The Michelin Guide has announced its 2025 list for Dubai, awarding three stars for the first time in the Emirates.
Indian restaurant Tresind Studio, which already had two stars, earned its third this year 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.
It is now the only Indian restaurant in the world to have three Michelin stars. “Tresind Studio can only be Tresind Studio in this country, in this city, in Dubai,” said Saini.
Moments earlier, European eatery FZN by Bjorn Frantzen became the first restaurant in the UAE to be awarded three stars. “What a moment, what an achievement … I came to Dubai for the first time 16 years ago, to imagine being here now on stage feels unreal,” said head chef Torsten Vildgaard.
Chef-patron Bjorn Frantzen, who already helms three-Michelin-starred restaurants in Singapore and his native Sweden, brought FZN and its more relaxed sister venue, Studio Frantzen, to Dubai in November.
As the ceremony unfolded at Address Sky View in Downtown Dubai, two new restaurants were awarded one star each, while five were added to Michelin's Bib Gourmand category – which represents worthy value-for-money restaurants.
Three green stars and four special awards were also handed out.
Michelin-starred restaurants in Dubai
Tresind Studio and FZN by Bjorn Frantzen took home the most sought-after accolade, but many more restaurants were recognised and awarded throughout the evening.
This year, two restaurants, Manao and Jamavar, were newly awarded one star, bringing the total number of one-Michelin-starred restaurants in Dubai to 14.
Retaining their stars for 2025 were 11 Woodfire, Al Muntaha, Avatara, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Hakkasan, Hoseki, La Dame de Pic Dubai, Moonrise, Orfali Bros, Ossiano, Smoked Room and Tasca by Jose Avillez.
Massimo Bottura's Torno Subito and Sagetsu by Tetsuya, which held one star each in past years, shut down in November and April, respectively.
While no new establishments received two stars, Jason Atherton's Row on 45, Il Ristorante – Niko Romito and Stay by Yannick Alleno all retained theirs.
Three green stars recognising culinary excellence amid sustainable operations were also announced, going to Boca, Lowe, and Teible.
Bib Gourmand restaurants
The category recognises “just-as-esteemed” and friendly establishments that serve good food at reasonable prices, and five new restaurants were added to the list: Duo Gastrobar Creek Harbour, Harummanis, Hawkerboi, Khadak and Sufret Maryam.
The restaurants that already hold the accolade are: 3 Fils, 21 grams, Aamara, Al Khayma, Bait Maryam, Berenjak, Duo Gastrobar, Goldfish, Hoe Lee Kow, Indya by Vineet, Kinoya, Konjiki Hototogisu, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki (Dar Wasl and Dubai Hills outposts), Revelry, Shabestan and Teible.
In total, 22 restaurants made it into this year's Michelin Guide within the Bib Gourmand category, which gets its moniker from Bibendum, the Michelin Man. The guide explains it is “not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize”.
Special awards
Four special awards were also handed out. Sin Keun Choi at Ronin won Opening of the Year, although nobody from the team were there on the night to collect the esteemed red placard.
Shiv Menon of Boca received the Sommelier Award, while the Special Service Award went to Mohama Gala of Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant.
Abhiraj Khatwani, 30, took home the Young Chef of the Year award. The Dubai-born chef opened his restaurant Manao, late last year.
Speaking to The National after the ceremony, Khatwani said: “It feels good, but the major achievement is probably the one star, because it's the hard work of the whole team.”
Mohamed Orfali – one of the three brothers behind Orfali Bros and brainchild of Manao alongside Khatwani – added: “We worked on the Manao concept together for years, but just executed it about five months ago. And here we are, one Michelin star!”
Michelin-selected restaurants
Elsewhere, 78 restaurants – 15 of them first-timers – were named as Michelin-selected, meaning they are highly valued by the Guide's anonymous food inspectors.
New entrants to the list include: Baoli, BordoMavi, Dragonfly, Gerbou, Indikaya, Late Eatery, Lena Dubai, Mimi Mei Fair, Osteria Funkcoolio, Ronin, Sexy Fish, Studio Frantzen, Tang Town, The Spaniel and Xu.
A total of 119 establishments were recognised in Dubai this year, with 35 different cuisines represented.
Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, took to the stage to laud Dubai's foodie scene. “Dubai is a city that never fails to amaze. It has become a global culinary destination that attracts enthusiasts from around the world,” he said, thanking the emirate's relentless effort. “Dubai will remain at the forefront of global culinary cuisine … setting new standards around the world.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
