Valletta, Malta
Name: Chef Roderick Vella
Age: 32
Nationality: Maltese
Country of Residence: Malta
1. Your Restaurant/Business: In the 5 star Excelsior Grand Hotel, Valletta, Malta.
2. About Your Kitchen: Different kitchens serving buffets, light snacks, room service and also an A la carte restaurant
3. Your Favorite Chef Works Item: The Chefs jackets are very comfortable to work in especially for our hot kitchen and climate.
4. First Job: Apprentice Chef at the 5 star Westin Dragonara Resort, Malta.
5. Your Favorite Cookbook: White Heat by Marco Pierre White.
6. Your Awards: I compete both locally and internationally. Won Best Chef in The 2013 Malta Kulinarja Cookery & Culinary Arts Championships.
7. Your Cooking Inspiration: Fresh seasonal food cooked from the heart.
8. Your Speciality Dish: Pressed Trotter Terrine, Braised Cheek, sous vide loin with Mushroom Farce, textures in Brassicas Olearecas, Pomme Fondant & Thyme Jus
9. Favorite Dish To Eat: Braised pork cheeks and mashed potatoes
10. Weirdest Thing You Ever Ate: Fried worms
11. Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: My Pastry Chef’s yuzu (East Asian citrus fruit) & chocolate ice cream.
12. Favorite Drink: Cisk Lager and Kinnie (a soft canned drink) both local Maltese drinks.
13. Favorite Wine: I don’t have a favorite wine.
14. Who Would You Most Like To Cook For: Gordon Ramsey.
15. Who Would You Least Like To Cook For: Anybody that doesn’t appreciate food.
16. Favorite Things To Do When Not Cooking: Spending time with my son.
17. Your Latest Project: Competing in Luxembourg in the Culinary World Cup.
18. Favorite City and Why: Emilia-Romagna in Northern Italy for the fantastic food.
19. Your Greatest Indulgence: Meat especially sausages.
20. Your All Time Best Culinary Tip: Escoffier, whose philosophy was ‘Good food is the basis of true happiness’.