Chantal Fouad

DUBAI: A contemporary Japanese restaurant in collaboration with one of the most recognizable chefs, Reif Othman, Ikigai Resto+Bar brings an authentic Japanese experience to the heart of Dubai.

Located in a premium busy location, Dubai Marina’s Millennium Palace, Ikigai is at an advantage as it is in the centre of a touristic hub.

Ikigai’s food, setup, and ambiance are crucial elements that were able to create a literal and figurative replica of Japanese dining.

The Japanese-inspired tavern focuses on simplicity and the freshness of ingredients; this is the secret of preparing authentic Japanese food as mentioned by Ikigai’s head chef Rosnani.

Rosnani discovered her passion for food 19 years ago and embarked on her successful journey, which landed her in Dubai and eventually as Ikigai’s head chef. She described her journey to Arab News Japan saying, “I started working in the F&B industry over 19 years ago. I had the great pleasure of being part of the opening of Pierchic Restaurant – a fine-dining, French venue. From there, my passion was ignited. In 2012 I had the opportunity to work as a Sous Chef, alongside chef Crish Salan in Mozic at an incredible Asian Fusion venue and one of the best restaurants in Indonesia.  In 2013, I was back in Dubai for the opening of 360°, a Pan Asian cuisine restaurant & club located in Jumeirah Beach Hotel.”

Ikigai is well known for its utmost portrayal and deliverance of Japanese cuisine and the reason was explained by Rosnani saying, “The food at IKIGAI is very authentic. We use the freshest of ingredients and highest quality produce. The nigiri and sashimi are especially traditional, even in the way we prepare it. We like to keep our cooking methods as well as recipe standards as authentic to the cuisine as possible, to ensure we are transporting our guests to the bustling streets of Japan with every bite.”

The chef also shared with Arab News Japan her favorite dishes to cook at Ikigai. She said she enjoys cooking “the Ramen dishes, with stir fried Ramen or Broth Ramen. The Prawn tempura with chili mayo is really nice too.”

Rosnani also talked about what she would like to add to Ikigai’s menu to make the experience a lot more creative and memorable; “I would definitely like to incorporate a selection of WOK dishes onto the menu as this is a classical favorite in the region. There is a lot of creativity we can add to make them memorable and authentic, not just to Japanese cuisine, but to Ikigai, our brand.”