Caterer ME Power 50 2016: Chefs
1. Dirk Haltenhof
Resort executive chef, Madinat Jumeirah
Haltenhof oversees the culinary offerings at Madinat Jumeirah’s hotels — Jumeirah Al Qasr & Dar AL Masyaf, Jumeirah Mina A’ Salam and the newly opened Jumeirah Al Naseem. His career spans nearly two decades and he has demonstrated outstanding leadership over the past year, with a host of award wins to show for his culinary team’s efforts. He supervised culinary colleagues representing the UAE and Madinat Jumeirah at the International Exhibition of Culinary Art (IKA), also known as the Culinary Olympics IKA, in Germany this year, helping them win 19 gold medals, and many more silver and bronze. In the past 12 months, he has also overseen six restaurant renovations and the preopening stage of Jumeirah Al Naseem. Haltenhof, who has worked under Michelin-starred chefs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, is currently working on five new F&B concepts for Al Naseem, which — when they open — will mean he's responsible for more than 30 different concepts. He is passionate about nurturing talent within the company and committed to developing the next generation of restaurateurs.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 16
Number of years with this company: 2
Number of years in this role: 2
Number of years working in the Middle East: 5
Number of people you are responsible for: 590
Nationality: German
2. Sebastian Nohse
Director of culinary, JW Marriott Marquis
As director of culinary at the JW Marriott Marquis, Nohse heads up a team of 330 chefs and 22 kitchens across 14 outlets. He is considered a champion of HACCP best practices, having led the implementation of the programme in many properties and, under his influence, the JW Marriott Marquis received a Dubai Municipality award for Best Food Hygiene in a five-star hotel. His team recently launched the hotel’s biggest brunch to date, called the Wanderlust Brunch, offering more than 360 dishes from the hotel’s signature outlets, which Nohse described as “a food odyssey”, and brought more than 25 Italian Michelin-starred chefs together with locally based chefs to cook for 400 people on the hotel’s pool deck.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 23
Number of years with this company: 3
Number of years in this role: 3
Number of years working in the Middle East: 9
Number of people you are responsible for: 330
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 14
Nationality: German
3. Harald Oberender
Director of kitchens, Dubai World Trade Centre
Under the leadership of Obereder, DWTC has surpassed its targets for seven consecutive years and reduced its operational costs within the same period. His outstanding contribution in establishing DWTC as a trend setting operation in the region for exhibitions, conferences and events is widely noted — and he is regarded by many as an important industry role model. Aside from managing a core team of 135+ chefs from 19 countries, Obereder’s responsibilities include heading up the project planning for new facilities, such as the Dubai Expo 2020 developments. He has also overseen an AED 8 million (nearly US$2.2) facility upgrade to DWTC's kitchen in the past year, creating one of the most contemporary kitchen facilities in the region and enabling full in-house production. DWTC’s kitchen has been awarded the highest Dubai Municipality rating every year since it opened in 2003, which only a handful of establishments have achieved, and it has been recommended by Dubai Municipality as a model benchmark for new establishments.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 40
Number of years with this company: 20
Number of years in this role: 10
Number of years working in the Middle East: 25
Number of people you are responsible for: 135+
Nationality: German
4. Russell Impiazzi
Culinary director, food and beverage, Galeries Lafayette, le Gourmet
Impiazzi, who started working in kitchens at the age of 14, is responsible for 100 staff at Galeries Lafayette, le gourmet in The Dubai Mall and The City Walk Galeries Lafayette gourmet — the latter of which opens this month. That figure rises to 160 in January 2017 with the launch of Outlet Village, also under the Galeries Lafayette, le gourmet brand. He has trained a number of chefs in his career, helping them become successful in their own right and contribute to the growth of the regional industry — something he has done himself, as a long-time expat. The British chef is adept al galvanising support from fellow chefs to benefit charities and the local community. This year he recruited several chefs to help him teach 100 children 10 recipes in 90 minutes for the annual Food Revolution Day, and he brought chefs and Emirates Academy of Hospitality students together for Galeries Lafayette, le gourmet’s annual food festival. Galeries Lafayette, le gourmet’s support, spearheaded by Impiazzi, for breast cancer charity Pink Caravan continued this year, raising over US$34,000 (AED125,000).
