Christian Cila has been appointed head chef for the showcase Pax Romana restaurant in the five-star deluxe Dusit Dubai hotel.
Cila, 29, comes to Dubai from the UK where for the past six years he has been head chef at various leading Italian restaurants in London and Cardiff. Now specialising in innovative Mediterranean and Italian cuisine, Cila trained at Malta's Institute of Tourism Hotel and Catering School. He speaks English, Italian, Maltese and French. 'Christian is an award-winning chef and most lately a finalist in the Pizza and Pasta Association annual awards,' said Executive Chef Christian Pageot. The 165-water Pax Romana will be a Roman themed restaurant on the 24th floor of the 37-storey Dusit Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road, which is due to open later this month. The hotel marks the entry of the Thai-managed Dusit Hotels & Resorts chain into the Middle East. 'Pax Romana will be an exciting, fine dining venue with a cuisine which will be largely Italian but will include other Mediterranean specialties,' said Pageot. 'Its innovative style required a creative chef which we have found in Christian.' Cila has cooked for a star-studded clientele including, Anthony Hopkins, Jose Carreras, David Soul, Joanna Lumley, the San Marino football team and the Italian rugby team.