BUOY BY KIKI’S, EGYPT

At buoy by KIKI’s, Greek-Egyptian Adam Kodovas enthusiastically explores the intersections of his dual heritage; marrying Greek flavors and techniques with the influences of his worldly culinary experience and the staples of his second home, Cairo.

SACHI, EGYPT

As the General Executive Chef of the Baky Hospitality, Ali Ghadban has been a driving force in the kitchen, cementing the positioning of the hospitality group's portfolio as a regional leader. His attention to excellence and detail for every plate of food for every guest of the restaurants has ensured Sachi's multiple rankings on the MENA's 50 Best Restaurant awards year after year. Under his leadership, the Baky Hospitality Group kitchens have grown in size and stature not just in Egypt but also the region.

LULU’S KITCHEN, EGYPT

Alia El Askalany started Lulu’s Kitchen as a boutique cooking class experience and quickly developed it into a fully fledged culinary consultancy firm. In Alia’s world, food is more than an experience: it is a celebration of creativity, culture, and heritage, it is a means of expression, a bridge between cultures. Along with her professional culinary studies, she now holds a certificate from ONAOO Scuola in Liguria, as a professional olive oil taster, making her the first certified Egyptian female olive oil taster.

EL CHATO, COLOMBIA

At El Chato (No.2 Latin America's 50 Best 2023), Alvaro Clavijo has created a well-loved modern gastro-bistro with a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The menu tells of two stories: his own culinary journey and the love story El Chato has with the community of producers that surround and inhabit Colombia's capital city Bogota.

HIŠA FRANKO, SLOVENIA

In 2023, Ana Roš (Hiša Franko, Slovenia) became 1 of only 8 women worldwide whose restaurants hold 3 Michelin Stars. Through her cuisine, the self-taught Slovenian chef strives to express the seasons, the terroir of the surrounding Soča Valley, her own character and her travels. Her steadfast commitment to sustainable gastronomy has additionally earned Hiša Franko (No.32 World’s 50 Best 2023) the coveted Michelin Green star.

BONGOYO, EGYPT

With a massive love of fusion & exploring beyond the traditional, Amira Elhamy (Bongoyo, Egypt) found her passion in the undiscovered flavors of sub-saharan Africa, specifically South African cuisine. After completing her studies at the prestigious Leiths School of Food & Wine in London, she has set out on a journey of culinary self-discovery, developing a personal style that honors the traditional & elevates it to a modern gastronomic experience.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL CAIRO AT NILE PLAZA, EGYPT

Executive Chef Benat Alonso of the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, hails from the Basque region of Spain, where he apprenticed at Arzak (3 Michelin stars) and Berasategui (3 Michelin Stars) before moving in 2003 to the UK where he worked in the ranks of chefs such as Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir (2 Michelin stars), Chef Pierre Koffmann and the Tudor Room (1 Michelin star) in London. Later, in Melbourne, Australia, he was an integral part of an impressive range of projects all across Southeast Asian cuisine.

This global expertise has now found a home at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, affording to their guests exceptional experiences.

VENISSA, ITALY

At Venissa on Mazzorbo Island in Venice, Chiara Pavan and Francesco Brutto have cultivated what they call “cucina ambientale” or “environmental cuisine”. It is an approach borne from the need to protect the Venetian lagoon from climate change and highlight the effects it has on similar fragile ecosystems.

TABLA LUNA, EGYPT

Fabian Maldonado (Table Luna, Egypt), started his story in his mama’s kitchen, exploring and experimenting with Latin flavors. He has been trained in professional kitchens, in Quito, Ecuador. Due to his many international travels, and because him and his family are huge foodies, he developed his own diverse palate, with exotic and eclectic flavors, that he is now happy to personally bring to your table.

FÔU, EGYPT

Farah El Charkawy learned the delicate art of pâtisserie at the hands of the world’s finest chefs, from the legendary Alain Ducasse, to the Champion of the World Pastry Cup, Christophe Michalak; to Karim Bourgi - MENA’s Best Pastry Chef 2023. Farah is distinguished with her ability to play with flavor pairings by highlighting the unique flavor profiles of every ingredient she uses and coming up with unconventional tasting experiences. She her pastry concept Fôu @foubyfarah, a boutique de pâtisserie in Egypt with a constantly changing menu, to communicate her philosophy of pastry and taste to the Egyptian market.