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 24
Number of years with this company: 5
Number of years in this role: 5
Number of years working in the Middle East: 20
Number of people you are responsible for: 100 (160 by January 2017)
Nationality: British
5. Colin Campbell
Corporate chef, Abela & Co
Besides catering for Ikea and clients in the industrial, corporate, education, health, hospitality, and oil and gas sectors, Abela & Co. incorporates retail brands Sandella’s, Bean There Bistro, Red Apron Express, Baydar and Zaatar W’Aaktar. Sandella’s has more than 16 outlets in the UAE, with two more scheduled; Bean There has four in the UAE, with at least one more in the works; the newly launched Red Apron Express has one outlet in Abu Dhabi and two more in the pipeline; Baydar operates one in Dubai; and Zaatar W’Aaktar has three outlets in the UAE. Campbell has orchestrated major improvements since joining the company and Abela’s culinary department has grown significantly; he has contributed in no small measure to the company's consistent achievements in quality and food safety over the years. Campbell is passionate about, and committed to, culinary training through Abela’s Chef Academy and setting out the framework for a stewardship apprenticeship programme.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 22+
Number of years with this company: 9
Number of years in this role: 5
Number of years working in the Middle East: 12
Number of people you are responsible for: 900+
Nationality: British
6. Gary Rhodes
Head chef, Grosvenor House Dubai
Chef, restaurateur and author Rhodes has worked in hospitality for four decades and has achieved six Michelin stars, as well as a plethora of other accolades — not least an OBE for services to the hospitality industry. Known for his love of British cuisine, Rhodes added an exciting element to the UAE culinary scene when he opened W1 and Rhodes Twenty10. Throughout his career, the British chef has worked with many team members for long periods of time — four have been with him for the past nine years in Dubai and are an integral part of his team. Leadership, he says, comes from treating your team with respect, no matter what level they are and he lists a key priority for 2017 as continuing to treat all of his staff with the utmost respect. His vision is to turn the Rhodes restaurants into 'The Gavroche' of the Middle East — the Roux Brothers’ Gavroche restaurant opened its doors in the mid 1960s and still stands as arguably London’s most famous restaurant, with two Michelin stars. Rhodes aspires for one of his restaurants in the region to attain the same 'culinary institution’ status.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 40
Number of years with this company: 9
Number of years working in the Middle East: 9
Number of people you are responsible for: 60
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 3
Nationality: British
7. Marco Torasso
Complex Culinary Director, Grosvenor House, Dubai and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
Torasso’s culinary career spans more than 20 years and he is responsible for overseeing all 28 F&B outlets and culinary operations across Grosvenor House Dubai and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa. His achievements for the past 12 months include the launch of Le Royal Meridien’s all-day dining concept Brasserie 2.0, which has become so successful that 60% of its customers are not guests staying at the hotel. He also works closely with the celebrity chefs at both hotels, helping to develop menus for new concepts as well as modernising menus for the existing restaurants, making sure that they are in line with trends and changing demands of the UAE. The Italian chef, who has worked in kitchens in Argentina, Italy and Turkey, cooperates closely with the culinary teams in both properties, focusing on staff development and training to ensure the consistent high quality of food and service. He has implemented food waste reduction and cost efficiency initiatives at both hotels, and is passionate about ensuring the offering remains affordable for diners.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 25
Number of years with this company: 7
Number of years in this role: 2
Number of years working in the Middle East: 10
Number of people you are responsible for: 400+
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 28
Nationality: Italian
8. Sang Lee
Group executive chef, Solutions Leisure
Lee heads up the F&B offering of Solutions Lesiure’s diverse venues: Q43, Lock, Stock & Barrel, Karma Kafé, Asia Asia and the soon-to-open seafood restaurant The Atlantic. The past year has seen some of these concepts win a host of awards and gain industry recognition, going from strength to strength in a short amount of time. Lee is responsible for making sure the 5,000 people that the venues collectively feed on a daily basis go away satisfied and has built strong relationships with suppliers to ensure consistent quality. Lee prides himself on his determination to look for new products to enhance the menus that are a little out of the ordinary, such as sea eel and pen shell, which he says no other restaurant in Dubai uses. He also tirelessly to improve food presentation across Solutions Leisure’s venues. His aim is to keep on introducing new culinary techniques to staff and inspiring his team, as well as the competition, over the next 12 months when he will be an integral part of the company adding three more venues to its portfolio.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 14
Number of years with this company: 2
Number of years working in the Middle East: 5
Number of people you are responsible for: 120
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 4 (soon to be 5)
Nationality: Korean
9. Ryan Waddell
Executive chef, Reform Social & Grill and The Black Lion
W ith many years of experience in creating British menus under his belt, Waddell is dedicated to menu development, staff training and contributing to driving all facets of the business. Even before he was promoted, back when he was opening Reform Social & Grill in Dubai as head chef, he was heavily involved in the operational side of the business. New policies and procedures put into place by Waddell have resulted in a drop in operational expenses, and P&L savings. In the first nine months of 2016, food revenue has increased by 16% and gross operating profit increased by 23% at Reform Social & Grill. The Scottish chef has also been instrumental in the launch of healthier dining options for children, which have been enthusiastically received by guests, and spearheading sustainability efforts. Other proud achievements have been every member of the BOH team who opened Reform renewing their contracts, launching gastropub The Black Lion and fighting off tough competition to be crowned Head Chef of the Year — Independent Outlet at the Caterer Middle East Awards 2016.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 15
Number of years with this company: 3
Number of years working in the Middle East: 3
Number of people you are responsible for: 35
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 2
Nationality: Scottish
10. Grégoire Berger
Chef de cuisine, Ossiano, Atlantis, The Palm
Berger’s many achievements are all the more impressive when you consider his age. The 30-year-old chef, who oversees acclaimed seafood restaurant Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm, saw off stiff competition to win the chance to be one of 20 chefs from around the world competing in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Awards 2016 finals (representing Africa & the Middle East region) and he was also crowned Young Hotelier of the Year at the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2016. Under his leadership, Ossiano has continued to win awards, including with sister title Time Out Dubai, which has recognised the restaurant for four consecutive years; previously a hotel restaurant hasn’t achieved a Time Out Restaurant Award more than twice. Prior to joining Atlantis, The Palm, Berger had roles as chef de cuisine of Reign in DIFC, La Grande Cascade in Paris, Club 20-1 in Casablanca, Le Bistro de Paris in Florida, and various other culinary roles in France. He is a graduate of CFA, in Vannes, Brittany, a prestigious culinary institute and the founder of The French Chefs of Dubai.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 11
Number of years with this company: 1.10
Number of years in this role: 1.10
Number of years working in the Middle East: 3
Number of people you are responsible for: 12
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 1
Nationality: French