Meet our chef Ibrahim Ata

Ibrahim Ata joins O Beach Dubai as Executive Chef, bringing over 11 years of international culinary experience and a fresh vision to the venue’s dining concept.

His passion for cooking began during his Tourism and Hotel Management studies at Akdeniz University, leading him to roles in some of Dubai’s top restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar at Atlantis, La Cantine du Faubourg and WHITE Beach & Restaurant.

Combining creativity, technique and the O Beach lifestyle, Ibrahim turns food into part of the experience — not just a break between parties.

Interview Questions?

1. If tomorrow were your last day on Earth, what would you want for dinner tonight? 

I want my mom food that she always cooks for me whenever I go home for holiday first dinner meal is that ‘pilaw rice and white bean stew’ we call this in Turkish ‘KURU FASULYE AND PILAV’

2. In the chaos of a busy kitchen, what’s your secret superpower?

Focus on the orders, good communication with the team and calmness.

3. What ingredient do you secretly love — that no one would expect from a Dubai chef?

First of all, the salt that simple ingredients make the Flavors to come out from the food, what every you cook fine dining or fast-food luck of seasoning will always put your dish down and I love using onion and garlic most of my food as well.

4. If your personality were a dish, what would it be? 

I will say Oyster as you shack the oyster to see the inside as me as well to see my personality you need to be close with me like my team that they now me very well that when everything going well I am very smooth and calm make jogs with team it is like open the oyster squeeze lemon and eat nice refreshing taste that you are happy, and if you put tabasco or any spicy sauce in oyster you are still refreshing but same time little flame goes out that’s me as well if something goes wrong in the kitchen you don’t want to come to see me 😊

I think there is couple things that we do as a chef in our kitchen, one of them is tasting the food with our finger or tasting spoon but we just wipe it out and taste another dish because of heat of the service and busy operation.

6. If you could cook for anyone — alive or historical — who would it be and what would you serve them?

I cooked for so many famous, celebrity and royal family during my career, like Gordon Ramsay, Cristiano Ronaldo, Akon, Neyo, Nobuyuki Matsuhika, Saudi Prince.. for me I don’t choose people to cook that’s what I do and I will cook what I do best for anyone, when my food is going out from my kitchen doesn’t matter who is eating has to be same taste and look.

 7. Have you ever been inspired to create a dish after seeing guests really celebrating?

That’s a beautiful question, and honestly yes, when I was serving for Akon in my previous place that he was first time there that he was very happy with the food and when I went to his table and ask him for dessert if they are ready he told me that I love ice cream so I create a dessert for him on spot with huge ice cream bowl ( almost 2kg ice cream) with chox filled with vanilla mascarpone cream and warm gianduja sauce and served him in very big martini glass (size of an arm) he was impressed and very happy.

8. If O Beach had a flavor, what would it taste like?

If O Beach is a flavor, I will say chilli or ginger as playful, seductive and just enough to make you want more never enough.

If O Beach is a dish, it is the vanilla cheesecake with berries compote, raspberry dust celebrating never end in O Beach.

 

Creativity & Kitchen Mindset

9. What’s the boldest dish you’ve ever put on a menu — and it worked?

For O Beach Dubai, it is new on the menu this season is the ‘Short Ribs Donuts’ it is savoury donuts dough filled with braised short ribs beef and parmesan cream, customer they order just for curiosity to how is possible donuts with beef and end up ordering again so tasty 😊

 10. Sum up the new menu in three words. 

 Playful, unexpected and balanced.

 11. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to cook? 

I will not say refuse to cook but I will not put on my menu is OKRA (lady`s finger in English), that has slimy texture after cook.

O Beach Connection

12. Which dish best represents the O Beach Dubai experience?

Tuna Tartare, one of my signature dish, that fresh yellowfin tuna diced, combine with avocado, truffle ponzu and pupping in the mouth when you take the fist spoon crispy wild rice crisps.

13. What’s harder: surprising someone with a menu… or making them remember a dish after an epic party?

 Making them remember a dish after an epic party I believe that is harder as after you consumed good amount of alcohol😊

Quick Choices

15. Sweet or savory?

As it is in my blood that I am Turkish we love Baklava so definilty sweet I cant say no to sweets 😊

16. Cooking or eating?

As much as I am a good cooker, I love eating as well so both.

17. Secret ingredient or secret technique?

Ingredients make your dish tasty but as long as you know how to use and cook with right technique.

18. What annoys you more: foodies or people who put ketchup on everything?

Everyone’s tasting palate is different of course putting everything ketchup doesn’t budder me but foodies are more annoys of course.