A total of 10 new restaurants set to open in the busy fourth quarter of 2019, alongside several collaborations with international chefs of Michelin star acclaim, calls for a talented food and beverage team. JA Resorts & Hotels is ready for the challenge with four new leadership additions to the portfolio of one of Dubai’s longest-serving homegrown hospitality brands.
JA Resorts & Hotels cites their food and beverage vision as ‘creating community-focused restaurants providing one-of-a-kind experiences that energise everyone, with an enthusiastic welcome, exceptional service, awesome food, killer tunes and an unforgettable time, resulting in profitable restaurants’. The people charged with leading this vision are Olivier Belliard, director of culinary and Kyra Bommelje, director of food & beverage – both at JA The Resort, and Devid di Benimeo, cluster executive chef and Petra Humphers, cluster director of food and beverage – both working across JA Ocean View Hotel and JA Oasis Beach Tower. Olivier Belliard is a French National who has worked in seven different French hotels with Michelin stars. Together with cluster director of food & beverage Kyra Bommelje, a Dutch national who has worked with the company for 4.5 years, they will lead a barrage of openings in the new JA Lake View Hotel in September, along with reopening of the JA Beach Hotel after extensive renovation. JA Lake View will feature the brand new ‘81’ restaurant serving breakfast and dinner, ‘Republik’ – a new contemporary gastropub inspired by the Sydney and Melbourne dining scene, and finally a rooftop mixology lounge with a DJ and panoramic views of the golf course, aptly named ‘Bibé’, after the Latin word for drink. Another highly anticipated venue at JA Lake View Hotel is Kinara by Vikas Khanna, a vibrant Indian restaurant by Chef Vikas Khanna – the globally renowned Indian chef. JA Beach Hotel will launch a stunning new Italian restaurant, Sette, with 360 dome views of the resort, as well as Phoenicia restaurant – a collaboration with the master of modern middle eastern cuisine – multi award-winning Greg Malouf. Devid di Benimeo, cluster executive chef and Czech National Petra Humphers, cluster director of food and beverage will lead the culinary and service direction at the new sports bar in JA Ocean View Hotel called Offside and launch the brand-new pizzeria concept called Motorino. Motorino is a fast-paced brick-oven style pizzeria with authentic New York – Naples style Pizza. A fully licensed venue with indoor and outdoor sections, Motorino will offer the world-famous pizza throughout the day and evening.