Melia Dubai chef has all the right ingredients

Akshay Nayyar from the Melia Dubai hotel has been named as the Chef de Cuisine of the Year at the Hotelier Middle East Awards.

One of the new categories of awards at this year’s event, the Chef de Cuisine of the Year Award was sponsored by Meat and Livestock Australia and presented by MLA regional manager for MENA Jamie Ferguson.

Nayyar won the award after the judges scoured the region for a chef that had stamped their identity on their restaurant through both their cuisine and their character and who thinks beyond the hotel restaurant model to foster motivation and creativity within their kitchen brigade. Also highly commended in this category was Steven Peter, chef de cuisine at Al Qasr.

“It’s an honour to be the first ever chef de cuisine award winner. I’m a very young guy and I’m just trying to work hard and focus on my work. However, it’s great that chef de cuisines are now being recognised as these are one of the pillars on which a hotel stands,” said Nayyar.

“I believe I’ve done well by always trying to remain focused on my guests as they are the people who earn your bread and butter. So you have to make sure you deliver the service they deserve.”

According to the judges, Akshay was recognised for the way he takes pride takes pride in meeting his diners at Signature, the Indian restaurant he heads at Melia Dubai, and achieving a plus 90% ranking on guest comment scores for the restaurant. Media savvy, he’s appeared on many TV channels in UAE, Africa and Asia, recording increased bookings and revenue as a result.

In the absence of a Executive Chef, Akshay has also chaired the implementation of HACCP at the hotel and completed all the cumbersome tasks and documentation necessary with the hotel’s hygiene manager. Akshay has worked to reduce payroll and food cost by 25% YoY in comparison to last year as well as initiating training and culinary employee development, building up a strong team of culinary professionals which has helped secure F&B guest comment scores above 90%.

Akshay started his culinary carrier in 2008, and in just five years he has grown from a management trainee to executive sous chef. Akshay first Joined Melia Dubai in 2011 as Chef de cuisine and became executive sous chef in February 2013 after demonstrating an excellent cuisine knowledge and presentation skills as well as leadership skills and attitude.

Below is the full shortlist for the Chef de Cuisine of the Year Award, while full details including why each were chosen can be found here:

Dennis Kammerzell, Jumeirah Hospitality
Cinu Chandran, West 14th, managed by Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate
Steven Peter, Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah
Akshay Nayyar, Melia Dubai
Senthil Kumar, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates