Top 10 F&B industry gurus in the Middle East
The 'top 10 F&B industry gurus' forms part of Caterer Middle East's inaugural round-up of the top 50 F&B professionals, a celebration of the most influential people in the region; the ones who, in the last year, have been stamping their mark on the Middle East’s culinary landscape.
It’s about people, rather than companies, who are driving standards, pushing innovation and implementing best practices, taking the Middle East to new culinary heights.
We’ve taken into consideration the impact of their work on F&B operations and standards, judged on: size, scale, innovation and longevity; how committed they are to industry issues and events; how highly regarded they are in the industry and among their peers; and how they are having a positive influence on the next generation.
With so many heroes to celebrate in this exciting sector, and their talents and contributions so diverse, we have split the round-up into five categories: brand champions; executive chefs; culinarians; industry gurus and development leaders.
Each group of people have been creating excitement, implementing new ideas and strategies, new concepts and ways of thinking, but in very different ways.
The brand champions are a collection of innovative thinkers who have worked hard to develop a homegrown brand, or made a highly regarded international brand succeed in the Middle East. They are dedicated, passionate individuals who, while bringing something new to the region, have excited diners and pushed standards.
Our recognised executive chefs are meticulous managers and inspiring leaders. Looking after large teams with diverse needs and managing complex operations, they are making sure the F&B offerings of corporations remain cutting edge and are of world-class quality.
The culinarians are our chefs who are pushing the boundaries of cuisine. They are inspiring, talented artists whose restaurants are award-winning and have sought-after seats. Their avant-garde menus are the talk of diners across the region, and their restaurant concepts are shaping the region’s eating experience.
Our fourth category, the industry gurus, is full of revered individuals. Passionate about food as well as the region, they have been waving the flag for the Middle East’s culinary scene for years, making sure it is celebrated and talked about across the world. They have shown commitment to the industry and have inspired the next generation, as well as their peers.
Last, but not least, our development leaders are astute business men and women. The huge scale of their operations are making waves in the region, but not only that, they are dedicated to quality and to raising the bar of their corporations’ offerings.
The round-up has been put together by the team of hospitality experts at Caterer Middle East and is subjective. It includes personalities from the restaurant industry, from casual to fine dining, but not QSR.
We hope it will excite, inspire and start debate, and we welcome your thoughts and feedback.
CATERER MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 10 F&B INDUSTRY GURUS...
1 Uwe Micheel,
President of the Emirates Culinary Guild
A well-respected figure on the UAE culinary scene, Uwe Micheel started cooking at a young age, experimenting at home, in the kitchen with his mother – and rather bucking the trend for a boy at the time.
However his passion didn’t dwindle, and years later he honed his culinary skills in hotels around the world – starting out locally and moving on to roles with the famous Hyde Park London and various InterContinental Hotels Group properties.
He even served two years in the army service, as a chef in the officers’ restaurant. But in 1993, Micheel moved to Dubai and has been here ever since.
In addition to overseeing the 11 restaurants and three bars at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, he somehow has time to hold down the role of president of the Emirates Culinary Guild, judge various industry competitions and nurture a growing and highly skilled team.
Harbouring a sweet tooth, like many chefs, Micheel will freely admit to having one simple, guilty pleasure: packets of Haribo.
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2 Michael Kitts, Director of Culinary Arts,
Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management
British-born Michael Kitts joined the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management back in 2001 – bringing with him vast experience in both training and operations.
Schooled at the UK’s Thanet Technical College, Kitts’ career spans top outlets – including roles at London’s Claridge’s Hotel and the Garrick Club.
His time in the industry has been peppered with achievements – including being a gold medal-winning member of the Great Britain Culinary Olympics team, and becoming the first recipient of the UK Craft Guild of Chefs Competition Chef Award.
But Kitts discovered in himself a flair for training others – and became more involved in education.
Prior to moving to Dubai, he was with the renowned Butler’s Wharf Chef School in London, where he successfully trained young talent – producing a series of competition winners. His years at the EAHM have ensured Kitts a spot as an integral part of the Emirates’ culinary education scene.
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3 Yassar Jad, President and founder of Saudi Arabian chefs association; in charge of in-flight catering at Saudi Arabian Airlines
Yasser Jad started his career in the food industry in 1988 as a food quality controller. After having shone and become head of the department, he was assigned as head of the food production department in 2005.
In this role, Jad was flown over to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to undertake three intensive culinary courses, where his passion for food, which had been in him since he was young, was ignited.
He set up the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association (SARCA) in 2009 in an attempt to highlight the Saudi Arabian culinary landscape at international food events.
It has since been hugely successful, with members taking part in the International Culinary Olympics, and is now part of the World Association of Chefs Societies.
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4 Mark Napier, Director of Exhibitions and
Events, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gulfood
In the three years that Napier has been organising Gulfood he’s seen it grow exponentially into the biggest F&B trade show in the region, with attendees increasing by 11% in 2012.
With an unrivalled track record for delivering record business deals, quality customers and entry into lucrative new markets, Gulfood is now a key element in the business plans of food, beverage and hospitality companies around the world.
The sheer scale of the event is probably the biggest challenge he has as an organiser, but it is his meticulous planning, innovative ideas and dedication that has turned it into the biggest annual event in any F&B professional’s diary.
Before joining DWTC Napier, was one of the management team who bought out the UK events arm of Penton Media, which was later sold to United Business Media.
He chose to move to Dubai with his young family and joined DWTC in 2008 where he is the director of Gulfood, Ingredients Middle East and The Specialty Food Festival, among others.
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5 Scott Price, Executive chef,
Hilton Dubai Creek and co-founder of Table9
Gordon Ramsay protégé Scott Price began his assent to culinary stardom in 2003, when he reached the national finals of Ramsay’s scholarship programme.
He subsequently joined the famed food guru’s team at Claridge’s in London, working with his mentor on various television programmes and eventually helping to relaunch Petrus. This experience meant when it was time to revamp Verre at the Hilton Dubai Creek, Price was the man for the job.
In 2011, Ramsay Holdings ended its contract with the Dubai property – a move Price took as an opportunity to realise a long-held culinary dream. He teamed up with former Claridge’s colleague and Verre head chef Nick Alvis, to re-imagine and relaunch the outlet in a new partnership with Hilton.
Table9 was born, combining traditional culinary values with an irreverent modern twist, Price and Alvis have made a roaring success of their venture, winning acclaim from peers and public.
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6 Joe Barza, Owner of Joe Barza Culinary Consultancy and presenter
on Top Chef Middle East
Lebanese executive chef Joe Barza is a chef’s chef: he was instrumental in pulling together top culinary names to attend and judge the recent Salon Culinaire at Horeca Lebanon, and his enthusiasm and dedication pulls in his peers to any project he undertakes.
He is probably best known for co-hosting the culinary competition, Top Chef, but more recently he wowed the crowds in Dubai at high-end food festival Stars, Food & Art.
Born in Tyr, Lebanon, Joe Barza, graduated from the Hotel School of Arts in Lebanon.
He has won award after award at international culinary forums, and today owns a F&B consultancy firm named after himself, the Joe Barza Culinary Consultancy. He has over 22 years of experience in the F&B industry.
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7 Yael Mejia, Brand consultant,
Baker & Spice
During her comparatively short time in Dubai, Yael Mejia has become an ambassador for the green scene.
Championing the use of UAE-grown produce, Mejia has won a loyal local customer base at Baker & Spice, which launched in 2009 – sharing a philosophy with its UK namesake, but operating independently.
What’s more, she has launched two weekly farmers’ markets, narrowing the gap between producer and diner, and helping educate consumers on food production in the region. In 2010, she also oversaw the development of a new kitchen and artisan bakery in the Dukkan Al Manzil Souk.
But Mejia’s success hasn’t been restricted to Dubai: in addition to two high-profile operations in the UK, she’s worked on launching bakery concept BREDZ in Kuwait, and the home-cooking inspired outlet Queens Park in South Korea.
She also acts as consultant to UK-based bistro concept Villandry Kitchen, through her company Foodcraft Solutions – which offers a complete concept design service.
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8 Robert Maclean, Principal,
National Hospitality Institute, Oman
Robert Maclean has come a long way from his native Scottish Highlands in his 30 years in the industry.
After teaching hospitality for three years at a family enterprise in Wales, he packed up and set off for Oman and a lecturing job in F&B at the new National Institute of Hospitality.
He is now coming up to 15 years as principal there, and standards in the industry continue to improve with training schemes such as the Smiles of Oman, launched to enhance customer care.
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9 Suzanne Husseini,
Independent F&B professional
Whether it is launching a food festival, adding flair to a culinary TV show or judging industry awards, local celebrity Suzanne Husseini works tirelessly to make sure regional events that celebrate the culinary industry are well-attended.
She champions the message that good food can be easy to create, and loves making the most of local produce in her recipes. She is a contributor to various media publications and has a huge, loyal following.
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10 Aaron Maare,
Patissiere and author
Aaron Maare has been waving the flag for Middle East patissieres for 25 years. Author of book, Arabian Deams, he has worked tirelessly to push Middle Eastern pastry under the international spotlight.
He visits Europe often to stay on top of the latest trends, and greatly enjoyed his role as personal executive chef at a Middle East royal palace, before which he held posts including corporate pastry chef to international companies like Cadbury Schweppes and Mövenpick Marche.