Giovanni
De Ambrosis

It is my great pleasure to present the latest creation of the Cocoon Collection - Joy Island!!! This extraordinary project was born in the North Male Atoll and I was privileged to participate in its formation from the beginning..it is a magical place , where catering reigns supreme….with unforgettable “Market”-a colorful adventure overflowing with novelties , food joys and delights that differ every day! We also produce mozzarella, burrata, scamorza, teccie morsels etc..., (let's not forget our pizzeria by the pool.. absolutely fantastic!) Finally our a la carte restaurant Palm Beach with breathtaking location and extraordinary gourmet cuisine.

Being lucky enough to actively participate in building a restaurant that comes to life below sea level doesn’t happen every day! H20 is the submerged pearl of You & Me, a restaurant with only 21 seats, where the guest has an authentic and explosive sensory experience. I wanted to study gourmet cuisines and at the same time, for our guests, a dynamic and interactive cuisine, in which our tradition influences the raw material offered by the Maldivian sea. I wanted to imagine and give life to a range of courses which are each accompanied by a distinct piece of music aimed at stimulating and amplifying every single sense: from taste to smell, from hearing to sight. My primary objective was a result of excellence in customer satisfaction under the vault of crystal clear waters illuminated by the sun's rays.

You & Me represents the second important new chapter of my work experience in the Maldives. I studied and designed a new concept, in which the gastronomic experience occupies an increasingly relevant space during the guests' stay. I wanted to create a resort that would give the clients the opportunity to immerse themselves in an authentic culinary experience: ‘all day dining’, where show cooking is the absolute protagonist in the 5 different ocean front outlets on the isle. My mission was to offer an experience that accompanies the guest along a journey ranging from flavors that echo their homeland to the farthest East tastes. You & Me is the first resort that offers a 100% à la carte service, from breakfast to dinner, serving top quality dishes and gourmet cuisine

I started working at Cocoon Resort in December 2016. It has been a real challenge faced with enthusiasm for the opening that was to take place soon after. I instantly came to an understanding with Alessandro Azzola, the owner: we saw eye-to-eye about a design hotel which offered a high quality catering service, to create constant communication with the guests through the kitchen.
So I planned a Gourmet Weeks program and cooking classes led by star chefs. I wanted a kitchen which could amaze its guests with innovative and engaging ideas.
The Manta restaurant is the jewel in the crown of the Cocoon resort, a refined restaurant where I wanted to work alongside brilliant emerging professionals. A few months after the opening, the resort won a South Asian Travel Award, in a competition that rewards Asian excellence in the tourism sector. However, Cocoon is not just fine dining, it is a small island where you can also discover the taste of home and the best pizza in the Maldives, cooked in a Neapolitan wood-burning oven.

Tribeca is a new project in Dubai.It is in the style of the trendy New York neighborhoods, the cuisine is American with strong Italian influences. My collaboration began in 2013 while the venues was growing, together and character of Tribeca and what it has to offer. At Tribeca my multicultural experience allowed me to complete the project by marrying Italian tradition with both the charm of the big apple and the energy of Dubai , an obviously complicated but satisfying three-way wedding. My TowerCheesecake is the dish which has had particular success, meeting the favors of critics and an important media echo. It reflects the verticality of Dubai but, breaking it down, it is a classic American dessert revisited in the Italian style.

On the occasion of my appointment as a Taste Ambassador, I got to know the gastronomic excellence of my territory: Legù, the non-pasta based on vegetable proteins. Legù replaces a second dish, 100% Italian, produced in Albizzate, 100% natural, bronze drawn and without any additives. Monica Neri, the producer of Legù, managed to combine 3 legumes: chickpeas, beans and peas, into a formula capable of ensuring the best nutritional intake of proteins, fibre, mineral salts and vitamins. With Monica I developed combinations of sauces that go well with Legù, especially based on vegetables, fish and cheeses. Since then I have promoted Legù in Italy and in the world, collaborating with the company to export the product with the support of the contacts made during my experiences abroad and immediately gaining great customer interest.

Ringrazio Fadi, proprietario del nuovo e rivoluzionario brand in Dubai, che mi ha cercato e trovato. Ho subito capito che sarebbe stato interessante aiutarlo a definire questo nuovo concept: UNDER500! healthy food sotto le 500 calorie. Per under500 ho creato un menu semplice e gustoso con un'attenta selezione dei prodotti che potessero dare forma a questa grande idea. Ho subito pensato di inserire nel menu Legù, la 'non pasta' a base di proteine vegetali, un prodotto artigianale italiano che incarna perfettamente lo spirito di UNDER500. Quando possibile ho utilizzato prodotti organici, frutta e verdura che ho avuto la possibilità di raccogliere a Dubai. Sorprendente la ricchezza di questi prodotti figli del deserto.

Ho conosciuto il brand Purobeach nel corso di un meeting a Palma di Mayorca. Ho pensato fosse perfetto per le spiaggie di Dubai. La mia esperienza nel mondo Arabo mi ha permesso di creare il giusto compromesso tra le esigenze e tradizione del brand e le necessità della clientela internazionale di Dubai. Il menù è stato elaborato sulle 3M: Melbourne, Miami, Marrakech. Con le 3M il brand spagnolo scopre la sua vocazione internazionale coprendo tutto il globo, sushi e cucina Asiatica, steak&lobster, burger&fries. L'offerta del brand si focalizza sul lounge cafe music a qualsiasi ora del giorno, accompagnato da menu personalizzati e cocktail a bordo piscina. Il menu che ho elaborato rispetta le linee guide del brand proiettandolo su una dimensione internazionale indispensabile a Dubai.