Alain Ducasse on the pursuit of perfecting regional tastes – from Rabat to Abu Dhabi

Chef Alain Ducasse's relentless pursuit of new tastes and ingredients has taken him to new heights, culminating in his recent opening of Aldabaran by Alain Ducasse in Rabat, Morocco. The restaurant, his first venture on the African continent, showcases Mediterranean flavors with regional Moroccan influences. Ducasse drew inspiration from a standout Moroccan dinner he attended months earlier, realizing that his team must cultivate authentic Moroccan taste over time.

Currently, the menu consists of Mediterranean dishes made with 85% locally sourced ingredients. Despite not claiming to serve Moroccan cuisine, the flavors in Ducasse's creations are reminiscent of the North African country. As he continues to travel across continents, each new destination fuels his creativity, such as the extraordinary discovery he made during a recent Asian trip.

Ducasse has also announced plans to open two more Alain Ducasse properties in the United Arab Emirates within the next few years, with an ecole Ducasse culinary school already established in Abu Dhabi. His existing restaurants, Idam and Jiwan in Qatar, blend French cuisine with Middle Eastern and North African influences, which he believes will also resonate in his upcoming UAE ventures.

Ducasse remains undaunted, stating that everything from observing global markets to dining at fellow chefs inspires him, and his ultimate goal is to share this vision with his teams.