TORONTO: Ismawan Kosasih Dzabir brings more than two decades of experience to his role as chef de cuisine at Andaliman, the Indonesian restaurant at One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai. Born in Indonesia, he has worked across properties including The Westin Jakarta and JW Marriott Marquis City Centre in Qatar. At KAUM in Jakarta, his kitchen took home two Foodies awards in 2018. He also won an “Iron Chef”-style crab-cooking competition and a Time Out Doha Favorite Brunch award in 2022.
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
New dishes always gave me the most trouble. Creativity is always challenging, because you have to give the right direction and tell the story before you plate and serve to the guest. You need to keep trying until you get the best results.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Cook from your soul and express yourself through your dish. It should make you happy, and then the people around you will enjoy it too. Cooking is like art: there are no limits and you keep learning.
