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From the French Riviera to Dubai: Cooking Where the World Meets
A Conversation with Chef François Savin, Private Chef
A Conversation with Chef François Savin, Private Chef
Greeneration, a Dubai-based vertical farm and fresh produce supplier for fine dining and HoReCa, spoke with private chef François Savin about building a culinary career between the French Riviera and Dubai. The conversation explores how working across two very different luxury markets has shaped his approach to clients, ingredients and creativity - and why, wherever he cooks, the quality of the produce remains the foundation of the plate.
Chef François Savin, private chef working between the French Riviera and Dubai, where Mediterranean roots meet the city’s international culinary energy.
For ten years, Chef François Savin worked as a private chef on the French Riviera, where seasonality, Mediterranean produce and the rhythm of the coast naturally shaped his cooking.
Then Dubai kept appearing on his radar.
The appeal was clear: a luxury market with few equivalents, exceptionally high expectations and a concentration of culinary talent that makes standing still almost impossible.
“The finest cooks in the world come to work here, and that will always make you better.”
François came to Dubai looking for something new. What made him stay was the energy.
“I have not found it anywhere else.”
Then Dubai kept appearing on his radar.
The appeal was clear: a luxury market with few equivalents, exceptionally high expectations and a concentration of culinary talent that makes standing still almost impossible.
“The finest cooks in the world come to work here, and that will always make you better.”
François came to Dubai looking for something new. What made him stay was the energy.
“I have not found it anywhere else.”
One Evening on the Riviera, Years of Trust in Dubai
For François, one of the biggest differences between private dining on the French Riviera and in Dubai is the relationship with the client.
On the Riviera, many guests are visiting for a holiday. A private dinner may be a single occasion - one evening and one opportunity to understand exactly what they want.
“They come, we share a wonderful night, and most of them I will never see again. It makes every dinner count.”
Dubai works differently.
Many of François’s clients live in the city, allowing him to cook for the same families throughout the year. Over time, he learns their preferences, what they avoid and how they like to entertain.
“In Dubai I build a relationship over the years, while on the Riviera I have a single evening to get it right.”
Despite this difference, François sees fine dining approached in much the same spirit in both places. What distinguishes Dubai is the scale and competitiveness of its culinary scene.
“You have to work hard to hold your place.”
For François, one of the biggest differences between private dining on the French Riviera and in Dubai is the relationship with the client.
On the Riviera, many guests are visiting for a holiday. A private dinner may be a single occasion - one evening and one opportunity to understand exactly what they want.
“They come, we share a wonderful night, and most of them I will never see again. It makes every dinner count.”
Dubai works differently.
Many of François’s clients live in the city, allowing him to cook for the same families throughout the year. Over time, he learns their preferences, what they avoid and how they like to entertain.
“In Dubai I build a relationship over the years, while on the Riviera I have a single evening to get it right.”
Despite this difference, François sees fine dining approached in much the same spirit in both places. What distinguishes Dubai is the scale and competitiveness of its culinary scene.
“You have to work hard to hold your place.”
A delicate seafood dish by Chef François Savin, finished with red vein sorrel and borage flower for freshness, colour and a refined final touch.
Dubai Opens the Pantry
Living in Dubai has widened François’s culinary reference points.
For a chef with Mediterranean roots, the city offers access to ingredients, flavours and cuisines from around the world. That international character influences both the way he cooks and the way he discovers food in everyday life.
“In Dubai you can eat Japanese in the morning, Turkish in the afternoon and European in the evening.”
Those experiences naturally find their way into his cooking, introducing new flavours, techniques and combinations.
“It has opened my horizons.”
Living in Dubai has widened François’s culinary reference points.
For a chef with Mediterranean roots, the city offers access to ingredients, flavours and cuisines from around the world. That international character influences both the way he cooks and the way he discovers food in everyday life.
“In Dubai you can eat Japanese in the morning, Turkish in the afternoon and European in the evening.”
Those experiences naturally find their way into his cooking, introducing new flavours, techniques and combinations.
“It has opened my horizons.”
Bringing a Riviera Philosophy to the UAE
On the French Riviera, seasonality and proximity to the source are deeply connected to the way chefs cook. Recreating that relationship in Dubai requires a different approach.
For François, sourcing local and seasonal produce is one of the challenges of working in the UAE - with Greeneration being one of the local exceptions he points to.
At the same time, Dubai’s global supply network means he can still source Mediterranean fish or vegetables from the hills behind Nice when a menu calls for them.
“It simply takes a little planning. In the end I do not feel so far from home.”
The result is a balance between the culinary memories François brings from France and the international possibilities available in Dubai.
On the French Riviera, seasonality and proximity to the source are deeply connected to the way chefs cook. Recreating that relationship in Dubai requires a different approach.
For François, sourcing local and seasonal produce is one of the challenges of working in the UAE - with Greeneration being one of the local exceptions he points to.
At the same time, Dubai’s global supply network means he can still source Mediterranean fish or vegetables from the hills behind Nice when a menu calls for them.
“It simply takes a little planning. In the end I do not feel so far from home.”
The result is a balance between the culinary memories François brings from France and the international possibilities available in Dubai.
A delicate carpaccio by Chef François Savin, finished with citrus, microgreens and edible flowers to bring freshness, colour and contrast to the plate.
The Ingredient Comes Before the Chef
For a private chef, consistency from suppliers is essential.