PEPE IN GRANI, ITALY

Franco represents the third generation of a family of bakers, inheriting a powerful “Legacy of Dough” which he manifested into an inspired new vision of pizza. Setting experimentation, craftsmanship and hospitality front and center, followed closely by a devotion to the flavors and ingredients of the Campania region, his homeland.

THE SMOKERY, EGYPT

At The Smokery, Executive Chef Erwan Laurenceau has leveraged his culinary expertise, 18 years of which he has spent in Egypt, to develop the restaurant's distinct cuisine. Skillfully blending local ingredients with French techniques, and tastefully adapting them to suit the Egyptian palate. Under his leadership, the restaurant has continued to push its boundaries to create an elevated culinary experience and transform into an elite player in the fine dining scene both locally and regionally.

OSSIANO, UAE

At Ossiano, Dubai (No.3 MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024) Gregoire Berger has established one of the most gastronomically advanced restaurants in the region. A series of tasting menus eloquently mirror his personal heritage and travels from his start in Brittany to his achievements both in and out of the kitchen, earning him a Michelin Star in 2022- the same year the restaurant reopened post-lockdown. With a strong inclination towards sustainable sourcing and nature preservation, every dish served at Ossiano uses seafood freshly sourced within 50 km of a coastline.

TRÈSIND STUDIO, UAE

For Himanshu Saini, India is “not just a country, it’s a continent” of wide ranging and nuanced flavors. At Tresind Studio (No.11 World’s 50 Best 2023), this monumental history is encapsulated in a 16-course menu titled ‘The Journey Through India’. A gustatory highlight reel of the chef’s favorite street food staples and food traditions, rephrased for a modern audience.

AL GATTO VERDE, ITALY

Jessica Rosval is the effervescent dynamo powering Al Gatto Verde, the refined live-fire restaurant situated within Casa Maria Luigia; Massimo Bottura’s luxury guest house in Modena, Italy. Her signature style blends elements from her North American roots, classic French training and her adoptive home of Italy to create food that retains a decidedly Italian essence but with a well-traveled and contemporary culinary vocabulary.

RIJKS® & WILS, THE NETHERLANDS

Joris Bijdendijk is the Master Chef behind restaurants RIJKS®️ and Wils in Amsterdam. Both awarded a Michelin star. At RIJKS®️, located inside the namesake Rijksmuseum, he draws inspiration from ingredients grown on Dutch soil, often melding together global flavors that have influenced Dutch cuisine across the centuries. At Wils, he pays culinary tribute to fire, the primal power of all kitchens.

BELCANTO, PORTUGAL

José Avillez’s main focus is to promote Portuguese gastronomy, positioning Portugal as a leading gastronomic destination. He defines himself as a chef who’s passionate about cuisine and his country. At Belcanto (No.25 World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023), he embraces innovation and creativity, ever mindful of tradition, quality and authenticity.

AVEC KARIM, EGYPT

Karim Abdelrahman boasts an impressive culinary pedigree, having honed his skills from a young age at esteemed institutions like École Ducasse and the prestigious and 3-Michelin-starred Parisian restaurant, Guy Savoy. Upon returning to Egypt, he assembled a team of talented individuals, collectively dedicated to exploring the frontiers of gastronomy. This collaborative spirit fuels "Avec Karim," Chef Abdelrahman's latest venture. His vision extends beyond mere culinary innovation; he aspires to revolutionize the Egyptian food scene.

GUCCI OSTERIA, ITALY

The Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria by Massimo Bottura is led by culinary duo Karime López and Takahiko Kondo in Florence - a city of Art and Culture and birthplace of Gucci fashion house. The Co-executive chefs bring to the table their multi-cultural heritage, embracing Italian cuisine and traditions with lightness and elegance, taking the guests onto a global journey of taste.

JUN’S, UAE

Chef Kelvin Cheung, a culinary pioneer of Third Culture Food, blends Chinese, North American, and French influences in Dubai. With a commitment to wellness and sustainability, he mentors chefs, advocates diversity, and champions regenerative efforts globally, leaving an indelible mark on the culinary landscape.

