Dubai
Carmen Rueda Hernandez began her life in a rural Spanish town with a love of all things sweet. After graduating from culinary school, she left her home country to jump around the world in the pursuit of knowledge.
Developing her craft across a roster of international dining institutions, most notably The Fat Duck in Bray and the now-shuttered El Bulli in Roses, Rueda Hernandez landed in Dubai’s Jumeirah Fishing Harbour in 2019 to lead the pastry sections of 3 Fils, the inaugural No.1 in Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants, and Brix: the city’s first and sole dessert-only dining experience.
Rueda Hernandez’s brilliance is boundless at 3 Fils, best seen in desserts such as the signature African Powerhouse: a rich yet balanced tart that showcases Ghanaian 68% single-origin chocolate at its core. But Brix is where the Spaniard’s creativity really comes to life.
The Silk Road menu operates as the signature offering from Brix, where Rueda Hernandez explores six key destinations within the historic namesake trade route – China, India, Persia, Türkiye, Greece and Italy – and transforms them into six picture-perfect bites served over a short but sweet 60 minutes. Dishes are bold and experimental: a trip through Persia takes the form of a delicate meringue topped with saffron ganache and a thin line of caviar, and a dip into China leans on caramelised seaweed. Each guest is also presented the menu in the form of a faux passport and boarding pass, to remind them of their culinary expedition at Brix.
The dessert bar’s alternative menu, The Seasons, offers a compact, four-course experience inspired by the chef's personal memories associated with the changing months each year. Autumn, for example, may arrive in the form of cherry and ginger ice cream, paired with dark chocolate and shavings of truffle.
In 2023, Brix Café opened its doors as the group’s casual all-day eatery, where Rueda Hernandez satisfies palates of every kind. Comforting dishes range from classic scrambled eggs with smoked salmon to wagyu beef lasagne, with a honed selection of classic and contemporary viennoiseries also available, including a Cubano-style croissant and a selection of hearty breads baked on-site daily.
A pioneer in the region with a bold and ambitious palate, Rueda Hernandez is the winner of the Best Pastry Chef Award 2025, sponsored by Valrhona.
The MENA’s Best Pastry Chef Award aims to recognise and reward talent and excellence in the fields of desserts and pastry. The accolade is voted for by over 200 independent restaurant industry experts and well-travelled gourmets from across the region.
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