With a glittering ceremony held at Dubai Opera, The Michelin Guide celebrated its debut in the Middle East, with the announcement of 69 highlighted restaurants covering 21 cuisine types, 14 Big Gourmands, nine restaurants recognized with one Michelin star and two restaurants awarded with two Michelin stars.

With a roll-call of who’s who in the restaurant world in attendance, highlights of the awards ceremony included two Michelin stars awarded to both Il Ristorante – Niko Romito at Bulgari Hotel & Resorts Dubai and STAY by Yannick Alleno at One&Only The Palm, and one Michelin star awarded to nine restaurants, including 11 Woodfire in Jumeirah, Al Muntaha at Burj Al Arab, Ossiano at Atlantis and Tasca by Jose Avillez at Mandarin Oriental (see the full list below).

The assessment process for each restaurant is renowned for being strict – and strictly anonymous in terms of the ‘Inspectors’ visits – and is based around five publicly acknowledged criteria: Quality of the products, Mastery of flavour and cooking technique, The personality of the chef in his/her cuisine, Value for money and Consistency between visits. Only when all five of these criteria are met, does the restaurant enter into the running for either a highlight or a Michelin star.

“This very first Dubai selection of restaurants marks a historical moment for the MICHELIN Guide and the Middle East,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide. “What makes Dubai’s culinary landscape so distinctive is its reflection of the more than 200 nationalities that call the city home, delivering an epicurean kaleidoscope. One thing all the restaurants in this fast-paced dynamic and elegant city have in common, is they are brimming with passion and enthusiasm. Today, Dubai is settled as an inspiring gastronomic destination and we have no doubts that gourmets from all over the world will be seduced by its very unique energy.”

Founded by Andrew Michelin in 1920 and with over 100 years under its belt as the world’s most iconic dining guide, The MICHELIN Guide’s inaugural debut and recognition of The MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2022 presents a defining moment for Dubai and the wider UAE, putting the Emirates on the map as a culinary destination in its own right, good enough to rival those of existing MICHELIN Guides, such as Singapore, Tokyo, San Francisco, and London.

Another section of The MICHELIN Guide is Bib Gourmand, which awards restaurants that offer a value-for-money gourmet experience for an average price of, in the case of Dubai, Dhs250 for a 3-course meal. For 2022, 14 Dubai restaurants were celebrated with a Bib Gourmand, including Bait Maryam, Folly, Ibn Albahr, REIF Japanese Kushiyaki, Ninive and Orfali Bros.

Along with the Michelin stars, Bib Gourmands and highlighted accolades, further MICHELIN Special Awards were given to: Solemann Haddad of Moonrise for Young Chef Award; Danijela Tesic of Ossiano who takes home the Sommelier Award; and Christine Tusingire of Lowe for the Welcome and Service Award. And last, but by no means least, a MICHELIN Green Star was awarded to Lowe, ‘recognized for its outstanding efforts and remarkable commitment to sustainability.’

With 11 Michelin-starred restaurants now at your fingertips, and a sea of highlighted eateries to add to your Little Black Book, I guess the only question that remains is where will you be dining tonight?!

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AND THE AWARD GOES TO...