Honouring 550 chefs from 61 countries, the Best Chef Awards 2024 ceremony was the largest to date – and held for the first time in Dubai, at Atlantis the Palm on Wednesday evening.
While the top three positions went to international chefs (see list below), three Dubai restaurants stood out for their impeccable mastery in the kitchen in the Special Awards category.
Indian-origin chef Himanshu Saini, who helms two-Michelin-starred restaurant Tresind Studio, took home the Best Dubai Award, while Jordanian chefs Eva, Lilian, Emilie Rihani of Three by Eva and Syrian brothers Mohamad, Wassim, Omar Orfali of Michelin-starred Orfali Bros shared the Best Origins & Future Award.
The Best Chef Awards group also debuted its tiered Knife recognition system in Dubai. This rates chefs based on impact and skill across three categories. At the top end, three Knives were awarded to 97 chefs for “culinary mastery”, two Knives went to 177 chefs for representing “world-class expertise” and the one Knife category recognised 276 chefs for “notable contributions to the field”.
We couldn't have asked for a more remarkable city to host this celebration
Cristian Gadau,
co-founder, The Best Chef
Here, too, chefs from the UAE were well-represented, with chef Saini, Gregoire Berger of Ossiano and Vladimir Mukhin of Krasota winning three; Mohamad Orfali and Daniel Birk of Row on 45 winning two; and Rahul Rana of Avatara, Solemann Haddad of Moonrise and Tom Allen of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal winning one Knife apiece.
As the dining scene in the UAE goes from strength to strength – and gastro-tourism continues to attract foodies from all over the world to the Emirates – ceremonies such as the Best Chef Awards serve up a bucket list of restaurants for discerning diners.
If you’re a food-first traveller, here are some international restaurants to add to your itinerary based on the various categories awarded at the ceremony in Dubai.
World’s top 3 best chefs
1. Rasmus Munk of Alchemist (Copenhagen)
Alchemist is located in an old shipyard in the industrial district of Refshaleoen, complete with a planetarium dome, projections of the aurora borealis and jellyfish floating among plastic bags.
Alongside creative audio-visuals and live performers, chef Munk serves what he terms “holistic cuisine”. This translates to dishes such as a puffed gluten sphere filled with smoke and topped with cream, langoustine tartare, almond cream and Osetra caviar; an omelette with an egg yolk membrane, egg espuma, truffles, cheese, peppers and a thin layer of pancetta; and a “sunburnt bikini” sandwich, with a toasted mochi dough ball, Gruyere cheese, Iberian ham, truffles and butter.
2. Albert Adria of Enigma (Barcelona)
A fantastical setting awaits diners at this Spanish restaurant, including ceilings that look like they’re suspended mid-air. Here, chef Adria, the former pastry chef at El Bulli restaurant, serves a 25-course tasting menu that changes every month based on seasonal ingredients.
Dishes include a tartlet with thinly laminated funghi, olive oil, salted funghi praline, lemon thyme, wild pine nut and lemon zest; Bouchot mussel meat jelly with Thai onion soup; and mango with white chocolate and black olives.
Adria also won the Best Evolution award this year.
3. Eric Vildgaard of Jordnær (Copenhagen)
Located in the affluent suburb of Gentofte, Jordnær translates as “down to earth”, and its decor is bright, spacious and simple – with white linen tables studded with only a small bouquet of flowers.
The menu is quite the opposite, as chef Vildgaard offers up multi-ingredient dishes that combine Romanesco blanched in lemon leaf oil, Espelette peppers, freshly churned goat's milk fromage frais, Comte cracker, toasted Marcona almonds and wild watercress; chawanmushi with young ginger, steamed snow crab, Galanga tea, mandarin oil, habanero-marinated radishes, Beluga-Sevruga caviar, Norwegian sea urchin, Buddha’s hand, Hanaho flowers and kinome leaf; and grilled turbot with ramps sauce, frothy blue mussels, young kale and spring shoots.
