Andrea Strim - Executive Chef

Andrea Strim joined the Jumeirah Emirates Towers team in 2010 as Executive Chef to overlooking the hotel’s numerous restaurants and extensive team of chefs.

Prior to this, he was Chef de Cuisine for Italian fine dining restaurant, Carnevale, in sister property Jumeirah Beach Hotel before quickly progressing to take on the role of Executive Sous Chef for the family resort - overlooking 22 food and beverage outlets. Following this he moved to Burj Al Arab in 2009 to take on the role of Executive Sous Chef before his promotion to the role of Executive Chef at Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

Prior to joining Jumeirah, Chef Andrea received his Diploma in Culinary Arts from the Cesare Ritz Hospitality School in his home country – Italy, while working as Chef de Partie in various prestigious Hotels including the Espace Henri Chenot Palace Hotel. 

After obtaining a Degree in Hotel Management from the Carlo Porta Management School in Milan, Chef Andrea pursued his career working in a number of leading restaurants worldwide including The Hamilton Hotel & Spa in Japan. In 2004 he came to Dubai and joined the Jumeirah family. 

Patrice Cabannes - Executive Pastry Chef

Chef Patrice Cabannes has spent over 20 years working in various pastry chef roles across several restaurants and 5 star hotels and in 2010 joined Jumeirah as the Executive Pastry Chef in Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

 Chef Patrice started his culinary career as an apprentice pastry chef in France in 1989 and worked in several places including as a Chef in the military service in 1991. Between 1991 and 1994, he worked in several restaurants in Prague and France before moving to the USA.

Here he spent time as a Pastry Chef in several restaurants and 5 star hotels in the USA such as Ritz Carlton Laguna Nigel in California, Canoe Restaurant in Atlanta, and Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay also in California. 

In 2003, Chef Patrice moved to Thailand and spent four years as the Executive Pastry Chef at The Peninsula Bangkok Hotel and prior to joining Jumeirah spent two years as an Executive Pastry Chef for the pre-opening of The Address Hotel in Downtown Burj Dubai.

Luca De Negri - Executive Sous Chef

Italian Chef Luca De Negri joined Jumeirah in 2008 as the Chef De Cuisine at the award-winning Majlis Al Bahar restaurant in Burj Al Arab.In 2010 he became Chef De Cuisine for Burj Al Arab’s cold kitchen before moving into his current role as Executive Sous Chef in Jumeirah Emirates Towers.     

After receiving his hotelier diploma in Italy in 1996, Chef Luca started an apprenticeship in Chateau de Pourtales, France. Between 1999 and 2001 he worked in three Michelin Star restaurants in Paris including Le Chateau de Ligny, L’Ermitage and Le Gavroche.  

In 2002, Chef Luca moved to Indonesia and became Italian Head Chef in Jakarta’s Shangri-la Hotel before moving to Mercantile Athletic Club, a private club in Jakarta in 2003 to work as an Executive Chef for another three years.

Prior to joining Jumeirah, Chef Luca spent two years as the Italian Head Chef in Come Prima fine dining Italian restaurant in Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai.

Aijiro Shinoda - Chef de Cuisine, Tokyo @ the Towers

Japanese Chef, Aijiro Shinoda, has specialised in Japanese cuisine for over 30 years prior to joining Jumeirah Emirates Towers 2011. He is now Chef de Cuisine at Tokyo@ the Towers, located on the upper floor of The Boulevard.

After graduating from high school, Chef Aijiro began his career in Hotel Okura, Japan, as Commis Chef and spent the next 22 years there, progressing to Sous Chef while developing the fine art of Japanese and French cuisine.

Following this in 1999, Chef Aijiro worked as a consultant for a leading Australian meat and livestock provider, while at the same time working as a Chef in his own restaurant, “Chef’s Table” in Tokyo. In 2002, he became a Consultant Chef for a well known supermarket chain in Japan which included three organic restaurants.

In 2004, Chef Aijiro moved to Taiwan to become the Head Chef at a fusion Japanese restaurant in The Splendor Hotel. He then moved to Dubai in 2006, taking on the role of Senior Sous Chef at the White Orchid Restaurant in Jebel Ali Golf Resort, before joining the Emirates Flight Catering Production in 2010 as Executive Sous Chef.

