The inaugural edition of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants awards will be held in Abu Dhabi in early February 2022. Alongside the signature ultra-exclusive awards ceremony, during which the first list in the region will be revealed, a series of unique culinary events will offer local foodies a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste the cooking of and learn from some of the world’s most celebrated chefs. Discover who they are and what you can expect here
At the beginning of 2022, 50 Best will be launching its first new awards programme since 2013: Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants. The unveiling of the first edition of the list and special awards on Monday, 7th February 2022, is set to attract the attention of the region’s gourmets – and will be accompanied by a series of culinary events open to the public in the days leading up to and immediately following the awards ceremony. For the occasion, 50 Best will be bringing the cream of the restaurant world to Abu Dhabi – here’s what you can look forward to:
Unique dining experiences
MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants will offer exclusive dining opportunities including a one-off chance to indulge in a menu prepared by Pía León of Central and Kjolle in Lima, Peru, the current holder of The World’s Best Female Chef title. León is the co-owner of Central, ranked No.4 in the global ranking of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and multiple winner of The Best Restaurant in Latin America award. She is also the leader of a solo venture, Kjolle, which recently entered the 51-100 list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. This unique experience is set to be hosted on a private island location in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 5th February 2022. A second exclusive dinner, led by a world-famous chef, is also set to be confirmed as part of the culinary event line-up in the coming weeks.
The World's Best Female Chef, Pía León, and a selection of dishes from her restaurant, Kjolle
Masterclasses
Gastronomy aficionados and home cooks alike will be able to learn from the very best with a series of ‘50 Best Chef Masterclasses’, set to take place on 4th February 2022. The masterclasses will feature acclaimed chefs such as Tim Raue of Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany; Will Goldfarb of Room4Dessert in Bali, Indonesia who is also The World’s Best Pastry Chef 2021; and Peru’s own Pia León showcasing their skills and mastery while preparing signature dishes in front of a live audience. 
The World's Best Pastry Chef, Will Goldfarb, and a dessert dish from his restaurant, Room4Dessert
The interactive sessions will give ticketholders the opportunity to converse with the renowned culinary leaders, gain insights into their food philosophy and be inspired by their flavours, stories and experiences.
Chef Tim Raue of the eponymous Restaurant Tim Raue in Berlin, Germany
Collaborative dining series
Visiting chefs from around the world will team up with local talent to create a variety of extraordinary four-hand lunches and dinners, exclusively served at a number of home-grown and internationally celebrated restaurants in Abu Dhabi. Barbecue master Dave Pynt of Singapore’s Burnt Ends, which made its debut on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021, will show off his talent for cooking over fire in conjunction with a leading Abu Dhabi destination restaurant. Super-innovative pastry chef Will Goldfarb will blend his brilliant desserts with regional dishes to create a truly memorable menu. A further international collaboration will be confirmed in due course. The dining series will take place from 4th-8th February 2022.
Chef Dave Pynt of Burnt Ends in Singapore and his dish, Burnt Ends Sanger
#50BestTalks
The inaugural MENA edition of 50 Best’s established live on-stage event, #50BestTalks, will be open to all food lovers in the UAE and the wider MENA region. First established in 2014, #50BestTalks sees leading chefs, restaurateurs and culinary thinkers present, discuss and debate current topics and challenges around food. This regionally inspired edition will focus on how MENA can strengthen, present and promote its unique culinary identity, while combining its rich culinary heritage with innovation and dynamism. Speakers will include key figures within the F&B industry from across the MENA region as well as from the global gastronomic community. #50BestTalks will include an interactive audience Q&A session and is set to take place on the afternoon of 5th February 2022.
Abu Dhabi will host the inaugural Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants in 2022
Excited to attend on the events in Abu Dhabi? Full details – including dates, timings, exact locations and ticket prices, as well as other participating chefs – will be announced in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, visit the MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants website to discover how the list is being created and join the community on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to be the first to hear about the latest news and announcements.
