Nominations are now open for The Pro Chef & Hospitality Awards 2026, celebrating excellence across the GCC’s food, beverage and hospitality industries. The awards recognise individuals, teams and organisations driving innovation, leadership and operational excellence, from emerging talent and independent concepts to established hospitality brands.
A highlight of the programme is the Pro Chef Showdown, where finalists in the chef categories compete in live cuisine-themed challenges. Taking place in September, the competition will see chefs judged on creativity, technical skill, presentation and flavour, with category winners earning their respective Chef of the Year titles. The highest-scoring chef across all showdowns will be crowned Pro Chef of the Year 2026.
Nominations close on 17 July, with entries open across three main categories: Chef Categories, Stars of Hospitality, and Partners & Providers.
The Chef Categories recognise specialists across a range of cuisines and disciplines, including Americas, British, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Pan-Asian and Turkish cuisines, alongside categories for Fusion Cuisine Chef, Pastry Chef, Plant-Based Chef, Meat Specialist, Seafood Specialist and Sustainability Innovator Chef. Finalists will be invited to compete in the live Chef Showdown in September.
The Stars of Hospitality categories honour professionals across hotel and restaurant operations, including Hotel General Manager, Restaurant General Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Beverage Director, Culinary Director, Restaurant Manager, Front Office Manager, Mixologist, Sommelier, Marketing Manager and Sustainability Champion.
Meanwhile, the Partners & Providers categories recognise businesses supporting the hospitality industry, including Hospitality Groups, Hospitality Digital Agencies specialising in advertising, branding, PR or social media, and F&B and Hospitality Design Studios.
The Chef and Stars of Hospitality awards are open to individual nominees only, while the Partners & Providers categories recognise organisations contributing to the continued growth and evolution of the region’s hospitality sector.
To nominate now, click here.