In a world quick to define futures by scores and report cards, Chef Izu Ani stands as a stirring rebuttal — a life lived not in defiance of the odds, but powered by them.
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Born to Nigerian immigrants in Tottenham, North London, Izu’s story begins in a modest flat, the youngest of four boys raised single-handedly by their mother. “She was both my mum and my dad,” he says, recalling the woman who juggled up to four jobs a day just to keep a roof overhead and food on the table.
“She wasn’t always there emotionally, but she showed up. That was the greatest example. She’s my idol.”
Discovering a calling in the kitchen
Today, Izu Ani is one of the most influential names in the Middle East’s fine-dining scene — the creative force behind UAE gastronomic landmarks like Gaia, Alaya, Carine, La Maison Ani, and Kai Enzo. He is also the founder of Theo, the world’s leading olive oil brand, named after his eldest son.
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But it all started in a humble Home Economics class at the age of 13. “I wasn’t even good at it,” he laughs.
“But when I brought food home, my mum would say, ‘Well done, this is delicious.’ That stuck with me.”
Rejected, resilient, and relentless
What didn’t stick was school. At 16, Ani left formal education with little more than his determination intact. He was “persuaded” to leave college, struggled with basic math in his first job at a bakery, and faced rejection after rejection.
“I was not doing well academically. Many teachers labelled me as someone who would not be doing well in life. I was in the bottom set for everything. Even Home Economics I barely scraped through. I was ‘persuaded’ to leave after three months.”
Eventually, he joined a cooking program that required 16-hour shifts, four days a week. That grueling foundation led him to the Sheraton Belgravia and a pastry program in Slough. He worked daily from 5 a.m. until midnight. “The Sheraton paid for everything. I was 18 years.”
At 21, he landed at London’s Michelin-starred The Square. By 22, he was learning under world-renowned chefs in France.
The turning Point: Pain Perdu and a leap of faith
Ani would later spend nine months working unpaid at Mugaritz in Spain — one of the world’s most respected kitchens. There, he learned how to make Pain Perdu (French toast), which would later become a signature dish at Dubai’s La Serre.
“I worked for free, for nine months, with top chefs at Mugaritz. I learnt how to make French toast – Pain Perdu and that is what got me recognised in Dubai”
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“Sometimes you don’t know why you’re doing something,” he says. “You just have to believe.”
That belief took him to Dubai at age 33. La Serre was the breakthrough that would introduce Izu Ani to the UAE, and the rest is history.
“You cannot sit in one place and expect to experience. You cannot sit on your couch and be fit. My favourite word is causality. Cause and effect, if you don’t start something, it is not going to be made.”
Respecting the ingredients, honouring the craft
Ani’s philosophy on food is deeply rooted in respect and understanding. “A tomato is alive,” he says.
“Don’t put it in the fridge — it loses its flavour. You have to understand your ingredients to really cook.”
Recalling his time in France, he shares how Chef Jacques Chibois taught him the role of fat in balancing flavours: “It’s about coating your tongue, unlocking every note. Too little, and it’s gone. Too much, and it’s sickly. It’s all about balance.”
A life of rituals and reflection
Now 48, Ani starts most mornings before sunrise, cycling up to 100 kilometers through the desert. “It’s meditation,” he says. “You can’t give what you don’t have. If you want to give love and joy, you need to have it inside first.”
Wearing only black for the last five years, Ani says the simplicity helps him stay focused. “Creativity needs space. Black doesn’t distract. It lets me think clearly.”
Love, bread, and new beginnings
While working in Normandy, Izu met his future wife — a baker at a local shop. “I mispronounced the bread, and she would giggle,” he recalls. It took a year of shy hellos before he finally asked her out. They married in 2010.
“She giggled at my English accent. I guess that was enough,” he smiles.
Friendship, loss, and legacy
La Serre was also where Ani met Peter Van Wyk, the man who helped him shape his first Dubai concept and who later developed ALS. “Peter helped me dream bigger,” Ani says. “He’s still part of my thoughts and my work.”
A city that mirrors his mindset
Ani credits Dubai for helping him thrive. “You don’t wake up and stay still here,” he says. “You do. You move. You build.”
He draws inspiration from a quote by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum: “Whether you consider yourself a lion or a gazelle, you have to run faster than others to survive.”
That idea fuels his mantra: “Impossible” is just “I’m possible” without the right spacing.
“You don’t wake up and stay still; you wake up and do things. You can see the city is built on doing things, that environment motivates you. It has that essence of everything that is possible. That’s where I have got this saying: ‘I am possible, impossible means I am possible’ and it is so relevant in this city. Dubai has that essence and you dream big. Allow yourself to run, everything is possible.”
An ongoing journey
From a boy once told he would fail to a chef whose name now adorns some of the most prestigious restaurants in the Middle East, Izu Ani’s story is about more than just success. It’s about showing up, every single day.
“I am possible,” he repeats. “That’s how I live — and this city, this life, proves it.”
