Recipes for success: Dubai-based Colombian chef Luisa Fernanda Caicedo takes a back-to-basics approach

Caicedo offers some tips to those wanting to improve their cooking and provides a simple recipe for a tasty dish. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 28 November 2021
Follow

Recipes for success: Dubai-based Colombian chef Luisa Fernanda Caicedo takes a back-to-basics approach

  • In the first of our new series where top chefs offer advice and a recipe, we talk to the executive chef of Dubai’s Mondoux restaurant

DUBAI: Colombian chef Luisa Fernanda Caicedo was on holiday in Nepal when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and travel restrictions were imposed. At first, she and her husband were told they would be able to return to New York (where Caicedo had spent more than a decade in the industry) within 15 days. Then they were told the same again. And again. Seven months later, they were still in the same Airbnb place, and Caicedo was pregnant. She wanted to give birth somewhere she felt more confident about the medical care available, but the doctors told her not to take a flight of more than eight hours. A short Google session later, she had settled on Dubai. After their daughter was born safely in November last year, Caicedo decided maybe it would be worth finding a job in the UAE. She is now the executive chef at Mondoux in Dubai Creek Harbour, which serves mainly European cuisine. “We want to showcase healthy food with good flavors,” she tells Arab News. “A back-to-basics approach.”

Here, Caicedo offers some tips to those wanting to improve their cooking and provides a simple recipe for a tasty dish. It’s one of her mother’s recipes, actually. “Even though I’ve tried to make it many times, hers always comes out better,” she says.




Luisa Fernanda Caicedo is a Colombian chef. (Supplied)

Q: When you started out as a professional, what was the most-common mistake you made when preparing/cooking a dish?

A: Thinking that I knew all the recipes by heart. I’d memorize them, but it takes years of practice; it’s like muscle-memory. I’d cook something and think “Why isn’t it coming out right?” Then I’d look at the recipe and see I’d forgotten an ingredient. I think young chefs are like that — they think they know everything.

Q: Is it seen as embarrassing for a professional to look at the recipe?

A: Well, when you’re the new kid and you see all these guys just measuring things without checking, I guess it is. But then you realize they’ve been doing it for years. And eventually I got there.

Q: What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?

A: Follow your heart. Or your gut. Keep it simple. Taste everything while you’re cooking.

Q: What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?

A: I would say herbs. My favorites are thyme and rosemary. They give anything — vegetables, meat, rice — a little extra flavor. But it’s like perfume; you don’t want to use too much.




Sobrebarriga is often cooked on Sundays. (Supplied)

Q: When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food? What’s the most-common issue that you have in other restaurants?

A: Actually, my husband’s the one who likes to give feedback other restaurant’s food. I try to separate my work from going out. If I’m in that professional (mode) I really don’t enjoy it. Of course, if I don’t like it, I’ll say something. But I try to separate it. Also, I don’t go to Italian restaurants, because I find the pasta can be too expensive and I can do it better at home.

Q: When you do go out, what’s your favorite cuisine?

A: I love Korean food. I love all South Asian food, but especially Korean. A nice barbeque, some kimchi… Either that or a nice steak.

Q: What’s your go-to dish if you have to put something together in, say, 20 minutes?

A: I’d usually go for something that I miss from home. Maybe rice, beans and a piece of meat. Or just a simple salad and grilled chicken. Nothing complicated.

Q: What request or behavior by customers most annoys you?

A: I understand that people might not like their meat raw, but when you get a beautiful — and expensive — rib-eye steak, say, and you order it well done? That annoys me. Or when they want to completely change a dish. Like, “I’ll have the burger, but instead of this and this can I have that and that?” I’ll do it. But I’m like, “You could have just gone to a (fast-food chain).”

Q: What’s your favorite dish to cook?

A: Well, I like to cook things that aren’t accessible (locally) and, like I said, that remind me of home. So I try to replicate my mom’s recipes. There’s a dish in Colombia called sobrebarriga. You’d often cook it on Sundays when the whole family is hanging out. It takes forever to cook. It’s a flank steak, usually. You have to cook it very slow — or you do a quick grill on it — otherwise it’ll be tough and chewy. So it’ll take, say, four hours in the oven with a lot of seasoning, onion, tomato, garlic, coriander. It’s just a little piece of home. A piece of mom.

Q: Are you quite tyrannical in the kitchen? Do you shout much? Or are you quite chilled-out?

A: I like to treat people the way I like to be treated. Personally, I don’t respond well to someone shouting at me. I’ll shut down. So I’m more about asking questions and trying to help people get better. If I see someone make a mistake, I’ll correct it. If they make the same mistake, I’ll ask them why; maybe I wasn’t clear enough the first time. Of course, if you keep making the mistake, I’ll get upset. I’ll curse a little bit. But I don’t yell, I use my ‘spa voice’ — like, the loud whisper you’d use in the spa or in the doctor’s waiting room when you’re trying not to disturb people.

