Latest news with #GaultMillau
Cosmopolitan ME
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan ME
Here's your OG BFF guide for International Friendship Day
Long-distance friendships hit different. Whether it's sending unhinged voice notes across time zones, telepathically sending love, or sharing a Pinterest fit inspo board, there's a kind of soul-deep connection that distance has nothing over. This International Friendship Day, we're raising an iced matcha (or hojicha) to the friends who hold us down despite borders. Maybe your best friend lives in another city, country, or continent. You miss the spontaneous brunches, the impulsive girls-night out, and the tender hugs. But the truth is distance has the power to strengthen a relationship, even if the hugs are rare. And when you finally do reunite, it's giving full bestie takeover. If you're planning that long-awaited trip together to Dubai, we've got you covered. We've curated a mix of where to eat, where to dance (or 'sit pretty'), and the chicest gift ideas to surprise your BFF. Here's your OG Friendship Guide. Bestie deserves a feast Jamavar Dubai Listed in the prestigious Gault & Millau Guide, Jamavar is the kind of place that makes you feel like royalty. It's an elevated dining experience that transforms a catch-up with your bestie into a full-blown event, the kind you'll want to dress up for and enjoy some remixed Indian flavours such as the Tandoori Prawns or the Gulab Jamun Tiramisu. Supplied Reservations: +971 04 553 7852 TATEL Dubai If your reunion calls for something effortlessly chic and indulgent, TATEL Dubai is the move. This Spanish fine-dining hotspot is known for its lively energy and a menu that feels like a culinary love letter to Spain. The endless small plates are for the girls who love family style feasting. The burrata will melt in your mouth the drinks are just as iconic. Sip on the Palomita, a tequila spritz with lychee and rosemary. Fair warning, it is hard to hear bestie when the live music band is playing. Supplied Reservations: |+971 50 437 2238 (WhatsApp) Arrogante For a midday catch-up with your bestie that feels straight out of an Italian summer, Arrogante is the ultimate vibe. Sip on rosé or a mocktail with Ms. Khalifa as your iconic view. Starters include La Mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes, a vibrant Italian salad with ricotta and kalamata olives, and a refreshing Salmon Carpaccio with dill dressing for the protein girlies. Supplied Reservations: reservations@ |+971 04 570 3653 'She's that girl' gift guide The Dyson Limited-Edition Kanzan Pink Airwrap Supplied Tell me about it your bestie wakes up flawless, always has her hair done (even for pilates), and might just be a beauty influencer in the making. Let's be honest, gifting her the Dyson is basically BFF royalty behaviour. Her salon-level blowouts will thank you. 💁🏻♀️ Flowwow's Flower Bag with Hydrangea and Rose Supplied Celebrate Friendship Day in style with this chic floral handbag handcrafted with fresh, seasonal blooms of spray roses, hydrangea, and lisianthus.🌸 This is the new Birken, no?🤭 The Djerf Avenue Robe Supplied For the bestie whose dream day starts with slow mornings, iced coffee, and 30 minutes of skincare. The iconic Djerf Avenue robe is cloud-soft, neutral-toned, and basically a hug.🎀 It's minimalist, super viral, and screams clean girl aesthetic meets soft luxury. Who doesn't want to wake up and lounge in an iconic robe?✨🧁 Ladies' night is for the girls' girls Bar Du Port and L'Occitane are spoiling the ladies with glamorous beauty treats on July 30 at 7 PM. All you have to do is arrive early and be one of the first 30 ladies to receive a bottle of the viral Almond Shimmering Oil. Told you they're generous.✨ Location: Bar Du Port Dubai, Dubai Harbour Craving that golden hour glow and unlimited sips? Mina Seyahi is giving everything the group chat needs. 💅🏼 Boho-chic poolside lounging, rooftop views that literally scream 'post me', and a menu worth posting twice about. Oh, and the ambiance? Don't even get us started — Instagram will be begging you to post. Let's just say your camera roll's about to be booked and busy. 😌 Location: Ginger Moon at W Dubai Check out this 'missing bestie emotional support' article next.🥹
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Is the era of the anonymous restaurant critic over?
