A Chat With Nobu Doha Chef Andrew Bozoki
Thirty-three restaurants spread over five continents, nine hotels, and a luxury cruise ship comprises the Nobu restaurant empire. Logic will tell you that the sheer size of the group is proof enough that the operation is filled with talented folks. Yet many of these people go relatively unnoticed by the many patrons who dine at a Nobu restaurant. It's for that reason that we wanted to highlight Andrew Bozoki, chef de cuisine at the newly opened Nobu Doha in Qatar.
The title of chef de cuisine is bestowed upon the chef responsible for running the kitchen on a day-to-day basis. To earn that title at any restaurant is an accomplishment, but to do so at a Nobu-run operation is essentially tantamount to winning a culinary award, albeit with better pay and more hours.
The Daily Meal: Given the restaurant's location relative to the predominant culture of the area in Doha, what sort of adjustments have you had to make to the menu, relative to the typical construction of a Nobu menu?
Andrew Bozoki: We decided to use the same menu which we have used very successfully in Dubai. This menu has already been approved by Nonbu. Over time we will definitely have some changes due to the differences in guest preferences in Qatar.
What sort of split do you hope, or perhaps expect, to see with regards to your clientele and where they come from? Do you expect a predominantly international crowd, or will the Qataris take advantage of all this opportunity to dine at Nobu?
At the moment we are experiencing a good mixture of both Qataris and an international crowd.
We had the pleasure of meeting Jephte [Tagod], who serves as your head sushi chef. What sort of relationship have you two built and do you collaborate at all on the menu?
Jephte and I have known and worked with each other since I joined Nobu in Dubai in 2009. We both work closely together, as well as inspiring each other, to create new dishes and menus. We are not only colleagues but also very good friends.
On average, how many types of fish do you have on the sushi menu on a given day?
We have twenty items and seven of them are different kinds of fish.
You mentioned that the tempura rock shrimp is the most popular menu item. About how many orders a night do you produce?
Yes, this is correct at the moment. We sell fifty to eighty portions a day.
We talked a bit about the fact that Nobu-san's rice relies on the use of alcohol in the vinegar and that you've had to make some adjustments to that due to the import laws. Can you talk a bit about how you solved that problem?
This was actually not a problem, as these adjustments were already made at Nobu in Dubai due to the similarities of the rules and regulations of the two countries.
You hail from Germany, yet you've spent a great deal of your professional life studying Japanese cuisine. How have you gone about growing your knowledge base? You seemed to be well established prior to joining Nobu-san's team, we'd love to know more about how you got where you are.
Yes, I come from Germany but I am actually not German even though I was born and grew up there. My father is Hungarian, my mother half Finnish and half Scottish and she grew up in East Africa where my parents met. Having such a background it was obvious from a young age that I would also travel the world which at the same time has enabled me to widen my knowledge base.
As a German trained chef, I had a very interesting apprenticeship in South Germany. Hunters who had hunted deer, wild boars, and ducks brought their prey to us to be skinned and boned. This is something which is very rare nowadays because most chefs receive their cuts of meat pre packed. After 8 years of working at various five-star hotels and restaurants in Germany, I received the opportunity to work in Burj al Arab in Dubai. After two years, I moved to Atlantis the Palm to be part of the pre-opening team. This was where I first came into contact with Nobu restaurant. The style of cooking there impressed me so much that I just had to work there. But, I had to wait for over a year before I was given the opportunity to join the team as chef de partie. I worked my way up from this position over the next two years and was then asked by my chef Herve Courtot if I would like to work at One and Only, Reethi Rah, Maldives to manage the Japanese restaurant called Tapasakeas as chef de cuisine. [pullquote:right]
After three very exciting years, where I had the chance to fine-tune my knowledge and skills I was again asked by Herve Courtot if I would like to relocated and open Nobu Doha as the head chef. I feel extremely honored to have been offered this opportunity.
How does the menu assembly work? Are there a certain number of dishes that you have to include? What sort of leverage does the location provide? I don't suppose we're going to see any falafel sushi any time soon.
We have our standard menu but we also have our daily specials — this is where we can try out new ideas, which conform to the Nobu style. Over time, we shall create new dishes which are unique for Nobu Doha and they will be added to our extensive menu.
Is there a limit to how many restaurants, many of them in far-flung places, Nobu feels he can properly supervise?
I am sure Nobu-san will be the best person to answer this question.