With more than two decades in hospitality and a career that has taken him across the globe, Oliver Weber, Director of Culinary and F&B at Sheraton Bahrain Hotel, has worked everywhere from Michelin-starred kitchens to luxury hotel operations. His experience is as vast as his culinary repertoire. He sits down to talk about street food culture, mentoring young chefs and his cooking philosophy.

Your career has taken you across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, from cruise liners to major hotel openings. What did it mean to you to relaunch the iconic Sheraton Bahrain Hotel here?
Relaunching Sheraton Bahrain Hotel has been a very rewarding milestone in my career. The hotel has a strong legacy in Bahrain, and being part of its new chapter is an exciting opportunity to combine international experience with fresh, contemporary culinary concepts while honouring its heritage.

You place strong emphasis on team development and mentoring. What do you look for in young chefs and how do you help them grow?
I always look for passion, discipline and curiosity. Skills can be taught, but attitude is everything. I believe in mentoring through hands-on leadership, encouraging creativity and giving young chefs opportunities to grow and build confidence.

Having travelled to more than 50 countries, is there one street food experience that stayed with you and perhaps still influences how you cook today?
Asia, particularly Shanghai, had a huge influence on me. The energy of street food culture, the live cooking and the simplicity of authentic flavours reminded me that great food does not need to be complicated – it just needs quality ingredients and passion behind it.

Which one dish from any of Sheraton Bahrain’s restaurants best represents your culinary ethos, and why?
In general, I wouldn’t necessarily stream it down into one particular restaurant or dish as such, but I think it’s the philosophy that we have implemented in the restaurants – to focus on the best ingredients and the simplicity. Sometimes the less you do with a key ingredient, the better actually.