Dubai-based Jumeirah Group to have destination restaurant at every hotel

As part of the new strategy unveiled by Jumeirah Group CEO José Silva, the Dubai-based hospitality firm will launch new restaurant concepts and refresh existing outlets.

During his time in Paris, the Four Seasons George V, the restaurants Le Cinq, Le George and L’Orangerie at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris were collectively crowned with a total of five Michelin stars, and it is still the most Michelin-starred place in Europe and the Americas region.

So it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that one of his first appointments was Michelin Restaurant and Hotel Guides executive Michael Ellis as its new chief culinary officer.

In a newly create role, Ellis, who was Michelin Restaurant and Hotel Guides’ global director for Europe, Asia and the Americas, will “refresh and elevate Jumeirah’s restaurant offerings throughout its luxury portfolio”, according to Silva.

With an extensive background in F&B going back to 1981, Silva hopes Ellis appointment will announce Jumeirah’s role in changing Dubai’s F&B landscape with its commitment to providing an experience almost similar to being on stage.

“The message is that F&B is central to Jumeirah and that we are an actor in the private dining scene and not just a part of the hotel dining scene," Silva said.

Jumeirah’s goal is that every one of its hotels worldwide will have a destination restaurant. It is currently aligning 12 projects for the Jumeirah Beach Hotel relaunch that is set to take place later this year.

“The restaurants will be completely refurbished, renovated, redesigned with a new chef, a new serving team and the whole setting will be reset,” Silva added in an interview with Hotelier Middle East.

"You’ll see throughout the Jumeirah brand celebrity chefs being appointed, restaurants being redesigned, the whole experience being transformed with the hope that Jumeirah will be seen not only as the national champion of food and beverage in Dubai but as the brand that has elevated F&B to these private dining experiences," he said.