Emirates Palace is icon of luxury tourism : new chef says

Executive chef James Norman of Britain who joined the iconic Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi shuttle between 14 and 18 km a day to check work at the sprawling hotel’s restaurants and kitchens every day. He makes sure to taste the cooked food before it is served to ensure it is delicious and of high quality.

Chef Norman appears to be happy in his job which he has started in London since he was only around 16 years old.

“I began my career as a chef by working free at a restaurant in London for nearly two years when I was a student to guarantee a job after I graduate from the university…and that’s what happened,” he says.

The chef says he is delighted to work at Emirates Palace, rated among the top10 hotels in the world, adding that he was offered that job when he was a chef at Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva nearly six months ago.

“I agreed without hesitation because I had always dreamt of working in this hotel which is described as an icon of luxury tourism in the region,” he says.

“Working in this hotel is a big challenge to provide the best choices to VIPs and other guests and tourists…I have been here for nearly six months and I keep close to all hotel kitchen workers to make sure the food is of the highest standard.”

Chef Norman believes Emirates Palace has its own identity and cannot be compared to any other hotel. “That is what made me quickly agree to work at his hotel.”

He says that restaurants in Emirates Palace are among the best in the region as they serve a large variety of cuisine from the UAE, the Middle East and other parts of the world. “Compared to other hotels, Emirates Palace is massive…I move between 14 and 18 km every day to shuttle between its restaurants and kitchens to ensure the food quality is of the highest standard…I also meet visitors who like to present their views and proposals which encourage us to improve our food quality continuously.”

Chef Norman is leading a team of 164 chefs across a staggering 128 kitchens to oversee all of Emirates Palace’s food and beverage needs, including banquet operations and its 14 restaurants.

Chef Norman joined the Emirates Palace from the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva in Switzerland, where he held the position of Executive Chef and Regional Executive Chef for Europe. His long career as a chef has seen him working for the Sultan of Brunei at the Empire Hotel & Country Club and for Guy Savoy in Paris. The five star properties under his belt include the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva and Hong Kong, Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the Lanesborough Hotel and The Dorchester Hotel in London.

Welcoming the chef when he joined the hotel, Emirates Palace general manager Holger Schroth said :“We are happy to welcome James to Emirates Palace as our new Executive Chef...James is a passionate professional, a true top chef who will inject his unique flair and creativity into the talented culinary team at the Palace. With his incredible experience from around the world, I am excited to see what new directions our food and beverage will take in the coming months.”