Le premier magazine international entre les Emirats arabes unis et la France, notamment entre Abu Dhabi, Dubaï et Paris.
June 2023 By Jérôme Lamy, In Abu Dhabi
Situated at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Fouquet’s restaurant is a showcase for French gastronomic heritage. All part of the ambition of Pascal Pinazo, its charismatic director. Le Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi est au cœur du prestigieux quartier culturel d’Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Central. Situé sur le front de mer avec une vue imprenable sur le paysage urbain.
If we were to elect the most popular Frenchman in Abu Dhabi, Pascal Pinazo would surely be at the top of the polls. We have lost count of the number of people who have asked us to greet him or who have expressed their affection for the Director of Operations of Fouquet's Abu Dhabi, located in the Louvre Abu Dhabi. We better understand the success of the restaurant which is regularly full. "It made sense to bring together two French entities, a cultural heritage and a gastronomic heritage" says Pascal who is indeed as welcoming, benevolent and endearing as we had been told.
Pascal Pinazo (49) is not only friendly. He is also a great catering professional who has managed prestigious Parisian establishments such as Ladurée or La Fermette Marbeuf.
In the United Arab Emirates, at Fouquet's, he donned the costume of ambassador of French gastronomy. “We try to promote French excellence and French savoir-vivre,” says Pascal. “The ambition is to rediscover the experience of the Brasserie Le Fouquet’s located on the Champs Elysées, in Paris, thanks to our cuisine and a setting as emblematic as the Louvre. »
In the kitchen, chef Paul Sineesh enhances the menu signed by the famous three-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire. Typical French cuisine also knows how to adapt to the Emirati culture. “We have removed the park from our map,” says Pascal. “We adapt to the culture of the region while keeping the Gagnaire spirit.
We are reinventing ourselves without betraying our cuisine. We work the cooking of meat and fish with care. Slow cooking is preferred. We are also attentive to the choice of spices which are highly appreciated by local customers. »
The Fouquet restaurant is located in Abu Dhabi. It has three branches in the city and one branch in Dubai. The first branch opened on December 20, 1988. Fouquet offers delicious contemporary French cuisine and is known for serving the best steaks and seafood dishes in town.
The restaurant features modern décor with stylish lighting, white marble floors, comfortable banquettes and beautifully set tables with linens, silverware and fresh flowers. They have an open kitchen where you can see their chefs at work while they prepare your meal. Le Fouquet is open from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays, from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.
Signature dishes are a big hit in Abu Dhabi. Prepared in front of the customer, the sole meunière grilled with Nantes butter and lemon is a great moment of happiness.
We will also mention the lamb shoulder and its lentil hummus with green curry or the famous Wagyu beef, exceptional meat, which promises an unexpected taste. To end on a sweet note, the famous Fouquet's mille-feuille, a true tribute to the French pastry tradition, is an invitation to pleasure. “The secret is questioning” assures Pascal Pinazo. “We had nothing to teach others.
It is not because our brand is known throughout the world that we are on conquered ground. On the contrary, this notoriety requires us to be even more irreproachable. Every day, Le Fouquet’s Abu Dhabi takes on a new challenge. A major challenge should soon be on the menu. It is rumored that Fouquet's could settle in Dubai, at the Burj Khalifa...
