Elevated Cooking with The Dimple Chef

by Iyath Adam

For our interview article this time, we have a chat with Abdulla Riza – The Dimple Chef.

Read on to find out about how he started cooking, the amazing things he has done over the years and all about what he loves to create.

Lonumedhu: First off, tell us about yourself and how you got into the culinary world.

Riza: I actually didn’t start in the culinary field. About 10 years ago, I used to work in media, doing photography, videography etc… and did a lot of food photography too. And I used to see a lot of instances where the food was plated really well, but the taste didn’t match up to the presentation which always really disappointed me.

When the COVID-19 pandemic happened in 2020, I started trying out making different dishes. I would always do it late at night when my parents were asleep. I wanted to make food that I really wanted to eat, and I tried to make food, which was a bit more artistic and whimsical, rather than the food that you eat every day. For example, I once made this clear dome to go on top of a cake, that you break before cutting the cake, bringing in that fun, interactive element into eating. After that, I’ve been continuing cooking and making new creations.

Lonumedhu: What are some highlights that have stood out in your cooking journey over the past five years?

Riza: In 2021, I applied for the FHAM Culinary Challenge with a chef at Dreams Diner who was my friend. He applied for the dessert category, and I applied for seafood in the hot cooking. But due to a mix-up, they accidentally put my name down for the dessert category and for the seafood category – so we just decided to go with it. I had two days to prepare for that and I made a very Maldivian-inspired dish with coconut ice-cream which won the bronze medal that year.

Then in 2023, I started working at Visit Maldives as a photographer. They have an event called ‘Maldivian Night’ in different countries which they outsource to a chef. For one particular event, which was scheduled to be held in China, the team pulled out at the last minute. So, the Deputy Managing Director, Zihunee asked me if I could do it and I decided to go for it, even though it’d be a very hard endeavour to cook for such a large crowd, especially abroad. The event was held at a Marriott Hotel in Shanghai where I made around 2,800 pieces of a faiy mashuni sandwich with rihaakuru. So, that was a big achievement, to be able to showcase Maldivian cuisine at an international stage of that level.

I’ve also been in the iconic Rahathafaathu programme on TVM. And I’ve had the opportunity to present my handmade, boli or shell-shaped chocolates to some important figures like the Ambassador of China to Maldives and actor, Taz Skylar, when he visited the Maldives.

Lonumedhu: How did ‘The Dimple Chef’ page and brand come about?

Riza: I actually started the page to showcase my food styling and photography. But then I thought that I’ll feature my own creations, and that’s how the page became ‘The Dimple Chef.’ The name came about because I have a dimple on my cheek, which I was bullied for a lot when I was younger. So, I thought I’d turned that into a positive with this.

I wasn’t initially interested in participating in fairs as a food vendor, but I’ve been doing that a bit more lately. My signature dish is waffles – with a waffle cart – which is made fresh and on the spot. It was actually my wife’s idea to try this out, which is modelled after something that we had seen in India. I wanted to put my own spin on it and offer it at an affordable price. And I now do the waffle cart at events like weddings too.

I also take pre-orders for other dishes like lasagne, tuna pasta and desserts like madeleines and cakes etc. I don’t really do grab-and-go offers because I believe that food should be consumed fresh, and I like to have enough time to prepare dishes fully. For instance, I get a lot of bulk orders for lasagne, but I always make sure to accept orders which are given (at least two days) ahead. It’s because the sauce needs to be cooked, then rested to let the flavours develop.

I actually prefer making savoury dishes compared to desserts. But I feel like Maldivians prefer desserts, both to buy and eat, so I thought that I’d have a mix of both for offer.  

Lonumedhu: Do you have a favourite ingredient or cuisine?

Riza: I think my favourite ingredient will always be beef. I now use a sous vide machine to make beef that gives you a really precise cook, because I like to make and eat food exactly the way it’s meant to be. I’ve also worked as a private chef a couple of times, making steak dishes and fondant potatoes, which is something that I really like to do.

I also really like Italian cuisine, especially pasta, which is really simple, hearty and fast to make.

Lonumedhu: What’s your recipe testing process like?

Riza: I basically just keep making a dish until it’s perfect and I like it. Then, I share with other people for their feedback. I’m really grateful to my friends and family who always give me their honest feedback, which really helps in refining the taste.

And I always prefer to use fresh ingredients, especially when it comes to meat. The opening of The Island Butcher was a big development in that regard. You can get exact cuts of meat, with beef fat and even freshly minced beef from there. As their ambassador, I’m especially really proud to say that.

But it’s also really hard to get particular ingredients here in the Maldives, especially things like cocoa butter for chocolate-making or jaggery which I use in almost all my desserts. That’s also one reason that I don’t make a lot of varieties of different desserts. I don’t like to compromise on ingredients; if I can’t get the exact ingredients that I want, then I just don’t make the dish.

Lonumedhu: What advancements do you want to see in the Maldivian food scene in the coming years?

Riza: I want to see more cafés or restaurants owned and run by young people. I know that there are many online food businesses now and on-the-ground ventures are harder with added overhead costs, but I think in the next 3-5 years, we’ll see this change in the Maldivian food scene.

Lonumedhu: What advice would you give to young people who want to go out into the culinary field?

Riza: Just start. You’ll never know how far you can reach or what your capabilities are until you start. Be open to making your own tweaks to recipes, to make it the way you want. When you serve food with care and stay true to what you like, people can feel that, and they’ll accept it.

Lonumedhu: Before we wrap up, what’s next for you career-wise?

Riza: Right now, I’m working towards publishing a recipe blog or book. I’ve also been working on developing recipe videos with some businesses. In particular, I’m making a series of beef and chicken dishes in Dhivehi – with The Island Butcher – for Ramadan.

Lonumedhu: It was great to chat with you, Riza. We wish you the best of luck!