’s revolutionary talents, at Candelabra international restaurant for four days. HN had the chance to chat with him, and here’s what he told us
1. What does it mean to you careerwise to visit Kempinski Summerland Beirut for this special occasion? The general manager of Kempinski Summerland Hotel and Resort, Daniele Vastolo and I worked together in Kuala Lumpur in 2005, and we’ve been close friends since then. We’ve discussed me visiting Lebanon to tailor-make something for the Lebanese audience in the past and recently we decided that the time was now right for me to venture into a new cuisine – that of the Mediterranean, and specifically the Lebanese cuisine. This special occasion has created a new horizon for me. During the visit I’ve discovered Lebanese cuisine and simply fallen in love with it. Today, after this experience, I can definitely promise all of my Lebanese guests that I’ll be indulging with Lebanese ingredients in my dishes.
2. Were you familiar with Mediterranean cuisine and how do you assess its distinctive culinar y traits? I only discovered this cuisine three days ago when I had dinner at Pier 78, the Mediterranean restaurant located at Kempinski Summerland, but I can honestly say it’s truly succulent! I loved the sharing cold and hot mezzes that have a huge variety of cheese, vegetables and chicken, among other ingredients. I’ve also fallen in love with the different spices which I’ll definitely be taking back with me to the Dôme.
3. Do you have any plans to collaborate with a Lebanese chef? Last month, Kempinski Summerland’s executive chef, Georges Mansour, visited me in Antwerp, where he spent a week in the kitchens of the Dôme restaurants. It was an amazing collaboration! I would definitely like to collaborate with him again and cook some surprising creations in both Lebanon and Belgium.
4. What future projects do you have planned? We are currently in the process of finalizing a new project that focuses on wine. It’s still in the preparation phase, but will soon be ready. Longer term, I will definitely be expanding my restaurant and Lebanon could be on my radar! kempinski.com