Chef Lorenzo welcomes you home, one plate at a time
By the time we arrived at Brunello Dubai, Dubai traffic had already done its worst. We were late. Not scandalously so, but enough to expect an awkward shuffle at the entrance. Instead, we were greeted like old friends. The hostess, the general manager, and Chef Lorenzo Luku himself were standing at the door waiting for us. Waiting patiently. Smiling. And somehow, miraculously, they recognised Jessica Combes, our Editor-in-Chief who is famously off-grid, before she could even say a word. We hadn’t even crossed the threshold and already we were impressed.
That feeling didn’t leave. Brunello, tucked into the elegant calm of Kempinski Palm Jumeirah, feels like the kind of restaurant that already knows your order. Its neo-traditional setting reads like a dinner invitation from a stylish relative who’s returned from Milan with stories, linen napkins, and opinions about how pasta should really be made.
We left the menu choices to Chef Lorenzo. That was the right call. He selected dishes from the upcoming refreshed menu and what followed was a dinner that felt less like a tasting and more like being let in on a secret.
The Vitello Tonnato was the opener. Soft, chilled veal layered over a tuna puree that was subtle in its richness, with just enough tuna to make you pause and nod. It didn’t shout. It just… worked. You eat it and realise that restraint, in the right hands, is a very good thing.
Then came the parmesan fondue. If you’ve had a long week, or a long year, this is your exhale. It doesn’t need theatre. The smell alone slows you down. Light, crisp Parmesan balls floating on a Parmesan puree – it was as surprising as it was familiar, comforting and delightful.
Bolognese can be forgettable in the wrong kitchen. This one wasn’t. The sauce had patience. You could taste it. Not rushed. Not hiding behind a wall of tomato or trying too hard with spice. Just a sauce that knew exactly who it was.
The lamb cutlets arrived with that kind of confident sizzle that announces themselves before the plate even lands. Pink at the centre, crisped at the edge, and resting on a mint and cream base that had caught all the best bits. Nothing felt accidental.
Dessert was a chocolate fondant. Predictable? Maybe. But we were too busy spooning molten chocolate out of the centre to care. The outside held just long enough to be called a cake. The inside was a molten hug.
Let’s talk drinks. The classic Negroni was well balanced and bold. The tiramisu cocktail though – now that’s a moment. We were the first public guests to try it, and I hope it never leaves the menu. Think creamy and layered with just enough coffee and cocoa to make your eyebrows raise a little. The kind of cocktail you sip, then glance around and quietly wonder how they pulled it off.
Even the mocktails impressed. A strawberry mocktail and a piña colada mocktail, both served in glasses that didn’t rely on ice to pad the bill. You could taste actual fruit. You could taste actual care. In Dubai, that’s rarer than it should be.
Throughout it all, the service never slipped into performance. It stayed easy. Warm. We were looked after the way you are when someone’s proud of their space and wants you to feel at ease. Combes put it best: “It feels like a love letter written in food.”
Chef Lorenzo is the kind of chef who checks in without hovering. He speaks with his hands, his heart, and his menu. You get the sense he’s building something more than a kitchen. He’s building a space that feels like home. A place where returning isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable.
Brunello isn’t trying to be flashy or chase trends. It’s food that knows what it is. It’s a dining room and a terrace with views of the pool and palm trees, where you can settle into a seat and stay a while. It’s the kind of place that quietly becomes your routine.
If you’re visiting Dubai or live nearby and are searching for something that doesn’t shout but absolutely speaks, head to Brunello. Order the Bolognese. Try the tiramisu cocktail. Take your time.
You’re home.
For more info, check out their website.
