Hozpitality Group's Middle East F&B Excellence Awards 2025 Honors F&B Leaders in the region
A Night of Recognition and Celebration for the Region's Finest F&B Professionals at JW Marriott Dubai Marina
DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Middle East F&B Excellence Awards 2025 took center stage last night at the prestigious JW Marriott Marina, uniting the region's leading food and beverage professionals for an evening of outstanding celebration and recognition. Organized by Hozpitality Group, the event celebrated the passion, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence that is redefining the F&B industry in the Middle East.
Powered by esteemed companies such as US Beef, Dr. Kitchen by Delta Foods & Airowater, category sponsors Welbilt, Masterbaker and Taaza Fresh, and partners including RAK Porcelain, Fushia Events, Absolute Frame, and Restofair RAK, ICCA Dubai and the Emirates Culinary Guild, the awards underscored the power of collaboration in elevating industry standards. The meticulously designed nomination and selection process—where companies put forward their top employees and leaders—ensured that only the most deserving individuals received their due accolades through a transparent and engaging voting system.
"The Middle East F&B Excellence Awards represent the heart and soul of our industry," said Raj Bhatt, Founder, and CEO of Hozpitality Group. "We are thrilled to honor those who have continuously pushed the boundaries of innovation and service excellence. Tonight, we not only celebrate remarkable achievements but also inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders to set even higher benchmarks."
Vandana Bhatt, Co-founder, and MD of Hozpitality Group, echoed these sentiments, stating, "This event is a tribute to the dedication and creativity of every individual in the F&B sector. It is truly heartening to see so many talented professionals come together under one roof to celebrate excellence. We remain committed to nurturing this talent and fostering an environment where outstanding service and innovation can thrive."
The evening highlighted the region's vibrant and evolving F&B landscape, featuring renowned chefs, hospitality innovators, and industry trailblazers who continually surpass expectations. Beyond the awards, the event served as a robust platform for networking and collaboration, further strengthening the industry's collective resolve to drive continuous improvement.
As the curtains closed on another remarkable edition of the Middle East F&B Excellence Awards, the celebration reaffirmed Hozpitality Group's commitment to recognizing and nurturing talent, ensuring that the spirit of excellence continues to inspire and uplift the F&B community across the Middle East.
The winners for the Awards are:-
PERSONAL CATEGORY WINNERS | |
F&B Server of the Year | |
Commended | Farhan Abbasi Food & Beverage Captain Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel |
Gold | PULICATRA Jackson, Restaurant Supervisor, Swissôtel Al Murooj Dubai |
F&B Hidden Gem of the Year | |
Commended | Elsa De Mesa Demi Chef De Partie Coral Beach Resort Sharjah |
Gold | Julie Anne Ilustre Culinary Coordinator SLS Hotel and Residences Dubai |
F&B Hostess of the Year | |
Commended | Pooja Chauhan Hostess The Canvas Hotel Dubai |
Gold | Priyanka Fernandes, Hostess, Asha's Restaurant - Wafi Hospitality LLC |
F&B Marketing/PR Person of the Year | |
Commended | Natasha Patel Marketing Executive Riva Beach Club |
Gold | NOEL DE JUAN Asst. Marketing Manager Mövenpick Grand Al Bustan Hotel & Convention Centre Dubai |
F&B Manager of The Year | |
Commended | Ahmed Hammouda, F&B Manager, The Tower Plaza Hotel Dubai |
Gold | Chander Kant, F&B Manager, Doubletree by Hilton Dubai Al Jadaf |
F&B Director/Leader of the Year | |
Commended | Monsef Belmouden, Director of Food & Beverages InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab Resort & Spa |
Gold | Martin Drugan Group Director of F&B McGettigan Group |
Restaurant Manager of the Year | |
Commended | Hossam Garber Mohamed Assistant Operations Manager The Farm Restaurant - Al Barari |
Gold | Pradeep Nair, Restaurant Manager, Dusit Thani Dubai |
Bar / Beverage Manager of the Year | |
Commended | Rovelyn Ninal Magallanes Restaurant Supervisor Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai JBR |
