Abi:original - If you aren't original, what are you?

India's first Michelin Chef Vineet Bhatia at the BOLD Talks at DUCTAC Dubai. Image by Abigail Mathias He stood there smiling, reminding me of the famous Maharaja, the Air-India airline mascot. Of course I'm not too sure if India's first Michelin chef, Vineet Bhatia would much appreciate the resemblance this writer is making. But I am glad that the smile drew me in to listen to a rather lengthy talk about taking bold choices... Chef Vineet Bhatia is a pretty famous face for most of us Indians. He's been responsible for taking Indian cuisine to new heights. Here in the UAE his multitude of eateries have large waiting lists and I can't really say I've dined at them but yes I've been served some of his food in the first class lounge of a certain airline in this region. So yes, I went with my own reservations. It had been a long day of listening to many experts from various fields. Some people started late but Vineet was here on time. Little did most o...

Maximilian is a creative genius who makes dozens of mechanical art pieces including designer watches and machines. His work is sold across the world but at heart, all he wants is to create.  Maximilian Büsser is constantly thinking. Like any of us, he is working on various projects and yet he has always kept his focus on what matters the most. His family... He is also someone who reaffirms his love for his family every single day. Fortunately I had done a fair amount of research before I set out to meet this creative genius of sorts in person. He lives between two parallel worlds in Geneva and the UAE. Like any city, the weather can be a challenge. One day is rainy and the next is cloudy, but we take it all in our stride.  Today is the perfect day to reflect on my first meeting with MB&F and more specifically with its founder. Maximilian (or Max) is a creative genius who makes dozens of mechanical art pieces including designer time pieces and mac...