Each dinner may be designed around a specific client or occasion, but every ingredient still has to perform as intended.
“Chefs are not magicians, and you cannot cook well without good produce.”
François sums up his philosophy through a line associated with Marco Pierre White:
“Nature is the artist. I am only the cook.”
Technique, creativity and presentation all matter, but they begin with the ingredient itself.
This is also where Greeneration’s role as a local supplier becomes relevant. For chefs working with microgreens, edible flowers and speciality leaves, freshness and consistency are especially important because these ingredients often appear at the final stage of the dish, where their quality is immediately visible.
For a private chef, consistency from suppliers is essential.
Each dinner may be designed around a specific client or occasion, but every ingredient still has to perform as intended.
“Chefs are not magicians, and you cannot cook well without good produce.”
François sums up his philosophy through a line associated with Marco Pierre White:
“Nature is the artist. I am only the cook.”
Technique, creativity and presentation all matter, but they begin with the ingredient itself.
This is also where Greeneration’s role as a local supplier becomes relevant. For chefs working with microgreens, edible flowers and speciality leaves, freshness and consistency are especially important because these ingredients often appear at the final stage of the dish, where their quality is immediately visible.
Greeneration’s edible flowers and speciality leaves, locally grown in Dubai and packed fresh for professional kitchens across the UAE.
More Than Decoration
For François, edible flowers, microgreens and speciality leaves contribute first to the visual impact of a plate.
“The look comes first.”
They add colour, freshness and an artistic quality, but appearance alone is not enough.
François also chooses them for flavour and how they interact with the main ingredient. Borage flowers, for example, pair naturally with fish, while sharper floral notes can bring contrast to a tartare or carpaccio.
The finishing element therefore has two roles: visual and culinary.
For François, edible flowers, microgreens and speciality leaves contribute first to the visual impact of a plate.
“The look comes first.”
They add colour, freshness and an artistic quality, but appearance alone is not enough.
François also chooses them for flavour and how they interact with the main ingredient. Borage flowers, for example, pair naturally with fish, while sharper floral notes can bring contrast to a tartare or carpaccio.
The finishing element therefore has two roles: visual and culinary.
A Taste of Provence
Among the Greeneration produce François enjoys working with, one ingredient stands out immediately: courgette flowers.
“The quality is faultless every time, and they take me straight back to my Provence.”
He serves them in tempura, light and crisp, as an amuse-bouche at the beginning of dinner.
For François, the ingredient carries both flavour and memory - creating an immediate connection between Dubai and the Mediterranean.
Competition Keeps Dubai Moving
When François speaks about Dubai’s culinary scene, one idea comes up repeatedly: competition.
“There is enormous talent out there. You are forced to question yourself constantly and to work hard to keep up.”
He expects Dubai’s fine-dining and private-dining scene to continue moving upmarket, becoming more international and more complex as new chefs and influences arrive.
For someone who came to Dubai partly because of that competitive energy, the constant movement remains part of the attraction.
Among the Greeneration produce François enjoys working with, one ingredient stands out immediately: courgette flowers.
“The quality is faultless every time, and they take me straight back to my Provence.”
He serves them in tempura, light and crisp, as an amuse-bouche at the beginning of dinner.
For François, the ingredient carries both flavour and memory - creating an immediate connection between Dubai and the Mediterranean.
Competition Keeps Dubai Moving
When François speaks about Dubai’s culinary scene, one idea comes up repeatedly: competition.
“There is enormous talent out there. You are forced to question yourself constantly and to work hard to keep up.”
He expects Dubai’s fine-dining and private-dining scene to continue moving upmarket, becoming more international and more complex as new chefs and influences arrive.
For someone who came to Dubai partly because of that competitive energy, the constant movement remains part of the attraction.
A refined tartare by Chef François Savin, finished with caviar, egg yolk and delicate edible flowers.
One Dish Between Two Worlds
Asked to describe his journey from the French Riviera to Dubai through a single plate, François chooses:
Bluefin Tuna Tartare, Nori & Sesame Crisp, Imperial Osetra Caviar & Herb Cress.
The dish reflects his career naturally: French technique and luxury ingredients meet Japanese influence and fresh greens.
The Riviera remains present in the way François thinks about ingredients, seasonality and the pleasures of the table. Dubai adds movement, competition and international influence.
Between the two is the principle he returns to most clearly: start with exceptional produce, then let the cooking do its work.
Asked to describe his journey from the French Riviera to Dubai through a single plate, François chooses:
Bluefin Tuna Tartare, Nori & Sesame Crisp, Imperial Osetra Caviar & Herb Cress.
The dish reflects his career naturally: French technique and luxury ingredients meet Japanese influence and fresh greens.
The Riviera remains present in the way François thinks about ingredients, seasonality and the pleasures of the table. Dubai adds movement, competition and international influence.
Between the two is the principle he returns to most clearly: start with exceptional produce, then let the cooking do its work.
Greeneration is a Dubai-based vertical farm and fresh produce supplier, growing and distributing premium edible flowers, speciality leaves, microgreens, and selected rare vegetables for the HoReCa sector. The company works closely with fine dining restaurants and hospitality groups, supplying farm-to-kitchen produce grown and sourced within the UAE. Founded with the vision to transform urban farming, Greeneration’s mission is to provide chefs with hyperlocal, nutritious produce that supports sustainability, food safety and the UAE’s culinary excellence.
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