Chef Luisa’s arroz con pollo (Chicken rice)




Caicedo shared with Arab News her chicken rice recipe. (Shutterstock)

INGREDIENTS (serves 4):

For the chicken and stock

2 whole chicken breasts, bone-in and skin removed; 1 scallion; ½ white onion; 2 garlic cloves; 1 sprig of rosemary; 1 sprig of thyme; ½ tbsp Sazón Goya with saffron (substitute with turmeric if not available); Salt and pepper to taste

For the rice

2 tbsp olive oil; ¼ cup finely diced onions; 1 garlic clove, minced; ¼ cup red bell pepper and ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced into small cubes; 1 cup long-grain white rice; 2 ½ cups chicken stock (prepared when cooking chicken breasts); ½ tbsp Sazón Goya with saffron (azafran); ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro; ½ cup peas; ½ cup diced carrots; ½ cup diced green beans

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place chicken breast, 5 cups of water and remaining stock ingredients in medium pot. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20-25 mins. Turn heat off and let chicken rest in covered pot for c.15 mins. Once cooled, cut into small cubes and set aside. Strain stock. Measure 2 ½ cups and set aside.

2. In medium pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for 4- 5 mins until onions are translucent.

3. Add rice and Sazón Goya (or turmeric). Stir for c.3 minutes, until rice is well coated. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste broth and adjust seasoning as needed. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for c.15 minutes. Add peas, carrots and green beans and cook for an additional 7 mins. Add shredded chicken and cilantro. Mix well, cover and cook for another 5 mins. Then serve and enjoy!


Authors, screenwriters sign letter calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’

Updated 28 May 2025
Follow

Authors, screenwriters sign letter calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’

DUBAI: Members of the literary community including Zadie Smith, Ian McEwan, Russell T Davies, Hanif Kureishi, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and George Monbiot are among 380 writers and organizations who have signed an open letter condemning Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as genocidal and calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The letter, also signed by William Dalrymple, Jeanette Winterson, Brian Eno, Kate Mosse, Irvine Welsh and Elif Shafak, states: “The use of the words ‘genocide’ or ‘acts of genocide’ to describe what is happening in Gaza is no longer debated by international legal experts or human rights organizations.”

The writers are urging the UN to ensure the free and immediate delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza, alongside a ceasefire “which guarantees safety and justice for all Palestinians, the release of all Israeli hostages, and the release of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners arbitrarily held in Israeli jails.” 

They add that if the Israeli government fails to comply with the demand for a ceasefire, sanctions should be enforced.

The letter, organized by writers Horatio Clare, Kapka Kassabova and Monique Roffey also says that Palestinians “are not the abstract victims of an abstract war. Too often, words have been used to justify the unjustifiable, deny the undeniable, defend the indefensible. Too often, too, the right words – the ones that mattered – have been eradicated, along with those who might have written them.”

The term “genocide” “is not a slogan,” it adds. “It carries legal, political and moral responsibilities.”


Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returns to the runway  

Updated 28 May 2025
Follow

Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returns to the runway  

DUBAI: French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair returned to the runway this week when she walked in Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry collection show, held at Bellver Castle on the island of Majorca, Spain.

Al-Zuhair reshared a video posted by Dubai-based Iraqi model and influencer Dima Al-Sheikhly, who shared her runway moment with the caption: “Wait for it… our beautiful Amira Al-Zuhair.”

The model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. (Instagram)

It marks her return to the runway after she hit the catwalk at the amfAR gala in Cannes in May, before which she walked for Australian label Zimmermann at Paris Fashion Week in March.  

For Louis Vuitton, the model wore a strapless white gown featuring a fitted bodice and a soft, flowing skirt. The dress was detailed with cascading ruffles outlined in dark trim, which ran down the front and sides.

Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. (Instagram)

For the jewelry, Al-Zuhair wore bold, sculptural necklace composed of three gold bands arranged in a layered choker style. One band was set with a row of vivid yellow diamonds, while the other two boasted a twisted, rope-like texture. At the center, a large round yellow diamond pendant was suspended beneath a striking white diamond. 

Al-Zuhair also walked Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry show in Saint-Tropez last year.

She wore an intricate chunky choker that featured a wide, structured design with a lattice-like pattern in gold, adorned with numerous diamonds. The focal point of the necklace was a large yellow gemstone, which added contrast to the overall design.

This week, Al-Zuhair also reflected on her recent campaign with Balmain, sharing photos from the Resort 2025 collection shoot.

“Had so much fun shooting inside the Eiffel Tower herself!” she wrote in the caption.

