Immersion restaurant OSSIANO is a stunning imaginative journey to the bottom of the ocean, where all boundaries of reality are erased. The quintessence of creativity, talent, the highest culinary art, ingenuity, amazing quality of ingredients — all this in a bewitching atmosphere where the “windows” look out onto a huge aquarium with 65,000 marine inhabitants living in it.
OSSIANO, one of the most unusual restaurants in the world, located on the ground floor of the famous luxury resort Atlaintis the Palm Dubai, opened in 2014, and in 2022 was recognized with 1 Michelin star of the restaurant guide in Dubai.
To get to OSSIANO, you literally have to go down to the “bottom of the ocean” along a spiral staircase. The first thing that attracts attention is the absence of windows, but they are not needed here. Behind the thick glass of the aquarium, a genuine sea element opens up, alive, deep, hypnotizing. And on the wall opposite the aquarium, a video sequence with sea inhabitants is shown.
The interior is made in bluish tones, the light is muted, opalescent — all this creates the illusion of being under a layer of water, through which distant rays of the sun break through.
In the Photo: Chef Gregoire Berger
From the first day, the restaurant’s kitchen has been headed by the famous French chef Gregoire Berger, who was named Chef of the Year in 2022, and the restaurant, in addition to an honorary Michelin star, was awarded by the world restaurant guide “Gault&Millau”.
Reflecting on Ossiano’s journey since 2014 fills us with immense pride, — says Gregoire. — We embarked on this adventure with a well-defined vision and a commitment to create a culinary culture that doesn’t entertain inconsistency, while always eyeing a prosperous future. The transformation of Ossiano from a small, unknown à la carte restaurant to an internationally acclaimed name is a testament to this commitment. Earning a star, securing a high position in the 50 Best Restaurants, and being named Restaurant of the Year twice in a row by the Gault & Millau are accomplishments that speak volumes about our dedication to excellence. These achievements, while significant, are milestones in our continuous improving journey. They push us to explore new culinary landscapes, uphold our vision, and craft unforgettable experiences for our customers”.
The innovative seafood menu, called “Escale”, which is now served to guests at OSSIANO, is designed in the form of a book, each page of which is personally written by the chef and inspired by a separate journey with its own fascinating story.
And before dinner starts, waiters approach each table and talk about the key ingredients used in the set.
First, guests are offered an aperitif and a miniature snack in the lounge area in front of the bar.
Then led to a special dark room to tune in to the upcoming unusual journey that combines haute gastronomy and visual storytelling.
The journey begins with small snacks and is dedicated to the native land of Gregoire Berger, Brittany.
Made of land and memories — Oyster, Seawater, Sea Fennel
Kissing the sea on the lips — Smoked Salmon, Caviar, Plankton — one of the restaurant’s signature flavor combinations that has stood the test of time, inspired by the taste of sea salt on the lips, the aroma of seaweed in the air and the sound of the surf.
Euphoria of a new departure — Sweet Shrimp, Yuzu, Daikon — a deeply personal and touching story, imbued with the chef’s warm memories of his first trip to Japan with his father
“Escale”, our latest menu represents the third chapter of Ossiano’s evolution, — continues Gregoire. — The content of the menu is continually evolving, guided by the availability of seasonal ingredients, and a constant drive to push the boundaries of creativity and forge a deeper emotional connection with our guests. Creating a dish is a multifaceted process that begins with gathering inspiration.
“This can come from various sources such as surroundings, memories, travel experiences, or a specific narrative I aim to convey in to our Escale menu and always follow the same pattern. This initial spark is essential, laying the thematic foundation for the dish”.
A moment of celebration — Foie Gras, Sour Fruits, Brioche
A candle made from foie gras, the most spectacular and amazing dish, reminiscent of the times the chef spent over a lit candle with friends in the first days of work in France.
To complement the set, the restaurant sommelier Thomas Domingues has developed both a wine pairing and an excellent non-alcoholic pairing that deserves the highest praise.
“As Chef Gregoire mentioned, it is all about memories and feelings, — says Thomas. — First of all, Chef Gregoire shares the mindset, the memories, the feelings and the energy behind each dish/creation, from there we start to work on pairings. It is extremely important that the wines/beverages match the same energy and perhaps my own memories, feelings and energy. We are lucky that we both come from France, so some of our memories matches perfectly”.
“Moving on to the technical side, we always expect the unexpected because that’s what Ossiano is, and in the end we of course want to have fun with interesting combinations: Red wine with fish, Port wine with starters and Champagne with desserts. As Chef Gregoire doesn’t drink alcohol, this brings me to my next challenges that I really like and have fun, that are the non-alcoholic pairings. We push even more our creativity on flavors, ingredients and technics. Non-alcoholic fermentations as Kombucha and Tepache, to preserved fruits to be juiced after, as mixing fruits and vegetables together and infusing them with species, herbs or anything that comes in mind”.
Bittersweet sunset “Tequila” — this dish marks the beginning of a journey, light sadness and mixed feelings of the end of the old and anticipation of the new. This stage contains the chef’s memories of Florida sunsets and serene beach parties until dawn.
Next stop Jamaica — Dreaming under the starlight — Uni, XO, Seaweed — this is the freshness of the sea air and a feeling of boundless freedom.
“Hot Dog” (cultures blend, traditions meet) is dedicated to New York, a cultural mix and an explosion of taste that challenges the belief that street food is incapable of becoming part of haute cuisine.
Looking through the prism of the past — Onion, Buckwheat, Marshmallow — a position that refers to the Canadian autumn, filled with the aroma of a damp forest, toasted marshmallows, songs with a guitar by the fire and the warmth of sincere communication.
The warmth of the west side — Mushrooms Textures, Dashi — another dedication to Canada, reflecting a richness of taste that can fit into the basket of an experienced mushroom picker.
Morocco holds a special place in the chef’s heart, to which the following dish is dedicated:
Tempting glimpse of distant horizons — Red Mullet, Mussel, Saffron — sunny, bright, spicy and full of summer colors.
For dessert, it’s also summer, but completely different — Where the summer started — Olive, Chocolate, Sea Salt, inspired by endless olive fields and cocoa from Marrakech.
The final chapter of the set is On the path to nostalgia — Mastic, Eucalyptus, Waffle — this is winter in the Spanish mountains, cool, but not scorching cold, refreshing with the crunch of frozen twigs under your feet, and setting you up for a new journey.
Before you leave — a selection of fragile and elegant Petits Fours in a shape of fruits and berries.
Gregoire Berger: “Each chapter of the menu involves fleshing out the story I want to tell with the dish and defining the emotion we want to evoke. All stages of creating a dish are primarily experimentation as we explore different combinations, preparation methods and presentation to transform the intended dish into a culinary creation, ensuring that the dish not only tantalizes the taste buds, but also resonates emotionally with those who experience it. Having happy people throughout the dining room, getting to chat with them and get the feeling that our job has been done like it should be, what could be better!”
Menu “Escale”
AED 1,250 – 11-waves tasting menu
AED 845 – Wine pairing
AED 315 – Non-alcoholic pairing
Ossiano Dubai
Address: Crescent Rd – The Palm Jumeirah – Dubai
Contacts: +971 4 426 0770
Instagram: @ossianodubai
Text: Marina Timo, Victoria Stashkevich
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