NEOLOKAL, TURKEY

At Neolokal in Istanbul (Michelin Star, Michelin Green Star), Chef Maksut Aşkar draws inspiration from his studies and his passion for ‘taste design’ to present a modern rendition of Anatolian cuisine. Even the name, Neolokal, stems from this philosophy - refining the family recipes, not only of his childhood and memories, but also of the root and traditions that have shaped the cuisine.

MANU, BRAZIL

In 2011, Brazilian Manu Buffara opened her eponymous restaurant, “Manu” in Curitiba (No.35 Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023) becoming the first female chef to lead a fine-dining concept in Brazil. Since then, she has been credited by Chef Alex Atala (D.O.M., Brazil) and food writer Andrea Petrini for putting her city on the world gastronomic map. In 2022, she was crowned Latin America’s Best Female Chef (50 Best Awards). In 2023, her restaurant, which only serves 20 seatings per night, ranked No.35 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants and was awarded with the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award for her work with fresh, seasonal ingredients, sourced from her local community. Sourcing ingredients from within an 80 KMm radius, Manu maintains an intimate knowledge of the ingredients as well as the growers and producers themselves. This extraordinary effort is palpable in her menus and culinary narrative.

IZAKAYA, EGYPT

Since 2016, Peruvian-born Martin Rodriguez has led the team at Izakaya (Sanctum Hospitality) and introduced Nikkei cuisine to the Egyptian market. A master of adaptation, he melds both an acute understanding of the Egyptian palate and the Peruvian dishes of his youth to create dishes and menus representative of his journey from Peru to Egypt.

CAP AUREO, CROATIA

Description goes herMaša Salopek is a self-proclaimed member of “the club of unconventional confectioners”, meticulously assembling layers that elicit surprise and intrigue. Her years as Head Pastry chef at Hiša Franko imparted a heightened sense of connection with her natural surroundings. Reflected in her culinary style, this translates to an inherent preference to “cook the land”, opting to source seasonal local ingredients.

SCALINI, EGYPT

Matteo Conti brings the authentic flavors of northern Italy to the suburbs of Cairo at Scalini. After graduating from the School of Italian Culinary Arts in Parma chef Matteo built his experience at the top restaurants across Brescia, Bologna and Valle D’Aosta. It is this wealth of experience that he has brought to bear at Scalini: offering a personalized interpretation of classic Italian recipes with a mindset towards sustainability.

THE LEMON TREE &CO., EGYPT

Mirette Aly is the co-founder and Chief Hospitality Officer of TLT concepts, including the one that started her professional journey, The Lemon Tree & Co. The self-described ‘situationally-taught’ chef’s career meandered through different creative industries before reaching its inevitable stopping point at hospitality & gastronomy. Mirette has broken all barriers, exemplifying an inspiring model of the female chef. All the while, she nurtured a proudly Egyptian and widely loved concept from a small restaurant into an empire of culinary, hospitality, lifestyle and entertainment concepts.

ORFALI BROS, UAE

At Orfali Bros in Dubai, Mohamad Orfali and his brothers have innovatively captured the city’s melting pot nature, coining the term ‘Dubai cuisine’. Their bistronomy approach has earned the restaurant a ranking among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023, and the prestigious accolade of MENA’s Best Restaurant for two consecutive years.

FAIRMONT NILE CITY, EGYPT

Mohamed El Sherif is the Executive Chef at Fairmont Nile City Hotel. He brings 17 years of culinary expertise to the Fairmont’s culinary portfolio, ensuring excellence and heartfelt hospitality for every guest. His impressive career includes prestigious roles at leading hospitality groups such as the Four Seasons and Dusit Thani. Mohamed's dedication earned him the Emerging Executive of the Year award. He continues to prioritize development in food safety, hygiene, and HACCP, actively sharing his knowledge as a designated trainer.

MADONNINA DEL PESCATORE, ITALY

Touted as a master fishmonger; Moreno’s passion for the sea is second to none, and the fruits of his labors are presented to guests at his Michelin-starred restaurant Madonnina Del Pescactore in Senigallia, Italy.

PIER 88, EGYPT

Mostafa Gomaa is the Head Chef at Pier88, having grown within the hospitality group to become an emblem of positivity and perseverance within the kitchen. Mostafa’s culinary style favors Italian flavors executed with the finest modern culinary techniques. While he continuously strives to learn, keeping up with the fast-paced changes of modern gastronomy, he also endeavors to pass the knowledge along to the next generation of aspiring chefs through turoring with World Chefs among other prominent gastronomic organizations.