Special award winners
Best Pastry Chef award: Rene Frank of Coda (Berlin, Germany)
Best New Entry: Mei Kogo of Sushi Meino (Tokyo, Japan)
Best Terroir Award: Jaime Rodriguez of Celele (Cartagena, Colombia)
Best Science: Angel Leon of Aponiente (Cadiz, Spain)
Best Food Art: Julien Royer of Odette (Singapore)
Best NextGen: Michele Lazzarini of Contrada Bricconi (Oltressenda Alta, Italy)
Best Dining Experience: Vaughan Mabee of Amisfiled (Queenstown, New Zealand)
Best Creativity Award: Paco Mendez of Come Restaurant (Barcelona, Spain)
Best Voted by Professionals: Ana Ros of Hisa Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
Other notable winners
It's worth noting that more than a dozen chefs who won accolades for their international venues also have their names above restaurants in the UAE. French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, for instance, who got three Knives for Maison Pic in Valence, opened La Dame de Pic in Dubai; Syrco Bakker (three Knives for Syrco Base in Bali) recently took over Farmhouse in Ras Al Khaimah; and Antonio Guida (one Knife for Seta in Milan) owns Talea in Abu Dhabi.
Other award-winning chefs with UAE interests include: Bjorn Frantzen, Dabiz Munoz, Jose Avillez, Massimo Bottura, Mauro Colagreco, Pierre Gagnaire, Yannick Alleno, Dani Garcia, Heinz Beck, Heston Blumenthal, Jason Atherton, Niko Romito, Alvin Leung and Tom Aikens.
UAE aside, two other chefs from the Middle East were recognised at this year’s Best Chefs Awards. Tala Bashmi won three Knives for Fusions by Tala in Manama, Bahrain; and Sara Aqel won one Knife for Dara Dining in Amman, Jordan. Two Turkish chefs also got a Knife apiece, including Burcak Kazdal for Apartiman Yenikoy and Fatih Tutak for his eponymous restaurant, both in Istanbul.
Ahmed Al Khaja, chief executive of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, part of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, said: “Dubai’s successful hosting of the Best Chef Awards 2024 has underlined its status as a global gastronomy capital, with the city providing a platform not only to celebrate global culinary talent, but also to bring the industry together to share knowledge and explore innovation. We are proud to see Dubai-based culinary talent among them, as they continue to contribute to our goal to become the best city to visit, live and work in.”
Cristian Gadau, co-founder of the Best Chef, said: “We couldn't have asked for a more remarkable city to host this celebration. Dubai’s ambition, spirit, and dedication to excellence perfectly mirrored the calibre of talent we witnessed at this year’s awards.”
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m, Winner: Zalman, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hisham Al Khalediah II, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Qader, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
8pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nayslayer, Bernardo Pinheiro, Jaber Ramadhan
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The years Ramadan fell in May
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
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RESULTS
Bantamweight title:
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) bt Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
(KO round 2)
Catchweight 68kg:
Sean Soriano (USA) bt Noad Lahat (ISR)
(TKO round 1)
Middleweight:
Denis Tiuliulin (RUS) bt Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
(TKO round 1)
Lightweight:
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) bt Joachim Tollefsen (DEN)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 68kg:
Austin Arnett (USA) bt Daniel Vega (MEX)
(TKO round 3)
Lightweight:
Carrington Banks (USA) bt Marcio Andrade (BRA)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 58kg:
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) bt Malin Hermansson (SWE)
(Submission round 2)
Bantamweight:
Jalal Al Daaja (CAN) bt Juares Dea (CMR)
(Split decision)
Middleweight:
Mohamad Osseili (LEB) bt Ivan Slynko (UKR)
(TKO round 1)
Featherweight:
Tarun Grigoryan (ARM) bt Islam Makhamadjanov (UZB)
(Unanimous decision)
Catchweight 54kg:
Mariagiovanna Vai (ITA) bt Daniella Shutov (ISR)
(Submission round 1)
Middleweight:
Joan Arastey (ESP) bt Omran Chaaban (LEB)
(Unanimous decision)
Welterweight:
Bruno Carvalho (POR) bt Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
(TKO)
The years Ramadan fell in May
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Company%C2%A0profile
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Bharat
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
More on animal trafficking
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
