Set within Raffles The Palm Dubai, overlooking the Arabian Gulf, CHAYKA Dubai is a destination where refined hospitality and modern gastronomy meet at the highest level.

As Head Chef of CHAYKA Dubai at Raffles The Palm Dubai, Timur Mussayev leads the kitchen with a philosophy built on precision, restraint, and respect for exceptional ingredients.

Working within one of Dubai’s most refined dining destinations, his approach reflects an environment where balance, clarity of flavour, and thoughtful execution define true luxury.

This perspective shapes how caviar is understood, used, and experienced at the highest level of contemporary gastronomy.

Caviar has long been associated with luxury, ceremony, and excess.
But in a professional kitchen, its meaning is very different.

For chef Timur Mussayev, caviar is not about status.
It is about precision, restraint, and respect for the product.

“Good caviar is a clean taste without excess salt, a living texture, and a finish that doesn’t argue with the product, but reveals its origin.”

What matters is not how impressive caviar looks on the plate, but how honestly it tastes.

Its role in modern cuisine has evolved: no longer a decorative symbol, caviar has become a precise instrument of flavour — one that must be used with intention.

Timur’s decision to work with BELEAEV caviar came naturally.

“When a producer delivers consistent quality you can rely on, and understands the philosophy of the kitchen, the choice becomes obvious”

In his work, caviar is always selected in relation to the dish.

“I choose caviar based on the flavour of the dish itself. Grain size, salinity, and the purity of the finish should support the idea — never dominate it.”

This is why caviar works best in dishes with minimal composition, where every element matters and nothing distracts from the core taste.

In the world of refined dining guests today are no longer seeking spectacle.

“They don’t need to be impressed. They want to feel something.”

The best way to experience caviar remains the simplest one: small portions, correct temperature, and neutral accompaniment.

“The flavour of the caviar must remain the focus.”

When a guest tastes caviar for the first time, Timur doesn’t explain luxury. He explains sensation.

“I describe it as a concentrated taste of the sea. I encourage guests to eat slowly, let the pearls burst, and notice the balance of salt, fat, and freshness.”

No performance.

No excess.

Just attention.