Executive Chef Richard Green
2012 Chef of the Year
Awarded by Caterer Magazine Middle East

Chef Richard Green began his culinary journey while still a high school student in his hometown of Brisbane, Ausralia. After graduation, he pursued formal training at the Culinary Institute of T.A.F.E. Mackay, completing a three-year pastry and four-year chef’s apprenticeship.

Chef Green then joined a reputed hotel group, and at the age of 27, rose to the ranks of Executive Chef, the company’s youngest. By 1997, he took responsibility for the entire South Pacific region as Group Corporate Executive Chef.

In 2008, Chef Green brought his experience to Arabian soil, where he led a team of 75 personnel catering to numerous food outlets, which included foreign embassies. It wasn’t long before Qatar came calling, and Chef Green was named Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.

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Chef Mohammed Ali Abuaisheh
Cold Kitchen

Chef Mohammed’s passion for cooking began since he was a child, spending time in the kitchen with his parents, especially with his mother. With the relentless drive of his father to persuade him to take a career in Culinary, made it through after he finished high school. Chef Mohammed then took a 4-year culinary course at Amoon Hotel College.

His culinary education does not stop there, “I had a chance to be trained in Amman and later on moved to Aqaba, Jordan. Today, I work hard to create meals for his guests, with all the love and attention that I dedicate to the meals I prepare for his own friends and family.”

Chef Mohammed has been with The Ritz-Carlton, Doha for a long time and now, is the Garde Manger wherein he is in charge of the Cold Kitchen.

He was born in Amman, Jordan and have a loving wife and two children. “I treat and love his food like his kids… I take care of it and have this feeling of gratification after I spent time with it.”

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Chef Mourhaf Jumie
The Lagoon

His approach to cooking and food is simple: use the best product available, cook with your heart and soul, present it in an elegant way and always keep in mind who you are cooking for.

Chef Mourhaf was raised in Damascus, Syria, where I was exposed to a cooking style that is unique to the Middle-Eastern culture. From early on, he enjoyed cooking to entertain his friends and family because of his mother’s influence and subsequently inherited her style of cooking and techniques.

He have always loved food. Luckily, Chef Mourhaf was able to turn this love of food into a career in cooking and spent the last twelve years sharing this passion with friends and co-workers. After completing formal training and studies at The Institute of Tourism Damascus, he began to work in different restaurant kitchens. Then Chef Mourhaf moved to Dubai, where he worked with some of the region’s best chefs and gained a lot of experience and knowledge in numerous cuisines; Italian, French and Asian, just to name a few.

When Chef Mourhaf had the opportunity to move to The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, it sparked a new chapter in his career. “Here, I am able to build a solid foundation in culinary arts, as well as invaluable techniques in smoking, grilling, sautéing, stock and sauce making - the pillars and foundations of great cooking. I am now the leader in the all-day dining kitchen – ‘The Lagoon Kitchen’.”

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Chef Ricardo Martin Acquista
Porcini Restaurant

”Ever since I was a little boy, I remember being passionate about the exciting, various flavors, textures and colors of the food.” In 1996, Chef Ricardo joined the Gato Dumas Acadehis where he studied 3 years of culinary arts and 2 years of specialization in pastry. His first step in the kitchen was as a commis where he can recall pushing himself a lot to learn more. After 18 months, Chef Ricardo was appointed as the Chef de Cuisine.

In 2006, Chef Ricardo took a plane and traveled to Spain in search for more opportunities and gained more experience in areas like butchery, pastry or seafood which made him a Sous Chef. His hunger for new experiences led him to the Middle East where now he have the honor to be a part of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha. Chef Ricardo employ his past experience and expertise in Porcini everyday where he and his team have the privilege to enliven the senses of Porcini’s guests.

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Chef Biju George
Banquets

Chef Biju’s passion for cooking began when he was a child while spending time in the kitchen with his mother. After a lifetime of cooking, Chef Biju decided to start his own personal chef service. He started his training in India. Very soon, he took the culinary challenge in Sharjah, UAE and a year after he had the opportunity to be part of the opening team of a 5-star hotel.

In 2002, Chef Biju joined The Ritz-Carlton, Doha as Chef De Partie. By learning and growing and now with the team here, he is now the proud Banquet Chef in the hotel. Today, Chef Biju works hard in creating menus for many events like weddings with up to 2000 attendees or VIP functions for many leading companies in Qatar.

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Chef Feras Hawa
Flamingos and Admiral’s Club

Chef Feras always dreamt of becoming a pilot but his desire shifted to food, which he shared an equal passion for. From then on, he set forth on an international culinary adventure to perfect his skills and follow his passion of cooking.

He joined several hotels in Syria and in Cairo but later realized that I must put up his own business, a different approach. In his quest for culinary perfection, Chef Feras embarked to another vision that took me to The Ritz-Carlton, Doha.

Years and efforts have passed and the well-awaited recognition came. Being a guest chef in Singapore, Jakarta and Bahrain was a fruitful experience because it exposed him to many different aspects and insights of food.

Chef Feras is currently managing the kitchen in Flamingos and Admiral’s Club – a place where we embrace a dynamic balance between the finest food and beverages. The menu is delivered in an opulent setting with smooth sounds and romantic views of the Marina for a dining experience that keeps our guests coming back.

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Chef Khaled Rashwan
Pastry Kitchen
Olivier Catora
La Mer

Chef Khaled was born and brought up in Cairo, Egypt, the land of the pharaohs. His fascination for cooking ignited in early childhood when he tasted a piece of cake his sister made for him. It was delicious and he had to recreate the taste. This sparked his culinary career in Cairo while completing his hotel management courses, then moved to a five star property beach resort as Commis 1.

He had the opportunity to come to The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh as part of the pre-opening team. Two years later, Chef Khaled joined the pre-opening team of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha and it is here, where he had the opportunity to break a World Record in 2010 by creating the largest cake sculpture.

It all started with a small piece of cake which grew to the biggest cake in the world!

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Chef Oliver Catora
La Mer

After ten years of working in the advertising industry, he changed dramatically his career to the hospitality sector. "I was very fond of cooking – it was his main hobby. One day I just decided to enter a fine cooking school that specialized in French food and eventually found work in fine restaurants and luxury hotels." said Olivier. Driven by his passion, Chef Olivier Catora paced his work experience with some prestigious names in the hospitality industry, including one star michelin restaurant and participating in the opening of the first Palace in the city of Bordeaux, where he was born.

Moving to the Middle East in 2008, Olivier participated in private dinner arrangements for amateurs of fine food, especially French cuisine. After two years, the gentleman took on the opportunity to direct the signature seafood restaurant of one of the most renowned five star hotels in his island. He offered fresh seafood including a ‘catch-of-the day’, which is cooked in front of diners after they have handpicked their choices from a display. Success has brought Chef Olivier to share his passion for cuisine even more as he organized cooking class, private event, or thalassa restauration.

Far from being a traditional chef, he likes to put his signature on each dish and endeavors to create something meaningfully and tastefully "different." In his culinary creations, Olivier tells a journey that takes guests from the harmoniously generous Italian cuisine, passing by the Moroccan hills of sweet and sour, until the peak of the intriguing Thai art of spices, not to forget the rich terroir of his native city of Bordeaux in France.

Now the Head Chef of La Mer at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha; Chef Olivier Catora wants to propose his knowledge and style to give pleasure to the guests of Doha: “I’d like to see his guests spend a memorable moment, discover another way to dine and take a pleasant break” added Olivier.