Chef Franco Canzano has taken charge of the culinary profile at Melia Desert Palm, a member of Melia collection. The new Executive Chef hails from Argentina and has worked for five-star hotels and eateries around the world, in destinations that include Buenos Aires, Milan, Paris, Doha, Goa, Amman, and now Dubai.

Chef Franco is a specialist in Mediterranean and Italian cuisine, and an expert on the grill, which makes him ideal to take over at RARE, the signature oak wood fire grill restaurant at the resort. As a second-generation chef, Chef Franco learned his craft from his father, starting at age 14, before moving to more formal training. He credits watching his father for hours as the starting point for his career and believes that improvisation often makes for the best meal.

Taking over at the resort means Chef Franco will oversee all culinary operations, including the private catering for the huge weddings hosted at the resort. “Dubai’s cuisine boasts delicious flavours, and Arabian food in particular blends such wonderful herbs and spices, they make for fantastic dishes.’ He said of the city’s food.

Citing Argentinean celebrity chef, Francis Mallmann and Italian restaurateur and chef patron, Massimo Bottura as his inspirations, Chef Franco is looking forward to creating dishes for guests at Melia Desert Palm, saying: “The resort is stunning, and the views should go with visually delightful food. I’ve got a great team with me here, and I’m excited to bring wholesome flavours and fresh dishes to our regular guests, and new visitors.”