Chefs are one of the main reasons for the smooth running of a restaurant and are responsible for managing the menu, prepping and cooking the dishes.
A head chef helps in ensuring that the restaurant runs smoothly, making sure the food is cooked in the right manner, overlooking day-to-day operations, and approving dishes before they are taken out to diners.
Chef Lewis Prior, Head Chef at The Coterie, Ibn Battuta Mall, has had a passion for cooking ever since he was working part-time at his aunt’s restaurant while studying, and channels it into his roles at the restaurant.
Having moved around the world serving food to people in the United Kingdom, France and Cyprus, Chef Lewis Prior has also cooked for the England football team and the commander of the national guard of Bahrain.
Looking for a new adventure, Chef Lewis Prior made his way to Dubai where he was part of the opening team for the Korean concept restaurant, Kojaki at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Chef Lewis Prior then made his way to The Coterie, where he shares his love for British dishes with people in Dubai and went from Sous Chef to Head Chef, within six months at the restaurant.
In this feature, Chef Lewis Prior shares with Connector his favourite midnight snacks to a dish he recommends at the restaurant.
How did you get started in the food industry?
When I was growing up, my aunt owned a restaurant where my Mum, cousins and friends worked. I started out restocking the fridges on Sunday morning and eventually moved into the kitchen.
What is your earliest cooking memory?
My earliest memory is baking with my Mum. We used to do a lot of home cooking. I remember one time, I baked a cake and could not find any red food colouring so I used barbeque flavouring instead. My family still ate the cake even though they knew.
What is your favourite dish from your country?
I would have to say fish and chips. Even though you would think it sounds simple to make it can be quite easy to get wrong. Living near the east coast of the UK for most of my life, I have experienced some of the best fish and chips in the UK. We even won awards for our fish and chips at one of my previous restaurants.
What is the one go-to and easy snack you love making for midnight cravings?
I am very bad for late-night snacks but you can not go wrong with a crisp sandwich, made with crisps in bread and butter.
What is the one raw ingredient you cannot cook without from your country?
I would say potatoes. We have very good potatoes in the UK. They are so versatile, you can use them in almost any dish.
What is the best dish to try at your restaurant?
The Sunday roast. We are becoming known for having the best roast in Dubai even after only being open for a few months.
Chef Lewis Prior
Head Chef
The Coterie