Chefs including Yasmina Hayek, Gaggan Anand and Sara Aqel will headline the upcoming edition of #50BestTalks in Abu Dhabi, revealing their childhood influences and creating magical moments for guests
From the sounds and smells of childhood to signature family dishes, nostalgic recipes and flavours frequently shape the menus of many of the world’s leading chefs. In skilled hands, new iterations of old favourites are crafted which, in turn, contribute to lifelong memories for diners.
The next edition of #50BestTalks, taking place in The Abu Dhabi Edition on 27 January as part of the MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 programme, explores these themes under the title: ‘Memory on a Plate.’ The live thought-leadership event will see a stellar line-up of culinary creatives coming together not only from the MENA region, but from across the globe.
The line-up features Yasmina Hayek, the executive group chef of Em Sherif, alongside Mostafa Seif, executive chef of the highly acclaimed Khufu’s in Cairo. Sara Aqel, the charismatic young Palestinian-Jordanian chef behind Dara Dining in Amman, and her team will explore the role of heritage in dishes.
The last edition of #50BestTalks in the region took place in 2023, with gastronomic leaders discussing "What is Luxury?"
From beyond MENA, two superstar chefs will bring varying global perspectives to the table. The legendary Gaggan Anand of Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok will discuss the most important flavours in his repertoire. And Eduard Xatruch, one third of the chef trio behind Disfrutar – named The World’s Best Restaurant 2024 – brings his creative genius from Barcelona to the UAE capital for the first time.
Aimed to be equal parts inspirational and educational, #50BestTalks will see guests treated to surprise samples before, during and after the show, which takes place one day before the fourth edition of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. Check out more details on each speaker below.
Yasmina Hayek, Em Sherif, Beirut
Since being opened by Mireille Hayek in 2011, Em Sherif has become one of the most revered Lebanese restaurants in the world, and the business now stretches across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. In 2018, Mireille was joined by her daughter, Yasmina, who had trained in France and at leading restaurants around the world. Now executive chef at Em Sherif Group, Yasmina has just been named MENA’s Best Female Chef 2025. She will examine different takes on family favourites and the passing on of skills and flavours from mother to daughter.
Eduard Xatruch, Disfrutar, Barcelona 
In June 2024, Disfrutar in Barcelona was ranked No.1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, almost exactly 10 years after it was opened by three former El Bulli chefs: Eduard Xatruch, Oriel Castro and Mateu Casañas. The trio have developed one of the most creative and memorable dining experiences of all time, with around 40 dishes served over a four-hour period. Xatruch will provide an insight into the team’s creative process and demonstrate the importance of boundaryless imagination, fired by memories of fun and laughter.
Sara Aqel, Dara Dining by Sara Aqel, Amman
Born in Amman, Jordan, Sara Aqel grew up in a large food-focused family. She built her professional reputation at the head of an all-female kitchen team at Fi’lia in Dubai, before opening Dara Dining by Sara Aqel in her home city in 2023. The team at Dara Dining works with small local producers in the region and seeks to highlight key elements of tradition and heritage in the dining experience. Alongside members of her team, Aqel will explore the role of memory, nostalgia and preservation in a multimedia presentation.
Gaggan Anand, Gaggan, Bangkok 
The world’s most famous Indian chef led the previous iteration of his Bangkok restaurant, Gaggan, to the top of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking an unprecedented four times. Now he’s back with a more intimate version of his uniquely theatrical hands-on dining experience. In conversation with 50 Best, Anand will pick out dishes and flavours from his past that have shaped his present and future, and no doubt entertain with a range of life stories along the way.
Mostafa Seif, Khufu’s, Cairo 
In the shadow of Egypt’s pyramids, Khufu’s offers its guests a millennial take on a cuisine that stretches back millennia. The restaurant’s executive chef, Mostafa Seif, will both show and tell how he uses ancient techniques to create dishes for modern palates, whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Seif, who is one of the architects of New Egyptian cuisine, also provides a distinctive North African perspective on Arabic gastronomy.
#50BestTalks: Memory on a Plate will be held at The Abu Dhabi Edition on Monday 27 January 2025 from 11:30-14.00 local time.
The list of Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, will be announced on Tuesday 28 January from Abu Dhabi. Follow 50 Best on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube for highlights from the events.