Is the cult of the anonymous restaurant critic dead? I think it probably is. What read like a death notice appeared this week in The New York Times. Foodies will know that the Times has long prided itself on anonymous reviewers. Part of the legend surrounding reviews by such former critics as Mimi Sheraton and Ruth Reichl was that they were never recognised at restaurants. Some even wore wigs and other disguises to remain unrecognisable - and then, published books about their adventures in anonymity. Well, all that's in the past. Two days ago, The New York Times announced that it had finally appointed full time successors to Pete Wells, its respected reviewer who stepped down in 2024 after trying to preserve his anonymity (with varying degrees of success) for years. The new critics are Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan. Both are well regarded food writers but they are hardly unknown or anonymous: For instance, I have praised Rao's writing in this column before. Sensibly the Times has decided to come clean. The announcement was accompanied by pictures and videos of the new critics. So, what happened to Ruth Reichl's disguises and Mimi Sheraton's masks (yes, she actually wore one to appear on a TV show angering a chef who was also on the show and tried to pull it off)? What happened to all that stuff about how reviewers had to be anonymous so that they could have the same experience as the average guest? Well, the Times conceded that the lack of anonymity could make a difference. 'It is true that there are things restaurant staff members can do once they realize a critic is in their restaurant,' it wrote. Also Read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Why Indian chefs hide their recipes unlike Western chefs 'Service can be more attentive (though that's not always a good thing); the critic can be seated at a great table; the kitchen can cook each dish twice (at least) and send out the best versions in generous portions.' They could have added more. If a critic is recognised then it is rarely the line cook who makes his or her food. It's the head chef who will put every dish together personally. The best ingredients will be used: The freshest fish, the finest steak and so on. So yes, it does make a difference: Up to a point. But there are two crucial factors we need to consider. The first was famously summed up by Henri Gault and Christian Millau who founded the Gault Millau guide in France in the 1960s. Yes, they said, it is always possible to get a bad meal at a great restaurant. It happens all the time and one has to take that into account. But it is impossible to get a good meal at a bad restaurant. Even if you are recognised (as Gault and Millau always were) a bad restaurant has very little room for manoeuvre. Even The New York Times's own critics have used a variation of this explanation. In her book The Fourth Star about the New York restaurant Daniel's quest for the top rating from The New York Times, Leslie Brenner writes about how William Grimes who was then the critic for the Times was recognised when he came to Daniel to review it. After a rave review appeared she called him to ask whether his lack of anonymity could have affected the kind of meal he was served. 'A restaurant can't make itself better than what it is,' he responded. 'At a restaurant of that calibre I don't think they are serving two kinds of food to two kinds of people.' Which is basically the Gault-Millau explanation all over again. As the Times now concedes the lack of anonymity does make a difference. But it doesn't make as great a difference as Mimi Sheraton or Ruth Reichl believed. Pete Wells tried to be anonymous but most New York restaurants put his picture up in their kitchens so he was usually recognised. But that did not stop him from doing hatchet jobs on such great restaurants as Eleven Madison Park (three Michelin stars), Per Se (also three stars) and most famously Peter Luger, a New York legend. Basically, if you know how to do your job, you can tell how good or bad a restaurant is even if you are not anonymous. In the UK, for instance, restaurant critics are not anonymous (with the notable exception of Marina O'Loughlin who was rarely photographed during her time as a reviewer) The two greatest critics of the last 50 years, Fay Maschler and AA Gill were recognised on the streets, not just when they went to restaurants. The lack of anonymity doesn't necessarily mean they always eat well. Years ago, I went with Maschler to Le Chabanais a much-hyped London restaurant opened by trendy French chef Inaki Aziparte. The food was crap and Maschler was unenthusiastic in her review. When AA Gill said much the same sort of thing, the restaurant closed. So, the general view that critics always eat well is wrong. There is a second factor behind the Times's decision to shed the anonymity of its reviewers. The days when the only reviews that mattered appeared in mainstream media are over. We are now bombarded with opinions about restaurants on social media. Many of these opinions are sincere even if they come from people who are not particularly knowledgeable about food. But many of them come from so-called influencers who are not bound by the same standards as mainstream media journalists and will happily accept financial considerations from restaurants (usually through agencies that are paid to secure social media publicity). Over the years the share of voice of PR companies and the influencers they hire has grown to unprecedented levels. Many of these influencers then vote in lists of great chefs or 50 Best Restaurants. As a result, many restaurants have vast budgets dedicated to securing good influencer reviews and places on these lists. Chefs and restaurateurs know how the lists are compiled but they also know that a high position on any list will vastly increase their business. In such a situation, newspapers must hire the best critics who have written well about food, understand restaurants and will cut through the lying hype. Such people do exist but they are rarely anonymous these days. They have appeared on food shows, have written and publicised books, have made their own videos and have social media profiles. Once upon a time it was possible for the Times to take say, a relatively anonymous foreign correspondent who had just returned from Rome and appoint him as the restaurant critic. You can't do that any longer. You need experts with experience and some standing of their own to tell the world's greatest restaurants and the world's best chefs what they are doing wrong. (Or right.) Anonymity works well for influencers you have never heard of. But not for serious critics. There is, of course, one exception to this general rule. Michelin is now a global organisation. Its inspectors are always anonymous even though they are rigorously trained and must eat at least 300 restaurant meals a year to keep track of trends and quality. Many operate internationally. If you run an Indian restaurant in Singapore you might be visited by an inspector from London. Chefs try very hard to spot Michelin inspectors but rarely succeed mainly because all the cliches you hear about them are not true: They aren't all French or Paris-based, they don't necessarily eat alone, they don't deliberately drop napkins on the floor to see how long it takes the servers to pick them up etc. Michelin is now the last bastion of anonymous and independent reviewing. It judges quality and consistency and not trendiness. That's why it's the one recognition that chefs respect. Let's hope it stays that way.
