FRENCH Chef Olivier Pallut touched down back in the kingdom and is geared up to treat diners to a fresh and unique menu.
Chef Olivier, 42, is the newly-appointed executive chef at the Mezzaluna Restaurant in Adliya... but is no stranger to the island.
Prior to joining Mezzaluna, he had a short stint in Cyprus before which he held the position of regional chef design master of Gulf Air.
He belongs to a family that has had three generations of chefs starting with his great grandfather who opened a bar in Cognac before the First World War.
"I am what you could say - 'Born in a pot'."
Chef Olivier has been cooking ever since he joined a catering school in France at the age of 14.
He brings with him 23 years of catering experience gained in countries including France, England, Russia, Chad, Guadeloupe, Ukraine, Guinea, Cyprus and Qatar as well as Bahrain.
Amongst the many new dishes he has been conjuring up is one of his personal all-time favourites - the Black Truffle.
According to his supplier, he is the first person to have ever asked for this item in Bahrain.
The black truffle is mostly found in Europe, the largest supply coming from Italy, and is normally sniffed out by trained dogs and is an exclusive and expensive delicacy.
"As a chef, it is not just the food that you need to be careful about, it's the whole package including ambience, service as well the mood of the customer," he said.
He idolises the famous chef Paul Bocuse, the legend who brought the chef out of the kitchen.
"It's highly pretentious to say that I have invented a recipe. Someone... somewhere would have definitely made that dish at some point in time."
He believes the most important ingredients in any kitchen is a fresh supply of fish and vegetables.
"Every morning I go to the fish market in Manama and buy the fish myself. I choose it myself as I am very particular that I serve only fresh fish," he explained.
Some of the dishes he is introducing to the menu are lobster with potatoes, duck breast with tomatoes and a 'duck burger' which includes layers of mozzarella, duck meat and puree.
Chef Olivier added: "In a restaurant teamwork is what brings the best food to your plate. There are only two things involved - the consumer and the team. The team includes the chef, the cooks, the waiters - everyone.
"Success is calculated by 60 per cent the product, 30 per cent the chef's creativity and 10 per cent his imagination.
"Gastronomy is the kind of science that involves all five senses. You see the food, you smell, touch to eat, you crunch and listen and then you taste."
Chef Olivier lives in Juffair with his Indian wife Wilma and wishes to some day cook for the king of Bahrain.