In one of the images, Al-Zuhair donned a strapless denim mini dress paired with two matching denim handbags and calf-high black boots.

In the second image, she wore a black sequined two-piece outfit, featuring a crop top and a high-waisted skirt. The design incorporates gold and silver embellishments, with the top featuring the word “L’aime.”

This is not Al-Zuhair’s first collaboration with Balmain. She previously walked for the brand during Paris Fashion Week in September.

Al-Zuhair, born in Paris to a French mother and Saudi father, has made her mark on the fashion world and has appeared on the runway for an array of renowned fashion houses such as Missoni, Maison Alaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Balmain, Dolce & Gabbana, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and more.


Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

Updated 28 May 2025
Follow

Paul Mescal spotlights Palestinian doc ‘No Other Land’

DUBAI: While promoting his latest film, “The History of Sound,” at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Irish actor Paul Mescal took a moment to spotlight the Palestinian documentary “No Other Land.”

In a heartfelt statement, Mescal shared his experience watching the film in a packed Brooklyn theater, expressing profound upset over its limited distribution. He emphasized the importance of amplifying Palestinian voices and stories, highlighting the film's portrayal of the destruction of Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank.

“I remember sitting there in a packed-out theater in Brooklyn and just being so profoundly upset that the film hadn’t, at that point, I still don’t know if it has received distribution there. Having a cultural moment like that with a film like that, which is so wildly upsetting to see in a room. The story that I feel like needed to be told the most was being censored, it felt like almost. And the feeling in the room was one of great fear and sadness and it felt like the film was bigger than the four walls in which we were watching it,” he said.

“No Other Land,” the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military, won the Oscar for best documentary earlier this year.

The film’s co-directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham used their speeches to call for an end to the “ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

The film follows activist Adra as he risks arrest to document the destruction of his hometown, which Israeli soldiers are tearing down to use as a military training zone.


Nikki Glaser wears Yara Shoemaker at American Music Awards

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Nikki Glaser wears Yara Shoemaker at American Music Awards

DUBAI: US actress and comedian Nikki Glaser attended the American Music Awards this week wearing a black midi dress by US label Yara Shoemaker, founded by Syrian-born designer Yara.

Nikki Glaser completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos. (Getty Images)

The form-fitting dress featured a lace-up corset detail at the front, with thick straps, a deep sweetheart neckline and metal eyelets that cinched the waist. She completed the look with classic black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos.

The designer also featured at the Cannes Film Festival last week, with part-Saudi model Shanina Shaik and US German model and TV personality Heidi Klum both wearing her creations.

Shaik opted for a two-texture gown featuring a sculpted, strapless corset-style bodice in ivory ribbed fabric. The silhouette flared slightly at the hips and flowed into a floor-length skirt of sheer embroidered lace adorned with beadwork and sequins.

Meanwhile, Klum wore a black strapless gown with a corset-style bodice embellished with black sequins and intricate beadwork. The dress flowed into a sheer floor-length skirt decorated with delicate black appliqué motifs. She completed the look with a voluminous black feathered cape draped over her arms.

The American Music Awards saw “Birds of a Feather” singer Billie Eilish named Artist of the Year, beating Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and others nominees for the top honor. Eilish won all seven categories in which she was nominated, including Album of the Year and Favorite Touring Artist.

“This is so crazy. I feel speechless,” she said in a video message from Europe, where she is currently on tour. “I wish I could be there tonight.”

Gracie Abrams was named New Artist of the Year, while SZA earned awards for Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song for “Saturn.” Becky G won Favorite Female Latin Artist.

Many of the big names nominated for awards did not attend. One such absentee was Beyonce, who claimed Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for “Cowboy Carter,” her first AMA wins in country categories.

Post Malone was named Favorite Male Country Artist.


Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo wins New York Architectural Design Awards

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo wins New York Architectural Design Awards

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai was awarded the Gold Prize in the Cultural Architecture in the Interactive and Experiential Spaces category by the New York Architectural Design Awards.

The prize recognizes the pavilion’s design and architecture, which offers visitors an immersive experience and insight into Saudi Arabia’s heritage.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the pavilion was spearheaded by the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission and was led by CEO Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman and Project Manager Fatima Al-Doukhi. It was also designed by the renowned global firm Foster + Partners.

The design highlights the cultural similarities between the kingdom and Japan, while focusing on sustainability, employing passive cooling strategies enhanced by the strategic placement of structural blocks to facilitate wind movement.

The pavilion features low-carbon materials, energy-efficient lighting and solar energy technologies, SPA reported. It also features Braille signage and pathways for visitors with disabilities, making the building accessible and inclusive.

Saudi Arabia’s pavilion has already attracted over half a million visitors since its launch on April 13.

It has also hosted over 175 events, including cultural performances, business events, media and over 400 VIP delegations.