Latest news with #OrfaliBros
The National
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Meet the Indian-Syrian chef duo behind Manao, a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in Dubai
Earning a Michelin star within just five months of opening is a rare feat, even more so when there isn't a celebrity chef leading the kitchen. Yet, that's exactly what Thai-inspired restaurant Manao did in May, becoming part of the 2025 Michelin Guide Dubai. Helmed by Indian chef Abhiraj Khatwani, 30, Manao is a reflection of his multicultural upbringing and a shared culinary vision with his mentor and business partner, Mohamad Orfali, the acclaimed Syrian chef behind Orfali Bros in Dubai, which also has one Michelin star. 'Honestly, it hasn't even fully hit me yet,' Khatwani, who was also awarded Michelin's Young Chef Award during the ceremony, tells The National. 'It feels more like a relief – for the team, for everyone who's supported us. But we're just doing what we set out to do, which is serve good food and make people happy.' Born in Jeddah, raised in Dubai and educated in Montreal, Khatwani says his path to the kitchen wasn't straightforward. But food, he adds, was always a part of it. 'We always had people over ... 20, 30 people every other day,' he recalls of his childhood. 'My mum cooked everything, so hospitality was a way of life.' After university in Canada, Khatwani chose to study culinary arts at a school outside London, which led him to working kitchens in Denmark as well as Thailand, where he began to develop a deep appreciation for Thai flavours. In 2018, after returning to Dubai, he opened The Yellow Monkey, a casual Thai eatery in JBR, which quickly earned a dedicated following. It was here that he first met Orfali, already a well-known TV chef then. 'I wasn't a big fan of Thai food,' Orfali tells The National. 'But after tasting Abhiraj's food, I fell in love. It was different – creative, balanced, exciting.' The Covid-19 pandemic lead to The Yellow Monkey shutting in 2020. The chefs' paths crossed again two years later. Orfali, who had already taken Orfali Bros to great heights, including earning its own Michelin star, was looking to expand his culinary empire and took Khatwani under his wing. Their mutual admiration evolved into a business partnership, and Manao was born, opening in December last year to immediate acclaim. An ode to Thailand, food at Manao is served via an 11-course tasting menu, shaped by Khatwani's expertise in the country's cuisine and the Orfali Bros formula of refined cooking techniques. You won't find your traditional green curries or pad Thai noodles here, but rather modern interpretations that blend flavours masterfully. Made in Dubai, for Dubai In many ways, the city of Dubai helped birth Manao, Orfali says. 'We wanted to add something new to the scene, something elegant but accessible,' he says. 'Thai at its soul, but with layers of global influence. 'We always say: 'If something works in Dubai, it can work anywhere,'' he adds. 'Dubai has one of the most diverse, demanding audiences in the world. If they approve it, it means something. 'Manao will only ever exist in Dubai. It's made for this city.' Like Orfali Bros, with its fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine, Manao is not supposed to be flashy. Even its location, in Jumeirah, close to Orfali Bros, was deliberately chosen and not intended to be a fine-dining destination. Chasing people, not stars Orfali Bros recently retained its Michelin star on the 2025 Michelin Guide Dubai. It also topped this year's Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list and earned a spot in the coveted annual listing's global ranking, coming in at No 37. 'We didn't set out to earn a Michelin star,' says Orfali. 'We're cooking for people. Our guests are our priority, and our team is our family. The stars come when you focus on what matters.' Orfali, who works alongside his brothers Wassim and Omar, is putting the finishing touches on his a new restaurant concept, Three Bros, set to open soon. As he has done with Manao and Khatwani, he wants to turn his attention to young chefs, giving them a platform to shine. 'That's my investment plan for now, to do more by giving an opportunity to other chefs from the team, and replicate the concept like what we're doing with Abhiraj,' says Orfali. As for Khatwani, he's staying grounded. 'We want to keep innovating, keep improving,' he says. 'I think we just have to keeping doing what we're doing.' But Orfali, who calls Khatwani 'the fourth bro', might have something more up his sleeve for him. 'I want to push him to do something Indian,' he teases. 'He'll kill it.'
Business Recorder
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
Two Dubai restaurants named among World's 50 Best for 2025
Dubai continues to make waves on the global culinary food scene, as two restaurants were recently included on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list. 3 Michelin-starred restaurant, Trèsind Studio secured the 27th position, while Orfali Bros, with one Michelin star, ranked 37th, making them the only Middle Eastern establishments to enter this year's coveted ranking. View this post on Instagram Experimenting with Syrian cuisine, one Michelin-starred Orfali Bros comprises of three brothers from Aleppo - head chef Mohamad and pastry chefs Wassim and Omar blend traditional Syrian elements with pan-regional favourites. Trèsind Studio, located at Palm Jumeirah, offers an intimate theatre where modern Indian cuisine takes centre stage The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, determined by over 1,000 international industry experts, including renowned chefs and food writers, is widely regarded as the culinary world's most prestigious honour. The top position went to Maido, located in Lima which blends Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients into Nikkei cuisine.
