NAME: Martina Pellizzari
AGE: 27
INSTAGRAM HANDLE: martina__pellizzari
JOB TITLE: Pastry Chef
MOVED TO THE UAE IN: September 2018
Martina Pellizzari is the Pastry Chef of two restaurants in Palm Jumeirah, SHIMA and LAVITA. With a passion for pastry that started as young as eight years old, Martina has a love for home cooking and creating and developing new culinary creations, always striving to use the best ingredients possible and achieve excellence.
After her diploma in Pastry obtained in ALMA Culinary School, Italy, and a year of experience with a Pastry World Champion, she felt the need to step out of her comfort zone and fly abroad. That’s when she chose the United Arab Emirates and flew to Dubai.
Here, Martina got the opportunity to work alongside Michelin-starred and renowned Pastry chefs, an experience that would shape her culinary style and approach.
Her ambition and dedication to her craft led her to realize her dream of becoming a Pastry Chef and made her dream come true by becoming a Pastry Chef, a title she wears with pride.
Let's take a look at Martina's typical day...
7:30 AM: My day typically starts around this time, when the alarm clock goes off and my cat, Franco, is already asking to be fed. I have a cup of espresso with my boyfriend before taking the time to cuddle and feed Franco. I also take care of some household chores, such as doing my laundry and giving the house a quick refresh. I then prepare to go to the gym near my house for some cardio and weight training, which I love the most.
9:00 AM: After my workout, I then take a very cold shower. After getting ready, I drive 20 minutes to get to work, often while listening to music or podcasts of people that inspire me. Sometimes I also call my closest friends to check up on them and maybe organise a dinner, lunch, or something to do together. Most of my friends are chefs, though, so it’s quite hard to organise something and catch up, given our work hours and lifestyle.
10:00 AM: Reaching the kitchen, I change my uniform and have one more coffee (I’m Italian, after all!). I gather with the team and have a line-up regarding the plan of the day and the tasks to be completed. It’s important to me to take some time with the team to discuss, so we can brainstorm and grow individually and as a group. Here, we think about new things that we can offer or how we can get things done in a smarter and better way and maximise our efficiency as a whole.
11:00 AM: We start with the mise en place (all the individual components of each dessert or dish) for service, always keeping everything super fresh. This is also the time where I double check on the orders that I have to make for the upcoming days, and I have calls with suppliers to research new ingredients that the market is offering.
12 NOON: I set up the section for lunch service, making sure the flavours and textures of the preparations are perfect. Everything must be organised to work as fast and cleanly as possible while delivering the best service.
4:00 PM: As the lunch service is finished, it’s time for a little break. I eat something light while I chat with my colleagues or have a call with friends. I usually take 10-15 minutes for myself, too, before we resume.
5:00 PM: If time permits, I typically arrange for a few members from the kitchen or the floor team to undergo cross-training. We make a bit of production, while I write down the tasks for the upcoming days and check if there any special event or occasions that we need to prepare ahead of time.
6:00 PM: During this time, we have a briefing with the kitchen team, where we share all the useful information regarding the table reservations and any eventual VIP guests expected for dinner. During this line-up, we also discuss ideas for implementing changes in the kitchen to enhance workflow. About half an hour later, I set up the section for dinner service and stop the production to focus on that.
12:00 AM: The service is finished, and we start closing the venue. Everything must be in its place. At this time, I write down the mise en place for the next day, and about half an hour later, when everything is clean, I head home, where I take a hot shower and mentally organise the next day. Then me and my boyfriend talk about the day that just finished, and we plan our next days off, which for sure will include a huge breakfast together, most of the time outside.