Ya Biladi
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Zineb Hattab, the chef of Moroccan origin who is revolutionizing Swiss vegan cuisine
DR A new name is making waves in Switzerland's culinary scene: Zineb «Zizi» Hattab. Originally from Spain and of Moroccan descent, this innovative chef has won over Zurich's food lovers with her inventive vegan cuisine, deeply rooted in her cultural heritage and a strong commitment to sustainability. Born to Moroccan parents and raised on the Costa Brava, Hattab first pursued a career in computer engineering. However, her passion for gastronomy led her to change course. She trained under renowned chefs such as Andreas Caminada in Switzerland and at the acclaimed Cosme restaurant in New York. Armed with these experiences, she opened KLE in Zurich in 2020, offering modern vegan cuisine with Moroccan and Mexican influences. From the start, the restaurant received critical acclaim, earning 14 points from Gault Millau and securing Hattab the title of «Discovery of the Year». Building on this success, she opened her second restaurant, DAR, in Zurich in October 2021. With a stronger Moroccan influence, it further cemented her reputation for high-quality vegan cuisine. A Trailblazer in Gastronomy In 2022, KLE became the first vegan restaurant in Switzerland to receive a MICHELIN star, recognizing the finesse and creativity of its cuisine. This honor was accompanied by a MICHELIN Green Star, highlighting her dedication to sustainability and her use of local, organic ingredients. That same year, Hattab was named one of the «Hospitality Pioneers» by the 50 Next list, which celebrates emerging leaders in global gastronomy. Most recently, in March 2025, she was awarded the Swiss Culinary Merit, an honor given to seven outstanding professionals in the field. As the only woman among the laureates that year, she was recognized for her innovative approach to vegan cuisine and her growing influence on Switzerland's gastronomic scene. Where Flavor Meets Ethics Beyond the awards, Hattab is widely respected for her commitment to ethical and sustainable dining. She collaborates closely with local producers to source organic ingredients, staying true to her philosophy of environmentally conscious, tradition-inspired cuisine. Her rapid rise reflects a major shift in haute cuisine, where vegan gastronomy is increasingly recognized and celebrated. By blending tradition with innovation, Zineb Hattab is not only redefining culinary norms but also paving the way for a new generation of chefs who prioritize both taste and sustainability.
Ya Biladi
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Zineb Hattab, the chef of Moroccan origin who is revolutionizing Swiss vegan cuisine
A new name is making waves in Switzerland's culinary scene: Zineb «Zizi» Hattab. Originally from Spain and of Moroccan descent, this innovative chef has won over Zurich's food lovers with her inventive vegan cuisine, deeply rooted in her cultural heritage and a strong commitment to sustainability. Born to Moroccan parents and raised on the Costa Brava, Hattab first pursued a career in computer engineering. However, her passion for gastronomy led her to change course. She trained under renowned chefs such as Andreas Caminada in Switzerland and at the acclaimed Cosme restaurant in New York. Armed with these experiences, she opened KLE in Zurich in 2020, offering modern vegan cuisine with Moroccan and Mexican influences. From the start, the restaurant received critical acclaim, earning 14 points from Gault Millau and securing Hattab the title of «Discovery of the Year». Building on this success, she opened her second restaurant, DAR, in Zurich in October 2021. With a stronger Moroccan influence, it further cemented her reputation for high-quality vegan cuisine. A Trailblazer in Gastronomy In 2022, KLE became the first vegan restaurant in Switzerland to receive a MICHELIN star, recognizing the finesse and creativity of its cuisine. This honor was accompanied by a MICHELIN Green Star, highlighting her dedication to sustainability and her use of local, organic ingredients. That same year, Hattab was named one of the «Hospitality Pioneers» by the 50 Next list, which celebrates emerging leaders in global gastronomy. Most recently, in March 2025, she was awarded the Swiss Culinary Merit, an honor given to seven outstanding professionals in the field. As the only woman among the laureates that year, she was recognized for her innovative approach to vegan cuisine and her growing influence on Switzerland's gastronomic scene. Where Flavor Meets Ethics Beyond the awards, Hattab is widely respected for her commitment to ethical and sustainable dining. She collaborates closely with local producers to source organic ingredients, staying true to her philosophy of environmentally conscious, tradition-inspired cuisine. Her rapid rise reflects a major shift in haute cuisine, where vegan gastronomy is increasingly recognized and celebrated. By blending tradition with innovation, Zineb Hattab is not only redefining culinary norms but also paving the way for a new generation of chefs who prioritize both taste and sustainability.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Why you should visit Chalet Mirabell: A luxury spa retreat in South Tyrol with Michelin-recognized dining