Ali Hussain Al Ammar - Chef de Cuisine, Al Nafoorah

Lebanese Chef, Ali Hussain, joined Jumeirah in 2000 and has since played an instrumental role in the pre-opening of Al Nafoorah in Jumeirah Emirates Towers and most recently for Al Nafoorah Restaurant in Jumeirah Zabeel Saray.

After graduating from the Hotel Management and Food Production College in Beirut, Ali began his culinary career in 1975 working as an Assistant Oriental Chef in the Carlton Hotel in Lebanon. Following this he became a Food Production teacher at Al-Mourouge College for two years before moving to Saudi Arabia to become a chef at an Oriental restaurant.

In 1982, Ali moved to the UAE and spent eight years as an Oriental Chef in the catering arm of Spinney’s supermarket in Abu Dhabi. Following this he spent next ten years as an Executive Oriental Chef at the Hilton International Abu Dhabi before joining the Jumeirah Group.

Ana Maria Cordido Gasperi - Chef de Cuisine, The Rib Room

Chef Ana Maria joined the team at Jumeirah Emirates Towers as Chef de Cuisine for multi-award winning steakhouse restaurant, The Rib Room, in October 2010.

Following her graduation in 2000 from the Venezuelan Centre of Gastronomical Qualification, Ana Maria worked as Sous Chef for an international selection of restaurants including Le Petit Bistro de Jacques in Venezuela, The French Verandah in the Caribbean and the Diane de Meridor in France.

She joined the Jumeirah family in 2005 as Sous Chef for Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s Argentinian restaurant - La Parrilla, moving to the resort’s Villa Beach restaurant in 2006. She later moved to sister hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, as Chef de Cuisine for renowned Spanish restaurant, Al Hambra. Following this she worked for MJ’s Steak House, again as Chef de Cuisine before moving to her current role in Jumeirah Emirates Towers. 

Chef Joshua Duncan - Sous Chef, Vu’s restaurant

Chef Joshua Duncan joined Jumeirah in 2008 as a Junior Sous Chef in Burj Al Arab’s award-winning seafood restaurant, Al Mahara. Following this he became Sous Chef at Vu’s restaurant, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, in 2010.

The Australian chef began his culinary career in 1997 as a kitchen steward in his home country before studying for three years at Coffs Harbour TAFE Vocational School while working in several restaurants as an apprentice. Between 2004 and 2005, Chef Joshua worked as a Commis Chef and then as a Chef De Partie in a variety of Australian based restaurants including Watergrill Seafood Bar and Restaurant and the Prerisher Manor Ski Chalet.

Prior to joining Jumeirah in 2005, Chef Joshua moved to London and spent three years as the Chef De Partie at the Royal Commonwealth Club where he represented the club in several cooking competitions. Some of these competitions included the Annual Award of Excellence competition by the Academy of Culinary Arts in London and the Hotelympia London at Salon Culinaire competition - where he won a silver medal. 

Wanchalerm Sukseekao - Chief Carving Artist

Chef Wanchalerm joined Jumeirah Emirates Towers in 2000 having spent 15 years prior to this honing his sculpting and carving skills. He returned to his home country in Bangkok, Thailand, for two years before coming back to Jumeirah in 2004.

He began his career as an Artist Ice Carver in Hilton International Hotel, Bangkok, and then moved to the Hilton Abu Dhabi in 1996 to further train in the art of ice carving. Between 1997 and 2000, Chef Wanchalerm returned to Bangkok and spent time as an ice carver in several hotels including the Alexander Hotel, Le Meridian President and Pathumwan Princess Hotel.

Chef Wanchalerm has won multiple Gold and Silver medals in the Middle East Junior Chef of the year competition and the Emirates Salon Culinaire competition between 2004 and 2008. He was voted Best Artist of the year in The Middle East Junior Chef of the year competition in 2004 and the best Artist of the year in The Emirates Salon Culinaire competition in 2006.