Chef Grégoire Berger

When I met Chef Grégoire Berger at the International Centre for Culinary Arts, ICCA Dubai, I wasn’t expecting to come away thinking about life. But that’s exactly what happened. You probably know him as the man behind Ossiano, the stunning underwater restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm. The one where you eat while stingrays glide past your table and the light dances through the aquarium. But beyond the theatrics and the Michelin stars is someone who sees food a little differently. For Grégoire, a dish is never just a dish. It’s a memory. A moment. Sometimes it’s a feeling that lingers long after the last bite is gone.

He once described his menu as chapters of his life. So, I asked him, if the new chapter he has begun had to be a movie, what would it be? Without hesitation, he smiled and said, “A thriller.”

That answer caught me off guard. But as he explained it, it made perfect sense. “I love surprised. I love doing what no one expects. For me, food should feel like an experience that can’t be repeated. That sense of mystery and unpredictability? That’s what excites me,” said Gregoire.

‍The Giant Aquarium and the Quiet Lessons It Taught

‍‍That massive tank full of marine life has been the backdrop to his career for years. But surprisingly, it wasn’t always an inspiration. “At first,” he told me, “It felt like a distraction. It was so beautiful that people sometimes forgot the food.” Over time though, it became something else. He began to notice the movement. The way the water shifted, the way the fish never stopped swimming. It reminded him that nothing stays still. The restaurant was never the same twice. That constant change helped shape how he saw creativity. It didn’t have to follow a straight line.

There was also the jellyfish moment. Back in 2022, when everyone was talking about sustainability, he took it seriously. Really seriously. “I looked around and realised jellyfish were one of the most abundant and local ingredients I had access to. So, I made it part of my menu. It wasn’t about shock value. It was about making a statement. If we want to be truly sustainable, we have to look at what's already around us,” added Grégoire.

How Family, Feelings, and Morning Meals Find Their Way Onto His Plate

Grégoire doesn’t keep inspiration on a pedestal. It shows up in the most ordinary places. Like his daughter’s breakfast. Or a sandwich she once made that sparked the idea of a banoffee pie. He lights up when he talks about her. She loves to cook and mix things together. But when I asked if she might follow in his footsteps, he said he hopes she chooses something for herself. Something with freedom. “I want her to be an entrepreneur,” he told me. “A lot of young chefs are taught how to work in a restaurant, but not how to build something of their own. That needs to change.”

We spoke about mentors too. He’s had a few, and none of them taught him how to cook. They taught him how to think. That shift changed everything. He believes once you’ve learned the craft, the real work is figuring out how to make it your own. That means breaking away from expectations, even when they’re dressed up as tradition.

Who He Is Now?

There’s a line he said during our conversation that stayed with me:
“My happiness revolves around my happiness.”

It sounds simple, but it’s one of those truths you don’t hear out loud very often. For years, he chased awards and perfection. He worked long hours and built a name in the world of fine dining. But today, what matters to him is time. Time to think. Time to be with his wife and kids. Time to just be.

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He described his day as being like a washing machine. That sense of being constantly tossed between colours and cycles. And yet, there’s something joyful in the chaos. “I don’t want to go to the office at a set time or leave because the clock says so. I want to choose what I do, and who I do it with,” added Grégoire. He also told me he’s learning to be more present. That he sometimes cancels meetings now just to be there for his family. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being available.

So, if you ever find yourself eating one of Chef Grégoire’s dishes, know that you’re tasting more than flavour. You’re stepping into something personal. Something real. And maybe, in the quiet between courses, you’ll feel a little closer to your own story too.