The Gault&Millau UAE 2023 Awards ceremony was an evening of celebration that brought together the most talented chefs, restaurateurs, and industry leaders in the region. Held at the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah on April 27, 2023, this exclusive event was a testament to the exceptional culinary prowess within the UAE. With 13 prestigious awards presented on the night, it showcased the immense culinary excellence and innovation on show in the country.
All the award winners:
- Sustainable Kitchen of the Year: BOCA
- Home-grown Restaurant of the Year: Trèsind Studio
- International Brand of the Year: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
- Wine Offering of the Year: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
- Champagne Offering of the Year: Clap
- Non-alcoholic Offering of the Year: Avatara
- Sustainability Champion of the Year: Russell Impiazzi, Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk
- Pastry Chef of the Year: Tom Coll, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
- Sommelier of the Year: Samuel Lacroix, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
- Restaurant Manager of the Year: Hervé Lorit, Pierre’s TT
- Future Great of the Year: Rahul Rana, Avatara
- Chef of the Year: Himanshu Saini, Trèsind Studio
- Restaurant of the Year: Ossiano, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
The evening saw 200 members of the UAE’s F&B industry gather at Burj Al Arab, where they enjoyed a Perrier-Jouët champagne and canape reception in Gilt.
After networking with colleagues and peers, the guests moved into the iconic hotel’s ballroom where they were greeted by a 10-piece orchestra to accompany the beginning of the glamourous gala celebration.
The gala dinner and ratings reveal
There was then a six-course menu created by Burj Al Arab chefs Saverio Sbaragli of Al Muntaha, Andrea Migliaccio from Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara, and the hotel’s executive pastry chef Tom Coll. Fine wines were paired with the food, which was served throughout the evening, in between the awards. Once the awards were handed out, there was a break before the restaurants who have earned toques in 2023 were revealed.
Restaurants are reviewed anonymously by Gault&Millau’s independent investigators throughout the year. Each one receives a score out of 20, with those scoring 13 or more also awarded between one and five toques.
In the 2023 guide, there are 37 restaurants with one toque, nine with two toques and three that received three toques. In 2023, for the first time, two restaurants received four toques, putting them amongst the best in the world.
