DUBAI: Running six restaurants, a bar and a beach club might sound like a logistical nightmare, but for French chef Eric Vidal, it is just another day at Delano Dubai.

As executive chef of the new luxury destination, Vidal oversees everything from in-room dining to curated tasting menus across venues including Blue Door, Gohan, Tutto Passa, and La Cantine Beach.

Here, Vidal offers advice and a recipe for grilled seabass.

When you were starting out, what was the most common mistake you made?

I was absolutely determined to make every single element perfect, down to the tiniest garnish. If a microgreen was not angled just right or a sauce swirl looked a little off, I would start over. That obsessive attention to detail came from a genuine love for the craft, but it also meant I was constantly behind. During training, I was almost always the last to plate and serve. While others were already wiping down their stations, I was still fussing over aesthetics that, in hindsight, barely made a difference.