2019-03-01 Global Traveler

30 globaltravelerusa.com MARCH 2019

HOSPITALITY IS NO STRANGER to Chef Martin Cahill. After a
career working in high-profile, luxury hotels in the Americas, Asia and
the Middle East, Cahill returned home last year to take the helm at
Rosewood London. Responsible for overseeing and managing the daily
operations at the hotel’s Scarfes Bar and Mirror Room, he also looks to
ensure culinary excellence at all times — something he’s been known
to do around the globe, from Mandarin Oriental properties in Asia to
DUKES hotel in Dubai.
Diners feel like sparkling gems in the jewelry box that is Mirror
Room, serving an all-day dining menu alongside a selection of fine wines
and Champagnes. At Scarfes Bar, which finds inspiration in drawing
rooms, cozy up with cocktails, live music and shelves filled with more
than 1,000 antique books hand-picked by a Portobello antiques dealer.

BACK IN THE U.K.

Chef Martin Cahill takes the helm at Rosewood London. BY KIMBERLY KROL

chefs

PHOTO: © ROSEWOOD LONDON

WHICH DESTINATIONS INSPIRED YOU,

AND HOW HAS THAT INSPIRATION

TRANSLATED INTO YOUR CULINARY

CONCEPTS? I love travel; I’ve been lucky

to live and work in some extraordinary

places. It all began in London, where I

learned fundamental skills. Since then,

I’ve spent many years in Southeast Asia,

Hong Kong and Thailand; cities like

Mumbai also strongly inspired me. I am

particularly fond of places that showcase

fresh, local produce, keeping it simple

and allowing the ingredients to speak

for themselves. In Asia, a lot of the best

offerings are street food, prepared in

minutes — proving simplicity and consis-

tent techniques remain the backbone of

the industry.

WHOM DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR

CULINARY HERO? This is a challenging

question, as I’ve worked in a range of

places alongside many talented chefs.

However, you cannot deny the chefs who

stood the test of time. Those I’ve had the

pleasure of working with include Thomas

Keller, Martín Berasategui, Joël Robuchon

and the Roca brothers — all represent

how to preserve a longstanding reputa-

tion, maintain simplicity and consistency

and effectively develop your team. It is

no coincidence chefs who worked under

these greats often became esteemed

chefs in their own right.

WHAT ONE PERSON MOST INFLUENCED

YOUR COOKING STYLE? Since leaving

the United Kingdom at an early age

and subsequent to honing my style at

The Savoy and The Dorchester, both

extraordinary schools, I spent time

working for Ross Lusted in Sydney, who

really showed me a refreshing and novel

approach to cooking. He managed to

strike an impressive balance between

the impeccably high standards achieved

by the entire team and a strong sense

of fun and camaraderie. This experience

changed my outlook.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD CITY?

Taipei is a sensational city for food.

I found the level of authenticity and

simplicity so refreshing, with a perfect

balance of flavor profiles. It is a destina-

tion worth visiting, and I like how it is not

generally regarded as a foodie destina-

tion. Stand-out dishes were xiao long

bao, the world-famous steamed buns,

and char siu bao, barbecue pork buns.

The dim sum cuisine is treated as an art,

with many restaurants receiving fresh

produce every morning and showcasing

chef talent in an open kitchen.

Hong Kong also inspired me with

its abundance of local food, includ-

ing snake soup, chicken feet and dim

sum. Although the city holds numerous

Michelin stars, it also takes great pride in

simple eateries. The quality of produce in

this area is also phenomenal, showcasing

the best of Southeast Asia with some of

the greatest fish accompanied by great,

committed people.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEXT BIG

TREND ON THE FOOD SCENE WILL BE?

This is a difficult question to approach;

however, I hope we divert back to the

basics and core elements of hospitality,

with chefs having a real love for their

produce and seasonality, with farm-

to-table approaches the ultimate goal.

Providing an experience for guests with

more focus on personable service, a

great atmosphere conducive to relax-

ation and a homey feel is what we should

aim for in terms of consistent trends. I

also recognized an increased tendency

for high-end restaurants to offer menu

items appealing to a health-conscious

crowd, accompanied by wine pairings,

so perhaps we can expect to see more

of this.

ROSEWOOD LONDON

252 High Holborn

London WC1V 7EN

United Kingdom

tel 44 20 7781 8888

rosewoodhotels.com