How does one go about redressing a crowd favourite?
A bowl of spaghetti; a juicy burger; a hearty steak – some dishes cut across time and space to become crowd favourite comfort classics, options we all reach for no matter where we come from or what our cuisine of choice is. This genre of food is a whole cuisine of it’s own, occupying more and more space on recent menus across Dubai than one would expect. The charms are simple, really. No matter what the mood, one of these always hits the spot.
But when something is so beloved, so fiercely protected, how does one go about reinventing it? Surprisingly, the basics are incredibly difficult to get right, and recreating these comfort classics for a new audience that’s looking for something familiar and unfamiliar at the same time – that is real task.
We sit down with Chef Arshpreet Singh of Apollo, a member of the culinary class of 2025 and featuring a menu full of new takes on old favourites, to dissect this craft.
The basis of Apollo’s menu is reinventing crowd favourites — how do you approach reinventing comfort classics that people already know and love?
At Apollo, our philosophy is about preserving the original essence of the dish — the part that evokes that sense of comfort and familiarity — and then elevate it with the finest ingredients, modern techniques, and unexpected layers of flavour.
What are some of the highlights of the Apollo menu? How did you formulate those recipes? What were your inspirations?
Every dish on the Apollo menu carries its own story, but a few have truly captured the hearts of our guests — the Chicken & Waffle with Caviar, Steak Frites, Peruvian Grilled Octopus, and our French Onion Croquettes are definite standouts.
Our inspiration comes from Dubai itself — a city defined by its diversity, quality, and culinary curiosity. It’s also shaped by the mentors and chefs I’ve worked with over the years, and the many versions of these classics I’ve created alongside them. Food at Apollo, in that sense, is a reflection of both my journey and the vibrant global palate of this city.
How do you think people in Dubai are responding to the ‘comfort classics’ cuisine? It’s a bit more of a vague concept as opposed to the cuisine of a specific region — how would you characterise it?
Dubai is, at its core, is a melting pot of cultures and flavours. It’s a city that doesn’t like to, nor should be, confined by any means. People here crave both comfort and luxury, often simultaneously, and our objective is to become the go-to destination for satisfying those cravings.
Would you say reinvention of crowd favourites is a tougher or easier job than creating brand new dishes?
Reinventing classics allows us to honour tradition while adapting it to modern tastes and local ingredients, whereas creating new dishes gives us the freedom to experiment and challenge our own palates.
While we strive to strike a healthy balance between both on our menus, it’s safe to say reimagining the classics is the more challenging of the two. When you take on a dish that people already know and love, you’re working against memory and expectation — and that makes getting it right evermore rewarding.
Image credit: Supplied
Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
