Why is Oman so inviting as a culinary destination for Michelin-starred chefs?
Published: 02:04 PM,Apr 26,2023 | EDITED : 01:04 PM,Apr 27,2023
His reputation preceded him, and his presence has caused quite a flurry in the kitchen of Anantara Salalah. It was through his skills and experience that everyone understood what it took to be a Michelin-starred chef.
He was precise and a perfectionist, and in a world that's always judged for perfection, consistency, and service, Chef Thomas Buhner knows exactly what to do with his dishes, down to how they are to be served to guests.
Visiting Oman as part of the Salalah Food Festival organized by the hotel in the last quarter of 2022, Chef Thomas shared that it was always refreshing to share something different with a new country.
He has been to Oman multiple times; the first time was a courtesy invite from the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, and from that, he was always back every few years in close collaboration with different people and hotels.
What Chef Thomas has achieved in his lifetime is quite extraordinary. He is a German three-Michelin-starred chef who gained his first star in 1991 while working for La Table Restaurant in Dortmund. It was followed in 1998 and then in 2011. On top of these accolades, he has also collected numerous awards from prestigious award-giving bodies in the industry.
Chef Thomas was front and center at the Salalah Food Festival. On his visit, he was challenged by high-perfumery house Amouage through the company's Chief Experience Officer, Renaud Salmon, to interpret the four new fragrances as dishes, and the result was a multi-course dinner that took guests on a trip into the beautiful world of Oman, and more focused into the beautiful island of Masirah that inspired the collection.
When the night was over, the exhausted Chef Thomas then met with the media and, once settled, explained that Oman is full of potential as a unique destination for a fine dining restaurant.
In fact, Chef Buhner intimated that if the opportunity presented itself, he would gladly set up shop in Oman and open a restaurant.
'If I open a restaurant in New York or Dubai, it's only one of thousands. In Oman, it's really a culinary white paper,' Chef Thomas shared.
Asked what makes Oman so inviting to chefs like him, he explained, 'We create a mental picture of places in our heads. You close your eyes and think of Paris, and you have a beautiful photo of Paris in your head. The same thing is true for Oman. People close their eyes, and they know that this is more original and more down to earth. It demonstrates its uniqueness as a destination.'
'For people dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, they are coming for the experience, and Michelin-starred restaurants have to deliver on these expectations. You need to have an excellent team behind you. 'Team' doesn't just mean in the kitchen but also in the service. You need to have a setup that fits the expectations of the guests, and never forget that these guests have high expectations as they want to get great food,' he shared.
With the right hotel or the right partners, Chef Thomas said that he is very open to the idea, adding, 'Right now, we can take the chance and really write a new story. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something, as there are more and more international guests coming to Oman who are looking for a great experience.'
Beyond the stars, it's quality food and service
Chef Rohit Ghai is celebrated in the United Kingdom for the magic he did to elevate the reputation of Indian food in the country and earn a Michelin star in 10 months. When he finally opened his first solo restaurant, Kutir in 2018, it opened to rave reviews, and his career trajectory has placed him among the best chefs to follow in the UK.
When he visited Oman in 2022, he was only coming for a pop-up event but hinted that he would definitely return to give the Sultanate the same experience that the British had been enjoying when it comes to elevated Indian dishes.
Fast forward to the first quarter of 2023, Chef Rohit collaborated with Shangrila Al Husn and opened Aangan by Rohit Ghai, where he is now offering some of the best dishes he can concoct for the people of Oman to try.
His move follows the same logic as Chef Thomas's: Oman has great potential as a market, and the Sultanate definitely deserves some of the world's best restaurants.
While the move may be unpopular with those who don't understand, Chef Rohit, in an exclusive said that he hopes to be able to replicate the success of Kutir in the country but, beyond that, focus on the quality of food and service.
'It's good to dream of achieving a star, but a lot of the hard work starts with getting the food and the service right,' he shared.
'Once you are on the Michelin-star inspectors' radar, they always keep an eye on what you are doing. Other than earning the star, you also have to work on keeping it. So keeping the service and quality of food consistent is key,' he shared.
Today, Chef Rohit has refined the menu at Aangan and is inviting people in Oman to give it a try.
Big restaurant names are coming
As Oman opens more facilities for hospitality, many of the luxury hotels coming to the country are also bringing big restaurant names.
For instance, all eyes are currently set on the opening of St Regis Al Mouj which promises to bring big restaurant names like Hakkasan, Koma, Coya, Navikov, Robertos, among others.
Many luxury watchers said that this is needed by the country, and in line with Vision 2030 to bring in more international tourists, conversations are happening everywhere about whether Michelin-starred restaurants and pricey dishes will have a market in Oman.
Oman luxury market commentators are saying they are positive that these restaurants, especially Michelin-starred ones, will find success as many foodies in Oman are hungry for unique experiences.
Hotels, in return, are testing the waters with dozens of Michelin-starred chefs being invited to do pop-up events.
With Michelin stars being awarded left and right in the neighboring UAE, one may be in Oman soon too.
