A new Chef is a pretty normal occurrence, happens all the time…

…but not like this!!!

This is a total transformation.

Sabella’s Organic Italian Restaurant is the flagship dining outlet at the Ajman Hotel, located on the lovely corniche beach – it’s a wonderful beach resort.

And the Friday Brunch has had several evolutions, mainly aiming at providing an international selection, which makes sense but also makes it hard to stand out from all the other international brunches on offer.

But last Friday, I experienced not an evolution, but a revolution!

Veteran Chef, Massimiliano Zampriglio, has emerged as the Che Guevara of Ajman kitchens, and he has taken the reins of Sabella’s and cracked the whip of metamorphosis, resulting in an uprising of flavors and freedom of taste expression!

Under Chef Massimiliano’s watchful eye, the transformation is evident especially in the liberation of fundamental taste.

You see, it is not easy to design a buffet for 100+ guests, because everybody has different preferences. Some like it spicy, some fear too much salt, others dislike cream, and so on – therefore the reality, and the danger, for most international hotels in delivering a satisfying buffet for most, and especially avoiding dreaded complaints, is to impress with quantity and variety of ingredients, but leaving the tastes bland. That’s called playing it safe.

Hence we see the visually dramatic towers of lobsters, crab legs, and incredible varieties of sea creatures – but, they are flash-boiled or grilled with no marination or very little or no seasoning or condiment!

At Sabella’s this did not happen!

The variety of selection is there – but the tastes are curated during preparation and simply out of this world.

Chef Massimiliano cooked from the heart and pulled out all stops!

He put a superhuman effort into directing his team to focus on the culinary basics to bring out the taste, and cook like you mean it.

Sincerely and un-apologetically, it is the cook’s job to deliver tasty dishes – to impress the palate, not cook for only the eyes.

To tell you the truth, I can’t wait to go back and try the a la carte menu in the evening!

The meats cuts were all marinated and seasoned, and absolutely delicious.

The fish, fresh and whole.

The pasta, also fresh and cooked before your very eyes.

Ingredients – only the very best, and focused on Italy and the Mediterranean.

An excellent variety of cheeses, for instance:

Outside, a fiery BBQ grill is ablaze; inside, you make your selection from the fresh cuts, and it is delivered to your table.

Probably the best marinated lamb chops I’ve had in UAE since 1999. And I don’t say that lightly. Try for yourself.

The interior is roomy and airy, with plenty of natural light.

And the revolution is complete –  ¡VIVA la Revolución!

The Chef and his team – and I heard that Mrs Zampriglio is in charge of the bakery and the fresh breads – have really changed gears at Sabella’s, and it was delightful to experience the excitement in person.

May the Italian and Mediterranean tastes be forever free!