Set within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa has appointed Chef Yiduo Wang as Executive Chef
Chef Yiduo brings international experience across luxury hospitality, including roles within Marriott Bonvoy brands such as The Ritz-Carlton and EDITION Hotels. She has worked across pre-opening projects and large-scale operations, with a focus on pastry, contemporary cuisine, and multi-outlet dining.
Most recently, she was Executive Sous Chef at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah Dubai, where she supported the pre-opening of the 608-room property. She oversaw 10 dining venues and managed a team of more than 180 chefs.
Originally trained in pastry and bakery, she has since moved into broader kitchen leadership, combining technical precision with creative menu development and operational management.
Her experience in the Middle East, across Bahrain and the UAE, has shaped her approach to regional ingredients and flavours, which she integrates into her cooking alongside Asian and Latin American influences.
She has also led sustainability initiatives, including efforts to reduce food waste and eliminate over one million single-use plastic bottles across previous roles.
At Al Maha, she will lead all culinary operations across the resort, shaping menus and dining experiences focused on simplicity, storytelling and a strong sense of place.
Tim Stanhope, General Manager, Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, commented, “Chef Yiduo joins at a meaningful moment for Al Maha, as we continue to refine the experience in a way that remains true to the landscape and its rhythm. Her background brings both structure and sensitivity, with an understanding of how cuisine can reflect not only technique, but place. This alignment is important here, where every element is shaped by its surroundings.”