The question remains whether high-end businesses like this will be sustainable in Oman, and Chef Rohit's Aangan will definitely be the one to watch as its success will be one of the measures of whether Oman is ready to pay for worthwhile food experiences.
Instagram: @yru_here
He was precise and a perfectionist, and in a world that's always judged for perfection, consistency, and service, Chef Thomas Buhner knows exactly what to do with his dishes, down to how they are to be served to guests.
Visiting Oman as part of the Salalah Food Festival organized by the hotel in the last quarter of 2022, Chef Thomas shared that it was always refreshing to share something different with a new country.
He has been to Oman multiple times; the first time was a courtesy invite from the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, and from that, he was always back every few years in close collaboration with different people and hotels.
What Chef Thomas has achieved in his lifetime is quite extraordinary. He is a German three-Michelin-starred chef who gained his first star in 1991 while working for La Table Restaurant in Dortmund. It was followed in 1998 and then in 2011. On top of these accolades, he has also collected numerous awards from prestigious award-giving bodies in the industry.
Chef Thomas was front and center at the Salalah Food Festival. On his visit, he was challenged by high-perfumery house Amouage through the company's Chief Experience Officer, Renaud Salmon, to interpret the four new fragrances as dishes, and the result was a multi-course dinner that took guests on a trip into the beautiful world of Oman, and more focused into the beautiful island of Masirah that inspired the collection.
When the night was over, the exhausted Chef Thomas then met with the media and, once settled, explained that Oman is full of potential as a unique destination for a fine dining restaurant.
In fact, Chef Buhner intimated that if the opportunity presented itself, he would gladly set up shop in Oman and open a restaurant.
'If I open a restaurant in New York or Dubai, it's only one of thousands. In Oman, it's really a culinary white paper,' Chef Thomas shared.
Asked what makes Oman so inviting to chefs like him, he explained, 'We create a mental picture of places in our heads. You close your eyes and think of Paris, and you have a beautiful photo of Paris in your head. The same thing is true for Oman. People close their eyes, and they know that this is more original and more down to earth. It demonstrates its uniqueness as a destination.'
'For people dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, they are coming for the experience, and Michelin-starred restaurants have to deliver on these expectations. You need to have an excellent team behind you. 'Team' doesn't just mean in the kitchen but also in the service. You need to have a setup that fits the expectations of the guests, and never forget that these guests have high expectations as they want to get great food,' he shared.
With the right hotel or the right partners, Chef Thomas said that he is very open to the idea, adding, 'Right now, we can take the chance and really write a new story. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something, as there are more and more international guests coming to Oman who are looking for a great experience.'
Beyond the stars, it's quality food and service
Chef Rohit Ghai is celebrated in the United Kingdom for the magic he did to elevate the reputation of Indian food in the country and earn a Michelin star in 10 months. When he finally opened his first solo restaurant, Kutir in 2018, it opened to rave reviews, and his career trajectory has placed him among the best chefs to follow in the UK.
When he visited Oman in 2022, he was only coming for a pop-up event but hinted that he would definitely return to give the Sultanate the same experience that the British had been enjoying when it comes to elevated Indian dishes.
Fast forward to the first quarter of 2023, Chef Rohit collaborated with Shangrila Al Husn and opened Aangan by Rohit Ghai, where he is now offering some of the best dishes he can concoct for the people of Oman to try.
His move follows the same logic as Chef Thomas's: Oman has great potential as a market, and the Sultanate definitely deserves some of the world's best restaurants.
While the move may be unpopular with those who don't understand, Chef Rohit, in an exclusive said that he hopes to be able to replicate the success of Kutir in the country but, beyond that, focus on the quality of food and service.
'It's good to dream of achieving a star, but a lot of the hard work starts with getting the food and the service right,' he shared.
'Once you are on the Michelin-star inspectors' radar, they always keep an eye on what you are doing. Other than earning the star, you also have to work on keeping it. So keeping the service and quality of food consistent is key,' he shared.
Today, Chef Rohit has refined the menu at Aangan and is inviting people in Oman to give it a try.
Big restaurant names are coming
As Oman opens more facilities for hospitality, many of the luxury hotels coming to the country are also bringing big restaurant names.
For instance, all eyes are currently set on the opening of St Regis Al Mouj which promises to bring big restaurant names like Hakkasan, Koma, Coya, Navikov, Robertos, among others.
Many luxury watchers said that this is needed by the country, and in line with Vision 2030 to bring in more international tourists, conversations are happening everywhere about whether Michelin-starred restaurants and pricey dishes will have a market in Oman.
Oman luxury market commentators are saying they are positive that these restaurants, especially Michelin-starred ones, will find success as many foodies in Oman are hungry for unique experiences.
Hotels, in return, are testing the waters with dozens of Michelin-starred chefs being invited to do pop-up events.
With Michelin stars being awarded left and right in the neighboring UAE, one may be in Oman soon too.
The question remains whether high-end businesses like this will be sustainable in Oman, and Chef Rohit's Aangan will definitely be the one to watch as its success will be one of the measures of whether Oman is ready to pay for worthwhile food experiences.
Instagram: @yru_here