Dubai is the place where people from all corners of the world thrive. Offering more than just what meets the eye, the city instantly becomes a second home to expats. Thanks to its multicultural tapestry, the city's environment makes newcomers feel safe and taken care of. It's a place where one can find almost anything from their home country, including a wide range of cuisines that caters to and comforts residents from all backgrounds.
In this article, part one of a three-part series, we explore the story of three chefs that have come to Dubai from various parts of the world. They tell us their story and how their culinary journey brought them to Dubai and their experience so far.
We had the pleasure of speaking with one-MICHELIN-star Hakkasan’s chef, Andy Toh, to learn more about how his career brought him from Malaysia to Dubai, and how he found success as a chef and as a family-man in a city he now calls home.
Chef Andy is a celebrated figure in Dubai’s vibrant culinary landscape, having built his career from a young age. The Malaysian-born chef of Chinese heritage has carved his unique identity in the culinary world since he was 13, often juggling both work and school at the same time.
His determination eventually led him to travel through the various kitchens of different nations, such as Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand before venturing into the world of cruise ships and finally, bringing him to Dubai in 2011.
When chef Andy first arrived to the city, he had no prior knowledge of what it was like, but was soon amazed by what he saw. “My first impression when I got off the plane and got into the bus was, ‘it's not a desert, it’s a nice city,’” he recalls. Expecting an arid desert landscape, he was impressed by the sheer amount of beautiful high-rise buildings and the city’s cosmopolitan and vibrant nature.
Since his arrival, he has witnessed numerous changes. “It really changed a lot, because when first I arrived our accommodation was in Dubai Silicon Oasis, so there was a lot of empty land over there,” he says, “but now if you see that area, it is fully covered in buildings and looks completely different since 2011.”
The city’s rapid growth and landscape transformation are not the only changes chef Andy has noticed. Delving deeper into the culinary side of things, chef Andy points out a rise in Chinese restaurants and an increased interest in the cuisine over the years allows him to be more innovative in his cooking in Hakkasan’s kitchen. “Personally, I am taking more risks with my menu”, he says. “I try to understand my international guests better and introduce new and exciting dishes that they will be keen on trying.” He further points out the importance of understanding your guests and tweaking traditional dishes in a way, so they suit everyone’s palate.
While his career found major success in Dubai, having earned one MICHELIN star for Hakkasan in the MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2022 and 2023 editions, he notes that it is Dubai’s safe environment and diverse culinary offering that helped him settle in comfortably as a family man.
“Dubai is very safe for a family man like me, I’ve got five boys,” he mentions, “so it is very safe comparing to others, like my country or Thailand, my wife’s country. Also, the diversity in Dubai allows you to find anything,” he continues. “For example, when it comes to cuisines that you want or miss, like Malaysian in my case, you’ll find it here easily.”
Three of his children were born in Dubai, which naturally strengthens his ties with the city. Dubai’s diverse environment allows his children to interact with different nationalities and helps them become citizens of the world with a more tolerant outlook on life.
“When they go to school here, they make friends that come from different cultures, different nationalities, so they are more exposed to the world and it helps them grow,” he explains.
A rising expat community has in addition led to access to a variety of products from across the globe, which makes expats never feel they are too far away from their home and able to connect with their heritage while enjoying all that Dubai has to offer.
In addition to expat life, chef Andy is also intrigued by the local cuisine. His curiosity in local Emirati cuisine was triggered when he was invited to a local Emirati’s home. He vividly describes his first time trying Machboos, a rice dish served in a big pot. To him, this unfamiliar dish included a variety of meat, vegetables, and spices, which ultimately reminded him of a specialty dish from his home country. The Chinese “Treasure Pot” as he says, is prepared in a similar way and includes a variety of meats with rice and is prepared in one big pot.
Finding a home outside of your own country is not always an easy feat, but for chef Andy, he believes that Dubai is the land of opportunity, where anyone who wishes to live here can “make it happen.”
Bonus questions with chef Andy:
Favourite place to eat in Dubai?
If we’re going to eat out, Sticky Rice in JVC is my favourite place.
Favourite activity/thing to do in Dubai?
Me and my family love to do things together on my days off, whether that’s bringing the kids to Al Barsha park, going bowling, or watching movies in the cinema.
Favourite neighbourhood in Dubai?
Downtown Dubai and the Dubai Mall are great to go with the kids. And we also love Safa Park and going there to barbecue with the family.
Image credits: Hakkasan; Chef Andy Toh