Gold | Vipin Pachwan Assistant Bars Manager Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek |
Hygiene Officer of the Year | |
Commended | Samreen Fatima Food Safety & Hygiene Manager Millennium Plaza Downtown Hotel Dubai |
Gold | SIJOY CHEEROTHA JOSE Assistant Chief Steward Bahi Ajman palace hotel |
Barista of the Year | |
Commended | Raheem Omotola Bashiru Barista Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai JBR |
Gold | Ritik Sharma, Barista, Dusit Thani Dubai |
Bartender/Sommelier of the Year | |
Commended | Amin Mohamed Bartender Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek |
Gold | Reyven Endrina Senior Bartender Kimpo I Conrad Dubai |
Culinary Person of the Year – Independent Outlet | |
Commended | Leonardo Galati Head Chef The Artisan |
Gold | Muchie Masunungure Executive Chef The Farm Restaurant - Al Barari |
Culinary Person of the Year – Hotel | |
Commended | El Mehdi Naamane, Executive Chef, Doubletree by Hilton Dubai Al Jadaf |
Gold | Manuel Correa Operations Manager Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights |
Restaurateur of the Year | |
Gold | Paul Evans and Freek Teusink Co Founders Solutions Group |
CORPORATE CATEGORY WINNERS | |
Best Ladies night | |
Commended | Double Decker, Swissôtel Al Murooj Dubai |
Gold | Rohini by Little Miss India |
Best Brunch | |
Commended | Soul Beach |
Gold | Zero Gravity |
Best Beach Club | |
Commended | Zero Gravity |
Gold | Riva Beach Club |
Best Sports Bar/ Pub | |
Commended | McGettigan's JLT |
Gold | Seven Sports Bar |
Best Rooftop Bar | |
Commended | Creek View Lounge, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek |
Gold | Brick rooftop kitchen & bar - Aloft Abu Dhabi |
Best Sunset Spot | |
Commended | View 180 |
Gold | Wyndham Grand hotel Ajman |
Best Steakhouse Grill | |
Commended | Frevo |
Gold | STK |
Best Romantic Spot | |
Gold | Treehouse, Taj Dubai |
Best Dinner Venue | |
Commended | Jadaf Lokal, DoubleTree By Hilton Dubai Al Jadaf |
Gold | Thai Chi - Wafi Hospitality LLC |
Best Bakery/Pastry | |
Gold | Laduree |
Best Live Music Venue | |
Commended | Up on the 10th, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek |
Gold | Flashback Speakeasy Bar & Lounge in Paramount Hotel Dubai, |
Best Restaurant Bar | |
Commended | Estrellas Rooftop Lounge |
Gold | Lilly's Bar & Restaurant Business Bay, Canal Central Hotel Business Bay Dubai |
Best New Restaurant | |
Gold | Amwa, Address Beach Resort Fujairah |
Best Restaurant- Casual Dining | |
Commended | Streat Culture, DoubleTree By Hilton Dubai Al Jadaf |
Gold | Seascape Restaurant (Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche) |
Best Restaurant- Fine Dining | |
Commended | Varq, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, Dubai |
Gold | Kinara by Vikas Khanna |
Best Restaurant- Street Food | |
Commended | 24th Street, Dusit Thani Dubai |
Gold | Asha's Restaurant - Wafi Hospitality LLC |
Best Outlet- Sweets and Desserts | |
Commended | Bikanervala |
Gold | The Mill - Al Barari |
Nightclub/Lounge of the Year | |
Commended | D70 Bar at Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai |
Gold | Frenia - voco Dubai The Palm |
Restaurant Team of The Year- Hotel | |
Commended | King's Grill Restaurant (Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman) |
Gold | The Collective by Market Cafe |
Restaurant Team of the Year – Others | |
Commended | Maiora Restaurant |
Gold | Signature By Sanjeev Kapoor |
Outside Catering Team of the Year | |
Commended | Slices Catering |
Gold | DWTC Hospitality team |
Best Homegrown Brand of the Year | |
Commended | Off the Hook Restaurant |
Gold | The Farm Restaurant - Al Barari |
Judges Choice Award | |
F&B Champion of the Year | Al Maghrabi Ashraf, Director of F&B, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah |
F&B Leader of the Year | F&B General Manager of the Year |
Culinary Leader of the Year | Ruan Potgieter Executive Chef Emaar- Arabian Ranches Golf Club |
Best Dinner Venue of the Year | Dragon's Place, Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel |
Hidden Gem of the Year | Princess Belches F&B Coordinator Movenpick Jumeirah Lakes Towers |
Best Rooftop Bar of the Year | Pure Sky Lounge and Dining - Hilton Dubai The Walk |
