Madinat Jumeirah, The Arabian resort of Dubai which comprises three boutique hotels and one cluster of summerhouses, has appointed seven new chefs who will be directed by new resort executive chef, Hans Lentz.

Chef Lentz is supported by five key executive chefs across Madinat Jumeirah that oversee all culinary operations; Kuldeep Singh - executive chef of Jumeirah Mina A’Salam; Tobias Pfister - executive chef of Jumeirah Al Naseem; Paul Lupton - executive chef of Jumeirah Al Qasr; Paul Hayward - executive chef of resort pastry and Mohammed Bahzad Barafi - executive chef of Conference and Events in Madinat Jumeirah.

Chef Jean-Pascal Irissou has joined Madinat Jumeirah as the new chef de cuisine at Rockfish, the eclectic Mediterranean restaurant at Jumeirah Al Naseem. Leaving his most recent role as chef de cuisine at the 101 Dining Lounge Restaurant by Yannick Alleno, the French chef is dedicated to discovering new ingredients with a tried and tested approach and has already curated exciting new menus using culinary innovation and the very best fare from the Mediterranean, alongside his team of 18 chefs.

Chef Miquel Badosa takes the position of Chef de Cuisine at Al Hambra; a traditional Spanish eatery at Jumeirah Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah. Chef Badosa was born in Barcelona, Spain and spent the early years of his childhood discovering his love and passion for cooking. At the age of 14, Chef Badosa worked part-time in the summer months, lending a helping hand and immersing himself in the kitchen of his father’s hotel, Sant Antoni de Calonge in Spain. Chef Badosa’s experience in Dubai includes leading as an integral part of the opening team at Casa de Tapas and Cielo Sky Lounge at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Always looking for new trends and opportunities, Chef Miquel brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role and is responsible for developing the most innovative menus while maintaining Spain’s authentic flavours.  

Chef Jorge Rodríguez is appointed as head chef of Tortuga, Mexican Kitchen & Bar, the vibrant and colourful Mexican Restaurant at Jumeirah Mina A’ Salam, Madinat Jumeirah. Chef Rodríguez was born in Acapulco Mexico and spent the early years of his childhood discovering his love and passion for Mexican flavours and ingredients he inherited from his mother. He brings together the warmth and flavours of Mexico to create an authentic, exhilarating fiesta for his guests.

Chef Chen Hann Furn brings culinary expertise to his new role as speciality chef at Zheng He’s, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Madinat Jumeirah. He brings more than 30 years extensive experience in authentic Cantonese and Sichuan cuisine as well as other region and South East Asia Cuisine. Before joining the team Furn worked as executive Chinese chef at the Tin Hau Restaurant, which was also named as one of the Philippine’s best restaurants for its exceptional cuisine and service by Tatler. Chef oversees all the menu development that revisits classic Chinese dishes contemporised with neo-oriental flair, guiding the team to delicious, classic Chinese dishes with his modern flair.

Chef Georges Mikhael Najm brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise of all time Lebanese recipes to his new role as speciality chef at Khaymat Al Bahar, an authentic beachfront Lebanese restaurant at Jumeirah Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah. Najm sights his passion for food and cuisine as coming from his mother with whom he would cook and experiment with both traditional and new dishes.

Chef Anna Maria Herreras joins the team as head baker for Jumeirah Al Naseem. Born and raised in Central Coast, California, she completed her studies in California and Europe. Throughout her career, chef Maria has worked with a number of award-winning chefs and bakers in the US, Europe and Spain bringing their new techniques and recipes to the property. Since joining, Herreras has introduced 100 per cent natural and freshly baked items made daily including a must try line of sourdough like the Campaillou and breakfast options including Banana Bread with Goat’s Milk Dulce de Leche as well as a Double Crust Apple Pie served at The Palmery for dinner.

Chef James Niesen takes the position of head chef at The Hide, bringing a fresh twist to the American meatery. With a background of working in the top restaurants in Hawaii including the Kona Tap Room at Hilton Waikoloa Village which was named in the Best New Restaurants of 2017 by Hawaii.com. Chef James’s looks forward to creating classic comfort food steeped in American culture.

In charge of leading the team is resort executive chef Hans Lentz, whose most recent position before joining Madinat Jumeirah was that of the executive chef at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii where he took over the culinary operations in March 2015. His exemplary career as an executive chef has brought him across the globe to Turkey, Puerto Rico, Guam, Egypt, Oman and Germany. Leading the team at Madinat Jumeirah, Chef Lentz believes: “A great culinary team doesn't distinguish itself by how few mistakes it makes, but by how well they handle those mistakes”.

With the addition of the new senior hires, guests are even more encouraged to rediscover Madinat Jumeirah and its diverse food and beverage offering. Each chef has been carefully handpicked for their expertise and commitment to driving their teams to deliver excellence and emphasising Jumeirah’s promise of 'Stay Different'. - TradeArabia News Service