UAE Moments
20-06-2025
- Business
- UAE Moments
Two Dubai Restaurants Make it to World's 50 Best Restaurants
Two Dubai-based restaurants made it to the 2025 World's 50 Best Restaurants, and they are Tresind Studio and Orfali Bros. The annual list was revealed in Turin, Italy. Tresind Studio ranked 27th in the list, while Orfali Bros ranked 37th. Both restaurants had made it to the list last year, with Tresind ranking 13th and Orfali ranking 64th. Both restaurants are the only restaurants from the Middle East to make it to the list this year. This ranking follows Tresind Studio earning its third Michelin star in May this year. Tresind is an Indian-fusion restaurant run by head chef Himanshu Saini, which is located on the Palm Jumeirah.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Two Dubai restaurants make World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list
DUBAI: Two restaurants in Dubai made the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, which was unveiled on Thursday. Orfali Bros placed 37th, while Trèsind Studio came in at 27. 'The Orfali brothers from Aleppo, Syria, have created a genuinely unique dining experience in multi-cultural Dubai,' the guide read. 'There are three brothers: Mohamad (head chef), Wassim and Omar, pastry chefs. They mix traditional Syrian staples with pan-regional favorites, and European culinary tropes with Asian ingredients to create a menu that defies categorization.' The restaurant also has one Michelin star. Meanwhile, Indian eatery Trèsind Studio, which has tree Michelin stars, was awarded No. 27 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. In a released statement, head chef Himanshu Saini said: 'Being named #27 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants is a celebration of the team, our culture, and the flavors that inspire everything we do. This honor reinforces our belief that modern Indian cuisine belongs on the world stage while staying true to our heritage.' The restaurant was also awarded The Best Restaurant in the Middle East 2025 top spot. 'Dining at Trèsind Studio, now located on The Palm Jumeirah, can be a dramatic experience, with just 20 seats available. As you progress through the tasting menu, expect to be relocated to different areas of the restaurant, each carefully curated to match the plates in front of you, cooked by chef Himanshu Saini,' the Best Restaurant guide read. The World's 50 Best Restaurants list is annually created by William Reed Business Media. It collates the opinion of more than 1,000 international restaurant industry experts, including chefs and food writers who vote for their favorite dining experiences.
The National
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Dubai's Tresind Studio and Orfali Bros on World's 50 Best Restaurants list again
Orfali Bros and Tresind Studio are among the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The annual list was revealed on Thursday night in Turin, Italy. Tresind Studio ranked at No 27 (down from No 13 last year), while Orfali Bros re-entered the list at No 37 (up from No 64), making them the only restaurants from the Middle East to make it into the prestigious ranking. In May, fusion-Indian restaurant Tresind Studio earned its third Michelin star after what head chef Himanshu Saini described as a 'marathon' effort by his team of 'champions' over the past few years. The immersive dining restaurant opened in 2018. Saini first made headlines in 2022, when Tresind Studio – which is located at St Regis Gardens on Palm Jumeirah – made it on to both the debut Mena's 50 Best list (coming in at No 4) and the Middle East's first Michelin Guide (earning one star, before another in 2023 and a third this year). Orfali Bros – run by Syrian brothers Omar, Mohamad and Wassim – topped this year's Mena's 50 Best Restaurants, making it the third time in a row that the Michelin-starred restaurant has won the honour. Located at Wasl 51 Mall in Jumeirah 1, Orfali Bros serves Mediterranean cuisine with a global influence. The creativity of its fusion fare is evident in dishes such as foie gras with quince vinegar and hazelnut miso; umami eclair with porcini emulsion, Marmite, cacao nibs and beef prosciutto; and adobo chicken wings. Winners at World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 1. Maido, Lima, Peru 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain 3. Quintonil, Mexico City 4. Diverxo, Madrid, Spain 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand 7. Sezanne, Tokyo, Japan 8. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris, France 9. Kjolle, Lima, Peru 10. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 11. Wing, Hong Kong 12. Atomix, New York City, US 13. Potong, Bangkok, Thailand (new entry) 14. Plentitude, Paris, France 15. Ikoyi, London, UK 16. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy 17. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand 18. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy 19. The Chairman, Hong Kong 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, Brunco, Italy (new entry) 21. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan 22. Suhring, Bangkok, Thailand 23. Borago, Santiago, Chile 24. Elkano, Gipuzkoa, Spain 25. Odette, Singapore 26. Merito, Lima, Peru (new entry) 27. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE 28. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (new entry) 29. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea 30. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand 31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy 32. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy 33. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria 34. Enigma, Barcelona, Spain (new entry) 35. Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand (new entry) 36. Florilege, Tokyo, Japan 37. Orfali Bros, Dubai, UAE 38. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden 39. Mayta, Lima, Peru 40. Septime, Paris, France 41. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark (new entry) 42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal 43. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy 44. La Cime, Osaka, Japan 45. Arpege, Paris, France 46. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico 47. Vyn, Simrishamng, Sweden (new entry) 48. Celele, Cartagena, Colombia (new entry) 49. Kol, London, UK
