DUBAI: Colombian chef Luisa Fernanda Caicedo was on vacation in Nepal when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and travel restrictions were imposed. At first, she and her husband learned that they would be able to return to New York (where Caicedo had spent more than a decade in the industry) within 15 days. Then we repeated the same thing to them. And even. Seven months later, they were still at the same Airbnb location and Caicedo was pregnant. She wanted to give birth in a place where she felt more confident about the medical care available, but doctors told her not to take a flight longer than eight hours. A short Google session later, she had moved to Dubai. After their daughter was born safely in November last year, Caicedo decided it might be worth finding a job in the UAE. She is now the Executive Chef at Mondoux in Dubai Creek Harbor, which serves mainly European cuisine. “We want to present healthy food with great flavors,” she told Arab News. “A homecoming approach.”

Here, Caicedo offers some tips for those who want to improve their cooking and comes up with a simple recipe for a tasty dish. It’s one of his mother’s recipes, in fact. “Even though I’ve tried to do it a few times, hers always comes out better,” she said.

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 would memorize them, but it takes years of practice; it’s like muscle memory. I was cooking something and I was thinking, “Why is this not coming out well?” Then I looked at the recipe and saw that I had forgotten an ingredient. I think young chefs are like that – they think they know everything.

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

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

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

A: Follow your heart. Or your instinct. Keep it simple. Taste everything while you cook.

Q: What 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 more flavor. But it’s like a perfume; you don’t want to use too much.

Q: When you go out to eat do you find yourself criticizing the food? What is the most common problem you encounter in other restaurants?

A: In fact, it is my husband who likes to give his opinion on the food of other restaurants. I try to separate my work from going out. If I’m in this professional (mode), I really don’t like it. Of course, if I don’t like it, I’ll say something. But I’m trying to separate it. Also, I don’t go to Italian restaurants because I find pasta to be overpriced and I can do it better at home.

Q: When you go out, what is your favorite cuisine?

A: I love Korean food. I love all South Asian cuisine, but mostly Korean. A good barbecue, kimchi… Either that or a good steak.

Q: What’s your favorite food if you have to cook something in, say, 20 minutes?

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

Q: What customer request or behavior bothers you the most?

A: I understand people might not like their meat raw, but when you get a nice – and expensive – rib eye steak, for example, and order it well done? It makes me angry. Or when they want to change dishes completely. Like, “I’m going to have the burger, but instead of this and that, can I have this and that?” I will do it. But I’m like, “You could’ve just gone to a (fast food chain).”

Q: What is your favorite dish to cook?

A: Well I like to cook things that are not accessible (locally) and like I said reminds me of home. So I try to reproduce my mother’s recipes. There is a dish in Colombia called sobrebarriga. You often cooked it on Sundays when the whole family was hanging out. It takes forever to cook. It’s a flank steak, usually. You have to cook it very slowly – or grill it quickly – otherwise it will be tough and chewy. So it will take, say, four hours in the oven with lots of seasoning, onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro. It’s just a little bit of home. A piece of mom.

Q: Are you tyrannical enough in the kitchen? Do you shout a lot? Or are you relaxed enough?

A: I like to treat people the way I like to be treated. Personally, I don’t respond well to someone yelling at me. I will stop. So I’m more about asking questions and trying to help people improve. If I see someone making a mistake, I will 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 bit. But I’m not screaming, I’m using my ‘spa voice’ – like the loud whisper you would use in the spa or in the doctor’s waiting room when trying not to disturb people.

Chef Luisa’s Arroz con pollo (chicken rice)

INGREDIENTS (4 servings):

For the chicken and broth

2 whole chicken breasts, bone in and skinless; 1 green onion; ½ white onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 sprig of rosemary; 1 sprig of thyme; ½ tablespoon of Sazón Goya with saffron (replace with turmeric if it is not available); Salt and pepper to taste

For the rice

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

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place chicken breast, 5 cups of water and remaining broth ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in a covered pot for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut into small cubes and set aside. Filter the stock. Measure 2 ½ cups and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the rice and the Sazón Goya (or turmeric). Stir for about 3 minutes, until the rice is well coated. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the peas, carrots and green beans and cook for another 7 minutes. Add the grated chicken and cilantro. Mix well, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Then serve and enjoy!