The Gault&Millau UAE Gala and guide release took place at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah’s Al Falak Ballroom and welcomed 200 of the country’s very best chefs, sommeliers, restaurant managers and restaurateurs to witness the momentous occasion.
One of the world’s most established and widely respected fine dining critique brands, Gault&Millau’s revered rating system sees restaurants visited anonymously and then ranked on a scale of 1 to 20, with points awarded based on the quality of the food, service, drinks atmosphere and the restaurant itself.
Depending on that rating, restaurants are able to display between one to five toques (or chef hats), reflecting their standing in Gault&Millau’s guides. All visits by Gault&Millau critics are anonymous and fully paid for.
During the first Gault&Millau UAE Gala, 48 of the UAE’s most impressive restaurants were awarded toques, with 34 receiving one-toque status, seven restaurants receiving an incredible two-toque rating and the UAE’s three highest-rated restaurants by Gault&Millau declared the first holders of three-toque status. Also announced at the ceremony were the winners of the first Gault&Millau UAE Awards.
Al Muntaha at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Armani/Ristorante at Armani Hotel Dubai and Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm were each awarded three-toque status. Ossiano was also named Gault&Millau’s first Restaurant of the Year, while its head chef Grégoire Berger was named Chef of the Year.
The two-toque recipients include Celebrities by Mauro Colagreco, Trèsind Studio, Folly, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Pierre’s Bistro TT, At.mosphere Restaurant & Lounge and Hoseki.
The full list of restaurant ratings and award winners is available on www.gaultmillauae.com. The first annual Gaut&Millau UAE guide can also be ordered from the website.
The ceremony also saw an exquisite five-course menu created and presented by chefs Saverio Sbaragli of Al Muntaha and Andrea Migliaccio of Al Mahara’s Ristorante L’Olivo pop-up at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The menu was paired with fine wines and champagne from African and Eastern producers.