What chefs eat: This is what Dubai chefs make for comfort meals at home
These Dubai chefs show us what to make when comfort cravings hit…
Everyone has their own, personal at-home comfort meal, something they crave for when days get tough, lazy, stressful or rushed, and you just need those soothing powers of familiarity. Comfort meals always hit, always solve your problems, always make things okay. These Dubai chefs whip up innumerable masterpieces every day, but this what they reach for off-duty. Read through for some inspiration.
Chef Moon Kyung Soo Moon of Sunset Hospitality
What you need: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, pomegranate molasses
After a long day in the kitchen, I love to relax with a simple, refreshing bowl of fattoush. It’s light but satisfying, with crunchy romaine, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and a tangy kick from sumac and pomegranate molasses. It’s easy to make, and I always have the basic vegetables ready to go in the chiller.
But fattoush isn’t just a salad—it’s a simple yet perfect way to de-stress. As a chef, having someone cook for me after work is a rare luxury, so I prefer something quick, refreshing, and light that doesn’t disturb my family, especially since I come home late. It’s the ideal end to a busy day in the kitchen.
Chef Tiffany Eslick of Tiff’s Table
What you need: fresh clams, cherry tomatoes, garlic (never enough)
After a long day at work, my go-to comfort dish is vongole with linguine. I love the simplicity of fresh clams sautéed with garlic, a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, and perfectly cooked pasta. Sometimes, I toss in cherry tomatoes for a subtle sweetness, but it’s delightful either way. This dish is also my go-to when hosting casual lunches for friends – it’s so easy to prepare! When I’m not in the mood to cook, I turn to these local favourites: a nourishing bone broth from Hapi Cafe, a crispy chicken burger from Pickl, a pepperoni pizza from Pitfire, or a decadent slice of dark chocolate cake from Three by Eva.
Chef Thomas Duhamel of Odeon
What you need: minced veal, vegetables of your choice, Parmesan
I love cooking a variety of dishes at home but one that we all love takes me back to my childhood: stuffed tomatoes with minced meat, roasted in the oven with pilaf rice. I use big, juicy tomatoes stuffed with minced veal, finely diced vegetables like onions, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms, along with some Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. I place them in a dish with partially cooked rice, and as they bake in the oven, the juices from the tomatoes and meat mixture are absorbed by the rice. The meat and Parmesan get beautifully browned under the oven’s grill, it’s so delicious. We even sell ready-to-bake stuffed tomatoes on weekends at ODEON Market!
Chef AJ of Al Naqa Kebab House
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What you need: chicken stock, romaine lettuce, Lao aromatics
To be honest, my at-home comfort meal after a long day at work is more like an extended meal that lasts me a few days. It’s my family recipe Chicken Pho. My mother taught me this recipe and it’s now me and my family’s go-to because it lasts days, depending on how many bowls you eat!
It’s warm, comforting, and ultra nutritious. Chicken stock with Lao aromatics, a flurry of garnishes like diced tomato, toasted peanuts, fresh chopped red bird chilies, herbs, and more. What separates this Lao style pho from Vietnamese pho is that we include crispy romaine lettuce into the soup so that the greens soak up the broth and become delightful to eat. This is my comfort meal at home, always.
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