Congratulations to the BBC Good Food Middle East Chef of the Year 2017 –

Francesco Guarracino of Roberto's, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi!

This highly coveted award is one of the only ones in the region to give the talent behind the gastronomic excellence some much-needed recognition.

On 22nd October 2017, four top chefs went head-to-head in a mystery box cooking challenge at The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. The chefs - who earnt their places through gaining the highest number of public votes - battled it out using the same set of ingredients plus pantry staples. They then presented a three-course menu to an independent panel of judges, in a challenging time frame.