Best Seafood Restaurant of the Year | Casa Samak Restaurant, Coral Beach Resort Sharjah |
Restaurant Manager of the Year | Vladyslav Rybalko Outlet Manager NH Collection Dubai The Palm |
Best Steakhouse of the Year | The Hide Brasserie/ Steakhouse |
Gourmet Steakhouse of the Year | Prime68 Steakhouse |
F&B Leaders Powerlist Winners |
Alexis Molatte, Food and Beverage Manager, Address Hotels |
Basel Abboud, Director of Food & Beverage, Grand Millennium Al Wahda Abu Dhabi |
Chandana Nissanka, Cluster Food & Beverage Manager, Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman |
Jahfer Sadikh, Head of Food and Beverage, JW Marriott Hotel Marina |
Maher Makdisi, F&B Operations Manager, Movenpick Grand Al Bustan Hotel & Convention Centre Dubai |
Mohan Raj, F & B General Manager, Wafi Hospitality |
Rajan Malik, Director of Operations, AB International Restaurants |
Soumajit Chaki, F&B Manager, Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel |
Vinay Madhav, F&B Manager, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek |
Yogesh Prakash, Complex Director of Food & Beverage, W Dubai | The Westin | Le Meridien Mina Seyahi |
About Hozpitality Group: Hozpitality Group is a leading name in the global hospitality industry, providing a platform for professionals to connect, share, and celebrate excellence in hospitality. With a strong presence in Dubai and India, Hozpitality Group hosts prestigious events, including the Middle East Chef Excellence Awards, to recognize and honor outstanding achievements in the industry.
Hozpitality.com is an online platform for professionals from Hotels, Restaurants, Airlines, Travel agencies, Clubs, Cruise Lines, Cinemas, Spas, Schools, Suppliers and Retail. Hozpitality offers Branding options, A Community Network for Employers and Job seekers, a directory of Hospitality Suppliers, Latest Hospitality News, Hotel News, Movements and Appointments and Hospitality Announcements Hotel Industry Recruitment, Professional CV designing, Hospitality Courses etc. We provide an effective platform where all hospitality professionals can come together, network and benefit.
Hozpitality.com offers a selection of best Hotel Management Institutes, Schools and Universities and Hotel management Courses. Hospitality Students can search and apply for Hotel management Courses and join the School's Alumni and network with their colleagues. Hozpitality also offers a Market Place for Hospitality Suppliers where Hospitality Products, Services, Offers and Deals can be listed and sold to millions of Global Hospitality professionals.
Hozpitality reaches out to over 1.2 million professionals thru its 2 group websites, www.hozpitality.com and www.hozpitalityplus.com with Registered Members and Social Media from over 186 countries.
The dedicated hospitality Media and News website Hozpitalityplus.com, publishes and shares Latest Hospitality News, Announcements, Hotel openings, Promotions, Events, Hospitality Movements and Appointments and Hospitality announcements, Reviews, Blogs etc.
Hozpitality Consulting is a Global Executive Search consultancy based out of Toronto, Canada. Our success lies in building a long-term relationship and delivering results quickly and efficiently for a "much lower cost". We are experts in locating the best possible suitable executive and management candidates for placements in all types of hospitality organizations around the world. Through our matchless database, communication and networking, over the world, we provide our clients with the most skillful candidates.
"Hozpitality Buzz- The inside scoop" is a TV show based on the hospitality industry in Dubai and UAE, is in English and telecast-ed on a premier TV channel in Middle East & North Africa reaching out to approx. 10-12 million viewers. To know more about the TV show, Please log on to:- www.facebook.com/hozpitalitybuzz and https://www.youtube.com/Hozpitality
Middle East Hospitality Excellence Awards are presented to recognize top industry organizations which have shown skill, creativity, ingenuity and success in the Middle East & North Africa's growing hospitality industry. Logon to www.hozpitalityexcellenceawards.com
To know more about the group, please log on to:
www.hozpitality.com, www.hozpitalityplus.com, www.hozpitalityexcellenceawards.com
Share this article