By way of a quick intro, how did you get into cooking?
It was one of those things when I was left alone in my house when I was 15. My mum left me money for pizza, which I spent on video games, so when I got hungry, I searched the cupboards and mixed together a few ingredients to see the outcome. I had no clue what I was doing. There was some crab, avocado, rice, lemon, mayonnaise... The outcome was some weird risotto, with crab on top which was actually very tasty!

So, from Mexico to the Middle East... What’s your take on the restaurant scene in the region?
It is very a outgoing and growing industry and it has rapidly become the benchmark for cuisine in the world. It’s a reference for a lot of people who want to start their culinary careers, because the UAE and GCC are a melting pot of cuisines, flavours and tastes.

What do you love most about this region?
It’s really about those mix of food cultures. The most challenging part is the market and guests, because they are well-travelled and are used to eating in the best restaurants in the world. It is not impossible but it can be very hard to exceed expectations, because they are all gastronomes.

How do you bring your heritage to Oak Room?
Coming from Mexico where we love to mix and match and use as many flavours as possible, experimenting with food and ingredients is second-nature to me. While Oak Room is a British Steakhouse and I don’t have the chance to cook some dishes from home, I am able to draw on that creative culinary experience from Mexico.

What has been your vision for Oak Room?
The simple answer was to make good food. The longer answer would be that I wanted to put my heart and soul into making it the best steakhouse in the city, but I didn’t think how famous and popular we would become. We are Abu Dhabi’s premier steakhouse, something which the hotel, the Oak Room team, and I are very proud of.

Talking peers, what are Oak Room’s USPs?
Our meat comes from top-of-the-range farms from all over the world, such as Australia, UK and USA. The process to cook the food sometimes takes three to four days in order to achieve the best taste. For example, the beef for our Sunday Roast, we would start by brining it, then marinating it, then cooking it, without forgetting to trim it and make it look appetising on the plate. We also have a British Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe at Oak Room, so we have that unique experience of eating delicious steak whilst listening to the likes of the Rolling Stones and Human League.

Tell us about your new menu launching this month...
For me, the highlights would be the hand-dived scallops, which come with white asparagus topped with a nutty brown butter froth. The scallops are sourced from Scotland, pan-fried and brazed in butter and lemon to tenderise the meat. We also have a dry-aged steak produced in-house by our Meat Sommelier, Richard Douglas.

Sustainability is a huge focal point of the culinary industry. What is Oak Room doing this in space?
Our waste in meat products is less than five per cent. We endeavour to use all of our ingredients to create wonderful dishes. The amuse-bouche we use in Oak Room is whatever is available in the kitchen on that day, so guests are always in for a surprise.

And, lastly, tell us about your ingredients - what importance do you place on local produce?
It’s important to us to support local industries wherever possible. Most of our leafy greens, herbs and seafood come from local sources in the UAE, such as our Dibba Bay oysters. These are extraordinary oysters that hold incredible flavour and freshness.

THE GRILLING...

First dish you ‘mastered’ cooking: It was tacos – I’m Mexican!
Motto you cook by: ‘If it’s difficult, it’s because you’re doing it wrong.’
Favourite Mexican dish to cook: Chilaquiles. These are fried corn chips soaked in red or green salsa. They’re so good!
Best restaurant: A small Korean restaurant in Bahrain where I had a classic Korean BBQ. Maybe your readers know it and can remind me of the name!
Favourite ingredients: Butter, as it enhances every flavour. Chickpeas, they take the crown as the go-to ingredient. And chilli, as it gives everything a proper kick.
Best country for food: Italy – you need to live where the tomatoes taste good.
Three people you’d love to cook for: Chef Virgilio Martinez, to learn his ways. George Clooney, because I’m a massive Ocean’s fan. And Leo Messi, because he is the GOAT.
Greatest food indulgence: Strawberries, they just taste so good and fresh!
Strangest thing you’ve eaten: Salsa made with ant larvae. It’s not strange in Mexico though, but probably to everyone else!
If you had a last meal... Real street pastor tacos in Mexico, because those could actually be your last meal!
Next holiday on the horizon: South-East Asia. It is brimming with things to explore, and not just food-wise. I’m counting the days.