The Restless Plate: Chef Steve Scicluna’s Travels

It’s pretty simple. This piece is about the 2025 travels of Chef Steve Scicluna and how exploration teaches a lesson. Last year, Scicluna bounced from one European city to another, culminating in a bucket list achievement: Japan; and more particularly its culinary culture. 

It’s 10:30 on a Friday in Valletta, Steve walks through the iconic doors on Old Theatre Street, Michelle, his newly named sourdough starter, clutched in his hand. We sat in the all too familiar Risette dining area, the marble tables hosting us yet again, this time with a handsome cappuccino and slice of Chef’s carrot cake that guests of Casa Ellul are unknowingly so lucky to have on their breakfast menu. Our topic of discussion today: culinary travel.

“I want to be inspired. I want to gain knowledge.” These are the first words that Chef Steve utters during our quick catch-up. That thirst for experiencing the new is everything when you’re a Chef at the cusp of greatness. Knowing Chef Scicluna and his oeuvre is documenting greatness, but knowing the pressures of achievement in chefdom is just as true a reality. So how do Chefs push themselves further? By stepping out of their kitchens and discovering more knowledge.

“Gaining knowledge is going abroad, reading books,” and dare we not forget the muse to his creativity; experiencing food, in Chef’s words, travelling to: “eat, eat, and eat.” The way a palate remembers experiences is a magical thing and last year Chef Steve got to do it in London, Dublin, Paris, Munich and Tokyo. He returned to Dublin this April for a culinary boys trip with local Chefs Andrew Vella, George Attard, James Schaivone and his front of house twin (less-the-glasses) Stephen Schaivone.

Chef Steve sees traveling for food experiences as an investment in his career with the goal being to “see what 2, 3 Star Chefs are doing” comparing their artistry to what he is doing at Risette. The focus of this catch-up; Bibendum, Table, Sézanne. The latter being the most awe-inspiring.

“Last year I went to Asia. I managed to visit a restaurant that I was really eager to visit: Sézanne. It was a great experience. It was something I never expected… the way they approach the cuisines, approach the guests. It’s quite unique. We don’t have this in Europe.”

Chef Steve goes on to explain the way Japan’s attention to detail inspires his kitchen, the way ingredients are treated and the techniques best suited to bring out the best in each bit of produce. All with one non-negotiable; to keep it simple. But as Chef Scicluna points out; “sometimes simplicity is much more complex - you can call it simplex.”

It’s kind of like showing how confident you are, but risking it all at the same time. There’s literally nowhere to hide when so few ingredients are presented on a plate, hoping to wow in flavour and technique; because the aesthetic is usually a given. 

With the aura of Japan still fresh in his mind; Chef Steve takes us from; World’s 7th Best Restaurant and Tokyo’s No.1, Sézanne to London. A city that has changed quite drastically in cuisine, but which Chef finds “is still the best city in Europe where you can eat, get ideas. They have it all in London.” Chef visited Bibdendum on this trip. 

Bibendum has unfortunately closed down since Chef Steve’s 2025 visit, but the essence of the landmark remains a shining star in the industry and an inspiration to chefs worldwide. “I’ve been a follower of Claude Bosi’s kitchen for quite a long time now. His vision, when it comes to cooking approach, uses French technique but in a modern way.” During Chef Steve’s visit, Francesco Benedetto posed his influence on the kitchen. “So imagine: French technique, with a British ingredient, and an Italian twist. When you have a [Bibendum] dish in front of you, it’s something unique.”

Finding similarities between cuisines, or complete opposite points is always a fun task. Each carry their own rewards, but when you feel that there’s a common thread between the kitchen you helm and Bibendum; you really need to focus, buckle down and be unapologetically you… standing out as original is a paramount target when you’re a Chef of this calibre. 

“When you see Risette’s cooking, the ingredients, the technique… it’s quite similar. We don’t have British produce, we have local ingredients which we are proud of and try to use as much as possible… but then we have an Italian influence, because we [Risette] are quite Mediterranean, and a French technique which I was brought up on… cooking it, trying it, learning it. I think it’s quite similar to what Bibendum is doing.”

From London’s cosmopolitan energy to Paris’ Table, a restaurant that ranks high in the World Best list, 8th globally in 2025. Bruno Verjus’ tale holds personal intrigue; a former food critic opening a Parisian restaurant focusing on procuring the most prized ingredients. His focus on quality and consistency in sourcing, together with his kitchen brigade’s stamina and skill, have led Table to hold 2 Michelin stars; having just retained this accolades in France’s announcements on the 16th of March. 

“We went to Table last year, it’s quite different. His approach is different. The restaurant is different. You can’t say it’s something you don’t expect, but it’s very different to many of the restaurants I have been to.”

I encountered Bruno Verjus at the 2023 50 World’s Best Restaurants Awards in Valencia, and I can agree that he is different. He is also void of giving a damn what others think, which I think is the best quality a character can have. Especially a character so unique as Verjus.

“Quite unique. He has this approach to the ingredient. He is always looking for the best ingredient. But then when it comes to food, it’s quite simple. I did expect more, but we can go back to what I said earlier… sometimes simple is more complex.”

In the conversation with Chef Steve Scicluna, perhaps we discovered that the lessons learnt throughout his travels were based on self-confidence and the unfiltered announcement of that. Every creator dips into the well of inspiration, it’s a free source pool of beauty that makes our minds spark up new ideas. The lesson in travel is always discovery.