KHUFU'S, EGYPT

At Khufu’s (No.5 MENA’s 50 Best 2024), Mostafa Seif continues to honor his commitment to the traditions of Egyptian cuisine through an experience that seamlessly integrates historical elegance and contemporary flair. Leveraging his deep knowledge of traditional Egyptian cuisine and modern culinary techniques to create an unconventional menu that celebrates famed Egyptian culinary touchpoint.

KOKOMO, EGYPT

Omar Fathy has built a reputation over the past two decades as the visionary chef patron responsible for some of the capital’s most enduring and well-loved eateries. At his latest endeavor - “Kokomo” - located at Marakez’s District 5, the status quo of local bistronomy is upended yet again with a concept that re-frames primal fire at the heart of a charming guest experience.

SHAMS EL BALAD, JORDAN

Since Qais has joined the family business, he has helped transform Shams El Balad (No. 18 MENA’s 50 Best 2024) into a landmark concept in Jordan with a focus on connecting the food heritage of Palestine and Jordan with contemporary Arab identity.

CAVALLINO, EGYPT

Riccardo Forapani is the Chef de Cuisine at Ristorante Cavallino, a joint effort between Massimo Bottura and Ferrari, set in Maranello, Northern Italy - the home of the Scuderia Ferrari, in Northern Italy. A son scion of the Emilia-Romagna region, Riccardo grew up a mere 20 km outside of Modena and joined the Francescana family early on in his career. For 13 years at Osteria Francescana he honed his mastery of Italian culinary traditions before transitioning to Ristorante Cavallino. His style is born from the love of those traditions and is enriched by international influences and perfectly meshes with the Ferrari and Massimo Bottura restyling of the classic restaurant.

DARA DINING, JORDAN

Palestinian-Jordanian Sara Aqel (Dara Dining, Amman) honed her craft at some of the UAE’s finest establishments La Capitale at Four Seasons, Al Muntaha at Burj Al Arab and most notably Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito. Finally, she managed Fi'lia's all-female kitchen concept at locations across the globe, leading the kitchen for the concept's opening in Paris and Dubai. The latter being the first all-female team in the region at the SLS Dubai, before returning to Amman to open her community-focused Italian concept, Dara Dining.

UMAMI, EGYPT

As a master of his craft, Tarek Ibrahim (Umami, Cairo) dons many caps: TV Celebrity, successful Restaurateur, Class A international judge, the first certified Arab Master Chef, Qualified Commercial Pilotsinger, and a singer to boot. At Umami, he prides himself and his team for creating simple food, done right and with the utmost respect for our local resources and natural environment.

LOKALI, EGYPT

Yomna's path to becoming a chef began with a shift from business marketing when she swapped her master's degree to pursue culinary arts. Yomna honed her skills in various places before taking her talents international, consulting on projects in London and Barcelona. Five years ago, she Co-founded Lokali, a restaurant that showcases her love for local, homemade, and seasonal flavors.

CENTRAL, PERU

At Central, Chef Virgilio Martínez and his team “Cook the Ecosystem”, presenting an experience that takes diners through the myriad Peruvian ecosystems, categorized by altitude – from below sea level in the Pacific Ocean to the high peaks of the Andes to the Amazonian territory. Each dish reflects the origin of its ingredients. For CFW, Virgilio brings his unique cooking philosophy to Cairo, to highlight some of Egypt’s diverse and historically rich ecosystems along with some of the Peruvian ones.

THE FOOD LAB, EGYPT

Wesam Masoud transitioned from the world of clinical medicine to the world of culinary artistry in 2010. Since then, he’s become one of Egypt’s most recognizable chefs - not just for his unique career path - but also for his idiosyncratic style, championing of social issues such as reducing food waste and celebrating Egyptian food culture through its diversity and long historical significance. He has been the host of Food-focused programs on Radio and Television and served on the board of the Egyptian Chefs Association. He is currently the Co-Founder and Chief Culinary Officer of The Food Lab, a cloud kitchen startup with a brand portfolio encompassing, in his words, “Everything from Avocado Toast to Zeppoli”.