Twelve of the world's top Michelin chefs to take over Abu Dhabi

The cooks, many of whom lead three-starred kitchens, will descend on the city for a new weekly restaurant series

From left, Alberto Landgraf, Tala Bashmi, Julien Royer and Victoria Blamey. Photo: Alberto Landgraf / Instagram, Mena's 50 Best Restaurants, Julien Royer / Instagram, Victoria Blamey

A dozen globally renowned chefs will take over kitchens across Abu Dhabi next month.

The Exceptional Chef Series will begin on September 8, bringing in the culinary brains from some of the world's best Michelin-starred restaurants.

Running every Friday and Saturday until October 14, there will be chef's tables, "four-hands dinners" and other activities showcasing their gastronomic expertise.

Among the invited cooks is Enrico "Chicco" Cerea of Da Vittorio, a three Michelin-starred restaurant in Lombardy, Italy. He is set to take over Cafe Milano at the Four Seasons Hotel, Al Maryah Island.

Chilean chef Victoria Blamey will cook at BB Social Dining in Rosewood Abu Dhabi, while Julien Royer – the mastermind behind the three-starred restaurant Odette Singapore, will take over the kitchen of Villa Toscana at St Regis Abu Dhabi.

Other chefs in the line-up include Tala Bashmi of Fusions by Tala in Bahrain, who is taking over the kitchen of Hakkasan at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental; Kim Alter, the chef-owner behind Nightbird in San Francisco, who is cooking at Jose by Pizarro, Conrad Etihad Towers; and Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco, who has three stars at his restaurant Mirazur in France.

The series is part of the Abu Dhabi Culinary Season led by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, which celebrates the capital as an up-and-coming global gastronomic hub. It comes as the UAE continues to attract world-renowned chefs, either to one-off stage events or to set up permanently.

The new wave of chefs coming into the Emirates is complemented by the recent arrival of the Michelin Guide in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as the restaurant rankings of World's 50 Best.

Three restaurants in Abu Dhabi were given Michelin stars, while 14 venues in Dubai are part of the coveted list.

Every Friday and Saturday, September 8 to October 14; set menus start at Dh350; guests can book tables via visitabudhabi.ae