SAMIZU is a restaurant that practically anyone can enjoy dining at, and we wanted to get an inside look at how the kitchen is run. We spoke with Chef Michael Sultana about ingredient sourcing, menu updates, and even got him to reveal his must-try dish!
1. How long have you been a chef, and how long have you been working at SAMIZU?
I’ve been working as a chef for the past 30 years, and I joined SAMIZU in February this year. After decades in the industry, it’s been exciting to start a new chapter.
2. What cooking methods are your go-to?
I’ve always preferred traditional, ingredient-led cooking. For me, it starts with buying really good produce and respecting it. We don’t overcomplicate dishes or hide ingredients behind heavy sauces. I like the quality of the produce to speak for itself.
3. Where do you source your ingredients from?
We source from a mixture of local and international suppliers, always depending on quality and seasonality. Our salads come from an organic farm, while our vegetables are both local and imported depending on what’s best at the time.
4. What inspires you when curating SAMIZU’s menu?
Inspiration comes from many places – travelling, eating out, seeing what’s fresh at the market and, of course, seasonality. We travel quite a lot, and wherever we go, I’m always looking for something I can bring back with me – whether it’s a flavour, an idea, or a combination that can inspire a dish for the
menu.
Fish is very important to us, particularly for our daily specials. We work with local fishermen, some of whom are actually berthed very close to us here at the marina, as well as trusted fishmongers.
With meat, we like to bring in special cuts from different parts of the world, while also using good local produce such as pork and chicken.
5. Now that the seasons are changing, will the menu reflect this?
Absolutely. We’re currently working on our autumn-winter menu, which will naturally become a little heartier. You’ll see more slow-cooked dishes, soups, risottos and the kind of comforting food you want during the colder months. At the same time, there are one or two signature dishes from the summer
menu that we’ll be keeping because our regulars have really grown to love them.
6. If you had to recommend just one dish, which would it be?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>That’s a difficult one because we have quite a few dishes that our regulars come back for, but I would probably choose the SA/MI/ZU tortellacci. It’s a fish tortellacci filled with anchovies, capers, olives and a hint of orange, served with a creamy fish velouté. It has become one of those dishes that people try once and then really associate with SAMIZU.
7. Is there anything else you’d like SAMIZU’s patrons to know?
For me, one of the biggest things about SAMIZU is the location. I genuinely think it’s a little corner of paradise – we came here for lunch one day, fell in love with the place, and that was a big part of why we decided to take it on. We see SAMIZU as an upscale casual bistro – somewhere relaxed and easygoing, but with very good food and dishes that are still reasonably priced. We want people to come here, eat well, enjoy the marina setting and feel comfortable.
There’s also a certain marina feeling here that our guests really pick up on, and we want to keep that atmosphere going all year round. We have a few plans to freshen up the space over the winter, together with the new menu. What I really hope we keep is the atmosphere we have now – lots of local Maltese guests coming in, enjoying themselves and then telling others about the experience. For us, that word of mouth means a lot.
With complementary parking, baby changing facilities, and full wheelchair accessibility, SAMIZU is perfect for an meal with the whole family!
