Pro Chef of the Year

What is the Pro Chef of the Year award?

The category of ‘Pro Chef of the Year’ is a separate category to the others and will not be open for industry voting to determine the winner as in previous years. Instead, this year’s format is that of a professional live cooking competition which will be held on 28th November 2021 at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

UAE-based chefs in leadership positions, including Executive Chef, Head Chef and Chef de Cuisine were invited to submit their nomination for this category.

Our 4 competing Chefs Chefs were then be carefully selected from the nominations and will compete against each other in the hope of being crowned ‘Pro Chef of the Year’.

The competition will be a mystery ingredient cook-off followed by a blind tasting judged by a panel of industry experts. The chosen Chefs will have 3 hours to plan and prepare 3 courses and will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Creativity
  • Presentation
  • Taste
  • Technique
  • Time Management
  • Use of Ingredients

The Finalists

Ricardo Gonçalves

Head Chef

Bagatelle Dubai, Fairmont Dubai

Russell Impiazzi

Executive Chef

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Troy Payne

Executive Chef

The Pangolin Group

Watch The Pro Chef of the Year Culinary Competition 2021

The Judges

Michael Kitts

Director of Culinary Arts

The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management

James Knight-Pacheco

Executive Chef

ME Dubai

Giacomo Bernardelli

Founder and Managing Director

Casinetto

our partners

  • Hosted By
    The Pro Chef ME
  • Organised By
    CPI Media Group
  • Mystery Box Sponsor
    Casinetto
  • Pro Chef of the Year Competition Host
    Emirates Academy
  • TROPHY SPONSOR
    renartellc
    • Official Media Partner
      BBC Good Food ME