Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites announced the appointment of Nigel Ngoni Machakata as the new Chef De Cuisine at the property’s signature restaurant, Observatory Bar & Grill. A dynamic chef with expertise in menu creation and kitchen management, Chef Nigel brings a progressive culinary touch and expert knowledge in various cuisines to the iconic restaurant and bar.

With over 14 years of industry experience and Michelin star expertise under his belt, Chef Nigel has worked at some of Dubai’s most renowned restaurants and brings with him a proven track-record of excellence in leadership and managing kitchen teams.

Hailing from Zimbabwe, Chef Nigel moved to the UAE in 2008 to begin his professional culinary journey as Chef De Partie at Atlantis, The Palm at the hotel’s Aquaventure venue. Thanks to his passion and dedication to honing his culinary skills, Chef Nigel then moved to the renowned Seafire Steakhouse & Bar at Atlantis, where he worked for two years.

In 2013, Chef Nigel moved to the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Ossiano, where he had the opportunity to broaden his knowledge on different cooking techniques, ingredients as well as managing junior kitchen team an ensuring that standards are consistently maintained.

Two years later, ready for the next challenge, Chef Nigel took the role of Sous Chef at KIZA, Dubai’s only Pan-African restaurant located in DIFC, where he led on menu creation and honed his skills in the art of grilling.

Before joining Observatory, Chef Nigel worked as Sous Chef at Emirates Leisure Retail and as Senior Sous Chef at Dubai Sports City, where he helmed the day-to-day running of the kitchen and was responsible for training new and existing kitchen staff to ensure all team members adhere to culinary standards.

In his new role as Chef De Cuisine at Observatory, Chef Nigel is responsible for overseeing kitchen operations, menu curation and development, as well as maintaining high quality working standards whilst providing guidance and leadership to his team.

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