Adil Ahmed, Head Chef of Nammos Dubai, has spent six years working across the brand’s kitchens, giving him a close view of how Nammos maintains its culinary identity across different markets. We spoke to Ahmed about what makes a dish distinctly Nammos, how local diners influence the menu, and what he has learned from working across the brand’s international destinations.
What makes a dish feel distinctly Nammos?
I don’t think it’s just one thing. The quality of the ingredients is very important, but it’s also about what you do with them. If you have a beautiful piece of fish, you don’t want to hide it. The cooking and seasoning should allow you to appreciate what makes that fish special. That simplicity, together with our Greek and Mediterranean roots and the Japanese influence on the menu, is a big part of what makes the food feel like Nammos.
There is also a generosity to the food. It should look elegant, but when it comes to the table, you should want to share it. I want someone to enjoy the first mouthful without needing a long explanation. Sometimes getting something to feel that simple is actually the hardest part.
How do you keep the Nammos identity consistent across different destinations? What can change from one market to another?
For me, consistency starts with understanding the dish, not just following the recipe. Whether we are cooking in Dubai, Sardinia, London, Doha or AMAALA, the team needs to understand where a dish comes from, why we use a particular ingredient and what it should taste like when it reaches the table. That is why I spend a lot of time tasting and cooking with the team.
There are certain things we don’t change. The quality of the ingredients, the identity of our signature dishes and the way we approach Greek and Mediterranean cooking need to remain recognisably Nammos wherever you are. A guest who knows us from Mykonos or Dubai should still recognise that same character when they visit us somewhere else.
What can change is the balance around those dishes. In Sardinia, for example, the setting and season naturally influence how people want to eat. In Dubai, we have an incredibly international audience, so the menu has to work for many different dining habits around the same table. In Saudi Arabia, we are learning again how guests build their meals and which dishes they naturally gravitate towards. You listen to that and respond to it, but you don’t change the identity of the food simply to follow a preference. It is more about understanding where you are and making sure Nammos feels at home there.
Have you noticed the same dishes behaving differently in different markets? How so?
Absolutely. Fish is a good example, because it is one of our best-selling dishes across all of our seaside destinations, but even then, the way people order and enjoy it can be quite different. In Mykonos and Sardinia, a whole fish can naturally become the centre of a long seaside lunch, where people are ordering for the table, sharing several dishes and taking their time over the meal, so the fish becomes part of that whole experience rather than simply being an individual main course.
AMAALA has been particularly interesting, as we have noticed that many Saudi guests tend to gravitate more towards cooked dishes rather than raw preparations, so something that may be ordered very naturally in Dubai or another destination can perform quite differently there. You also start to notice differences in flavour preferences, with some guests leaning towards lighter, cleaner flavours and simple preparations, while in other markets there is more appetite for richness, spice or different portion sizes, and even the way people share can change from one destination to another.
These are the things you learn by watching what comes back from the dining room, speaking to the team and listening to guests, rather than assuming that what works in one destination will automatically work in another. For us, the answer is not to change a dish because one market responds differently to it, but to understand that feedback and see where we can adapt the experience around it, while protecting what makes the dish recognisably Nammos. Balancing that consistency with the local character of each destination is very important to us.
Which destination has challenged you most creatively?
I would probably say Sardinia. Working in a seasonal setting made me think carefully about how our food belonged to the place around it. You have an established Nammos identity, alongside a destination with its own strong relationship with ingredients and hospitality.
The creative challenge was deciding where there was room to respond to that setting while preserving the character guests expected from us. It also made me think about creativity in practical terms. A dish has to make sense for the team producing it and for the rhythm of service. Those considerations become part of the creative process.
How does Dubai influence the way you develop the menu?
Dubai makes me think about how different people can enjoy the same table. Guests arrive with very different food memories and expectations. Some know Greek cooking well, while others discover it through us. The menu needs to give both a way in.
That encourages me to be clear about flavour and thoughtful about choice. I consider how a raw seafood dish, something from the grill and a richer dish will work together across a meal. Dubai gives you room to explore, but it also makes a clear identity particularly important. Every addition should strengthen what guests come to Nammos for.
What has Dubai taught you that you wouldn’t have learned elsewhere?
Dubai has taught me a lot about working with different people, and that applies to the guests as much as it does to the kitchen. You work alongside people who have learned to cook, communicate and take responsibility in very different ways.
It has made me think more about how I explain things. Something that feels obvious to me may be completely unfamiliar to the person beside me. Sometimes I need to explain the background or sometimes I need to cook alongside them.
That has definitely shaped my leadership. Holding a clear standard also means taking responsibility for helping people understand how to reach it.
How do seasonality and local ingredients shape the menu?
Seasonality really comes down to tasting what is actually arriving in the kitchen. A tomato can look right and still lack the sweetness or acidity the dish needs. You need to work with what is actually good at that moment.
I want to use good local produce wherever it suits the dish and meets our standards. Certain ingredients are also very important to Greek cooking, so their origin matters – it’s about finding the right balance.
Seasonal changes can be quite subtle, a different accompaniment, a lighter preparation or a special built around something particularly good. You don’t always need to change the whole dish, sometimes a small adjustment is enough.
What have you learned from working across Nammos’ different destinations?
I’ve learned not to assume that what works in one kitchen will automatically work in another. Experience gives you useful knowledge, but every kitchen has a different team and a different way of working, and you need to understand that before you can lead it well.
Moving between Dubai, London and Sardinia taught me that I also have to adapt. Some cooks gain confidence through explanation; others learn best when you stand beside them and work through something together. As a chef, you need to understand what works for each person.
It has also given me a stronger respect for the culture behind a dish. When we cook Greek food in another country, it’s important that the team understands where that food comes from and why we prepare it in a certain way.
What are you noticing about diners in 2026? What has changed most in the way guests order?
I think ordering has become much more personal. Guests want guidance that makes sense for their table: what to share, how much to order and which dishes work well together. People know what they like, but they also appreciate good recommendations and feeling that someone is actually listening to them.
That means the communication between the kitchen and service team is really important. A recommendation should make the experience better, rather than just encourage someone to order more. Knowing how to describe a dish honestly, explain its preparation and recommend something that works with the rest of the meal makes a difference.