Nestled in the heart of South Tyrol's dramatic alpine landscape, Chalet Mirabell is a five-star sanctuary offering guests a seamless blend of luxury, nature, and world-class wellness. Perched on the Hafling plateau overlooking Merano, the resort's breathtaking mountain vistas set the stage for an indulgent escape, whether skiing in the winter, hiking in the summer, or simply unwinding in its expansive spa. Chalet Mirabell's 70 rooms, suites, and four exclusive mountain villas exude contemporary alpine sophistication. Natural materials such as warm woods and stone create a cozy yet refined aesthetic. Many rooms feature private balconies or terraces with sweeping views of the Dolomites, while the mountain villas—ranging from 160 to 303 square meters—elevate the experience with private pools, saunas, and designer kitchens. With one of the largest wellness areas in the Alps, spanning 6,000 square meters, Chalet Mirabell delivers a holistic spa experience. The adults-only premium spa offers Finnish saunas, a steam bath, relaxation rooms, and panoramic saunas with jaw-dropping mountain views. A separate family-friendly spa area also ensures that younger guests can enjoy the wellness experience. If you enjoy lounging poolside, the property boasts an indoor-outdoor infinity pool, a 31-meter heated swimming pool, and South Tyrol's longest natural swimming pond in a serene 10,000-square-meter garden. Yoga and Pilates sessions are offered multiple times weekly, blending mindful movement with the stunning alpine surroundings. Chalet Mirabell's restaurant, recommended by the Michelin Guide and Gault Millau, highlights the best regional and Mediterranean cuisine. Executive Chef Terence curates menus with locally sourced ingredients, from organic meat sourced from nearby villages to fresh herbs grown on-site. The ¾ gourmet board includes an extensive breakfast buffet, live cooking stations for lunch, an afternoon cake selection, and a multi-course gourmet dinner each evening. Vegan and vegetarian options are always available. Adventure seekers will find Chalet Mirabell ideally positioned for year-round exploration. In winter, the resort provides direct access to the Merano 2000 ski area, where guests can ski, snowboard, or take advantage of guided excursions through snow-covered forests. In warmer months, hiking and e-biking trails weave through the Dolomites, offering some of the most picturesque scenery in northern Italy. For those who prefer a slower pace, guided llama and alpaca hikes provide a charming way to explore the region. The hotel also offers complimentary hiking gear rentals, including backpacks and poles. Travelers planning a visit can take advantage of exclusive seasonal packages, such as the Easter Special (April 11–27, 2025), which offers one complimentary night for guests staying seven nights. Other packages include Wellness & Relax Days (April 27–May 25, 2025), where guests receive one free night with a five-night stay, and Long Stay Spring-Time (April 11–June 30, 2025), which grants two complimentary nights for a 14-night visit. Each package includes guided hikes, e-bike tours, wellness access, and curated dining experiences. Chalet Mirabell is situated in Avelengo, South Tyrol, Italy, just above Merano. It's a four-hour drive from Munich and three hours from Milan or Venice. With a 6,000-square-meter spa, panoramic saunas, a 31-meter heated pool, and one of South Tyrol's largest natural swimming ponds, Chalet Mirabell offers a world-class wellness experience. The Michelin-recognized dining and luxury accommodations make it a standout among alpine resorts. Yes. While the resort has an adults-only wellness area, it also offers a separate family-friendly spa, a children's pool with slides, and a Kids Club for ages three and up. Special family excursions, such as llama hikes, add to the appeal. Winter is ideal for skiing at Merano 2000, while spring and summer are perfect for hiking, e-biking, and spa relaxation. The resort's Easter and spring packages make it an attractive option for seasonal travel. Whether you're seeking a wellness retreat, a ski holiday, or an unforgettable luxury escape in South Tyrol, Chalet Mirabell delivers an unparalleled five-star experience. From its expansive spa facilities to its Michelin-recognized dining and breathtaking alpine scenery, this Italian Alps retreat is one of the most sought-after destinations in northern Italy. For more details or to book a stay, visit Chalet Mirabell's official website.
