Last night, the highly anticipated Good Food Middle East Awards 2024 revealed its Pro Chef of the Year, with Mohammad Zeeshan, Executive Chef at Trèsind Dubai, taking home the prestigious title
The announcement capped off months of competition that culminated in a high-pressure mystery box cook-off, sponsored by Spinneys, at the International Centre for Culinary Arts ICCA in Dubai. The six finalists, representing some of the region’s top kitchens, had just three hours to create a three-course menu from a selection of unknown ingredients, testing their creativity, technique, and ability to think on their feet.
The finalists included Alejandro Maestro TATEL Dubai, Lorenzo Buccarini Zenon, Mario Martínez Leña Dubai, Guoyu Chen Demon Duck by Alvin Leung, Sufyan Alkebata Ninive Beach, and Mohammad Zeeshan Trèsind Dubai. Each chef brought their A-game, but Zeeshan’s innovative approach and expert execution stood out, earning him the top spot.
The high-stakes competition was judged by a panel of esteemed culinary experts, each bringing their wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. The judges included:
- Tiffany Eslick, Creative and Content Manager at Spinneys
- Sergio Freitas, Chef Instructor at the International Centre for Culinary Arts Dubai
- Célia Stoecklin, Executive Chef at Fi’lia and Winner of the Pro Chef of the Year 2023 competition
Check out the Chefs in action here…
In addition to the title, Chef Zeeshan won a two-night stay at the Machchafushi Island Resort & Spa Maldives, The Centara Collection, complete with flights. The announcement was made during the awards ceremony on January 24, 2025, celebrating the best in the region’s F&B scene.
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