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DUBAI: Raised on a cattle farm in rural Queensland, Australia, and starting his working life in a butcher’s shop, Ross Shonhan is a man who knows his meat.  

After honing his cooking skills in Australia, Shonhan moved to the UK, working at Asia de Cuba and The Dorchester, before moving to the US, where he helped launch Nobu Dallas as executive chef.  

But it was his return to London — and a shift towards modern Japanese cuisine — that was a defining point in his career, Shonhan says. As executive chef at ZUMA London, he deepened his understanding of Japanese technique, and eventually founded the Bone Daddies Group in 2011, which quickly gained a following for its ramen bars and creative approach to Japanese comfort food.  

More recently, Shonhan brought his fire-driven cooking style to the UAE, founding Netsu in Dubai and Strawfire in Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental — a restaurant that blends Japanese technique with bold, open-flame cooking.  

When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?  

Trying to overcomplicate things. When you are young and eager, you want to impress, so you layer flavors, technique or garnishes, and often forget that restraint is just as powerful. Over time, I’ve learned to trust great ingredients. 

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?  

Taste everything as you go. It sounds basic, but it’s amazing how many people season once at the end and hope for the best. Some slow-cooked foods, for example, taste better when they’ve been seasoned throughout the process.  

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?  

Acid — like citrus juice or a good vinegar. Whether it’s a splash of rice vinegar in a salad or a bit of aged balsamic, acid lifts everything. It balances richness, sharpens flavors, and gives a dish structure. It’s a critical part of the seasoning process. 

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

Not consciously, but when you’ve been in kitchens and restaurants your whole life, it’s hard not to notice the details. 

What’s the most-common issue that you find in other restaurants?  

The biggest issue is inconsistency.  

What’s your favorite cuisine to eat?  

I tend to gravitate towards simple places that execute well. I have some great Iranian restaurants near where I live and some brilliant Thai restaurants too. So, just family-run restaurants that have been going for years.  

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

Rice noodles with courgette, chili and fish sauce. It’s light and heathy but very tasty. It’s actually my wife’s recipe. It’s a mid-week staple. 

What customer request or behavior most annoys you? 

I don’t mind requests. Food is personal. But I find it tough when people don’t respect the team. We work hard to create an experience, and hospitality is a two-way street. A bit of kindness costs nothing and I think you can judge a person on how they treat their waiter.  

What’s your favorite dish to cook? 

Anything cooked over fire. It connects me to my childhood in the Australian outback. There’s something timeless about cooking with flame; it strips things back to instinct and makes food taste more alive. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right? 

Creating a well-made broth requires patience, balance and discipline. It takes time and skill to develop the layers of flavor. That’s also applicable to making sauces. 

As a head chef, what are you like?  

I’d say I’m direct, but not constantly shouting. Firm but fair, maybe. Kitchens are intense enough without unnecessary drama. I want my team to feel supported and clear about expectations. I value honesty, effort and curiosity, and I try to create an environment where people want to grow. 

Chef Ross’ spaghetti mentaiko recipe  

For the Mentaiko mixture:  

100g mentaiko                                          

30g grapeseed oil                                    

2g smoked sweet paprika powder 

For the spaghetti:  

132g mentaiko mixture 

200g butter 

320g spaghetti (dry) 

40g parmigiana (grated) 

160g cream 35% 

8g salt 

Juice from a half lemon 

Zest from a half lemon 

20g chives (finely chopped) 

8g kizami nori  

60g pasta water 

Step 1 

Place a pot with water without salt on the stove and bring it to a boil. 

Then cook the pasta according to the package directions or preferences.  

Step 2  

While the spaghetti cooks, start with the mentaiko mixture. 

The whole mentaiko comes in the roe sack which has a tough outer skin. Cut the skin in, and scrape the roe with a spoon from the skin, then add it into a mixing bowl. 

Add the smocked paprika powder, grapeseed oil and grated parmigiana in and mix everything gently with a spatula and keep it on the side. 

Step 3 

Place a pan on the stove and add the cream, salt and butter, then heat it up slowly until the butter has melted. 

Step 4 

Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the cream and butter mixture.  

Stir until the sauce is nice and creamy. If the sauce starts to curdle or thickens too much, add a little bit from the pasta water until the sauce reaches a smooth consistency again. 

Step 5 

Add the spaghetti and sauce to the mixing bowl containing the mentaiko mixture, add the juice of half a lemon, and mix gently. (Chopsticks or a meat fork work well for mixing this). You can add a little more pasta water If the sauce becomes too thick again. 

Step 6 

For serving, we recommend using a meat fork and a large spoon and twist the spaghetti into a nest then place it in the center of your plate. Distribute the chives and kizami nori over the spaghetti and grate a little lemon zest over it.  

 MALDIVES: There are few places in the world that truly embody serenity the way the Maldives does, and my recent yoga retreat at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort was nothing short of transformative.  

The resort — set among turquoise waters, white sand and swaying palm trees — was not just a getaway; it was a reset for the body, mind and soul. 

From the moment I arrived, it felt as though time slowed down. Each day began with yoga classes overlooking the endless blue of the Indian Ocean with the sound of the wind rustling through palm trees and the gentle rhythm of waves crashing on the shore. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. One of the most peaceful sessions took place around sunset, as the sky shifted from soft gold to dusky pink. 

The retreat was led by Dubai-based instructor Emilia Métaireau. Each day, we explored one of the “koshas” — the five layers of the self in yogic thought — starting with the physical and gradually moving on to the emotional, mental and spiritual realms. Métaireau’s ability to guide us gently into each theme, while adapting to every participant’s level, made the experience both grounding and expansive. 

And while the classes make you sweat, you remain in constant Zen mode. During the final relaxation, there was no escaping the inevitable: drifting into the deepest, most peaceful sleep. 

Post-practice, we had plenty of time to explore and unwind at the resort. Our villa came with its own bicycles, which made exploring the island feel peaceful and playful. Riding from one side to the other with the sea breeze on my face was one of the small joys that made the trip so memorable.  

The dining options were another highlight — whether at the Fish Market, The Retreat or at Café Umi for breakfast. The Lighthouse was undergoing renovations during our stay, but we were still able to enjoy its menu in a different setting. Fresh seafood, balanced flavors and thoughtful plating made each meal feel special. 

The resort is also on the edge of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and offers rare access to graceful manta rays in their natural habitat. We headed out on a boat, gliding across crystal-clear waters in search of them, stopping at three different spots. Mantas have a vast area to explore, so sightings are never guaranteed and, after a while, we began to lose hope. But just as we were about to head back, the team spotted them near the surface. Guests — including my husband — were able to get into the water with the rays. He said they were much larger than he expected, yet graceful and fascinating to watch up close. 

The resort’s spa — set above the water — was the perfect complement to the physical and spiritual work on the retreat. The treatment rooms offer panoramic views of the ocean, which only deepens the relaxation experience, and every aspect, from the scents used to the post-treatment tea, was curated to bring a sense of calm and renewal. 

This retreat gave me the space to reconnect with myself in a truly meaningful way, and Métaireau’s guidance gave me a deeper understanding of yoga. I used to attend classes in Dubai, but I struggled to focus, often skipping the breathing exercises, weighed down by the stress of a busy workday. But being in the Maldives, surrounded by nature, was a completely different experience. With every session, I felt more present, more grounded and more in tune with myself. 

If you would like to try yoga — or if you’ve already tried but found it hard to engage properly — then I highly recommend going on a retreat, even within your own country. Stepping away from your daily routine makes all the difference.