The brilliant Alba Torres has recently joined the ranks of 99, shining bright with her stellar knowledge on wines and service. The young Spanish sommelier was born in the vineyards of Binesselem, a famous D.O. in Mallorca and has since then travelled across the firmament of F&B, making her mark at London’s Michelin Star Kitchen table, then Amazonico from the UK to the UAE, before excelling at the Burj Al Arab’s SAL and Al Muntaha.
Alba’s passion for the world of restaurants dates from childhood, with a grandfather who introduced her to the milieu and simply because she comes for an island where everything revolves around the dinner table. “Where I come from, food is our way of expressing love,” she says. At 99, the sentiment is the same and Alba fits right in, thanks to her cultural and professional background.
Joyous, kind and refined, Alba unites with a like-minded brand, headed by a rigorous Spanish team entirely devoted to pushing 99’s haute Japanese cuisine to the highest levels of prowess. “I like that 99 has a strong structure, with equally strong personalities for a backbone. The brand is gaining more and more recognition in the UAE and internationally and I am here to humbly serve the overall experience, polishing the service, raising the bar on beverages at large… and wines, of course!”.
Upon entering any of the 99 locations, the lavish glass cellar is the first thing that welcomes the eye. Combined with the recent drop in alcohol prices in the UAE, 99 now aims at reinforcing its beverage offering and Alba’s savoir-faire is the starting point of this revamp.
“Japanese cuisine is naturally high in umami and traditionally suited to Sake, which we will lean on more and more. Traditionally, the flavours of 99 are best paired with white wines for their acidic minerality, but you would be surprised by how a richer red Burgundy can uplift the taste. 99’s star ingredient is the blue-fin tuna and nothing commands Champagne more than fatty foods! We also serve a lot of meat and foie gras specialties, easily married with a Sauternes, for exampleOK.”
“Alba’s sensibility and talent mirrors 99’s constant efforts to upgrade the guest experience”, explains CEO Jaime Castaneda. “We are also proud to see her at the helm of a team largely constituted of strong women and cannot wait to watch her thrive in this gender diverse environment”, he concludes.