The Chef JKP Podcast

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Front row at Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, from a night at Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.

There’s a certain kind of tension in the air before the list is revealed. The chefs arrive, the teams gather, the community tightens up, and for a few hours, the region’s hospitality story sits in one room.

In this special event episode, Chef JKP speaks to chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and key voices from across the MENA dining scene, capturing the moments that happen between the flashbulbs. What it means to make the list, why the number is “just a number,” how teams earn recognition, and how the region is evolving from imported concepts to truly homegrown destinations.

From quick-fire questions to honest reflections on craft, culture, pressure, and pride, this is a snapshot of a historic night for Middle East hospitality. 

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Arriving at MENA 50 Best 2026 and the suspense before the reveal
• Chefs on what it means to be included, and why teams matter most
• The MENA dining landscape and how it compares globally
• Writers on the role of awards in putting talent on a world stage
• Why the ranking is “just a number,” and what recognition really represents
• The shift from imported to homegrown concepts across the region
• Community, collaborations, and cooking beyond borders
• Standout dishes and moments from chefs across the list 

Chapters

00:00 Welcome from MENA 50 Best 2026 and what to expect from the night
00:07 Chef Fabrice on the daily grind and why being recognised “is beautiful”
00:15 The real point of 50 Best nights, community, connection, and not over-fixating on the list
00:24 Mohamed Orfali on pride, responsibility, and leading the region’s food scene forward
00:32 A dream moment on stage, the team behind it, and the “could this be real?” reaction
00:40 Building restaurants without creating new problems, and how small teams grow into leaders
00:49 The reveal is over, a new No.1 is announced, and the room turns electric
00:56 Winning brings more eyes and more pressure, and what it takes to keep earning it
01:04 What the night represents at its best, unity across cuisines and celebrating each other
01:12 The soul of hospitality, love, craft, and why some chefs “deserve” the recognition
01:20 A chair’s view of the region through food, and the cuisines that shaped their palate
01:28 Closing wrap from the night and the final takeaway on where the region is headed

Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA

Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and supports chefs, home cooks, and food lovers with inspiration, nutrition, and creativity.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/
Website: https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com

Follow The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants

https://www.instagram.com/theworlds50best/

Follow Chef JKP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco
Support the show
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

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Front row at Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026, from a night at Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.

There’s a certain kind of tension in the air before the list is revealed. The chefs arrive, the teams gather, the community tightens up, and for a few hours, the region’s hospitality story sits in one room.

In this special event episode, Chef JKP speaks to chefs, restaurateurs, writers, and key voices from across the MENA dining scene, capturing the moments that happen between the flashbulbs. What it means to make the list, why the number is “just a number,” how teams earn recognition, and how the region is evolving from imported concepts to truly homegrown destinations.

From quick-fire questions to honest reflections on craft, culture, pressure, and pride, this is a snapshot of a historic night for Middle East hospitality. 

What You Will Hear in This Episode

• Arriving at MENA 50 Best 2026 and the suspense before the reveal
• Chefs on what it means to be included, and why teams matter most
• The MENA dining landscape and how it compares globally
• Writers on the role of awards in putting talent on a world stage
• Why the ranking is “just a number,” and what recognition really represents
• The shift from imported to homegrown concepts across the region
• Community, collaborations, and cooking beyond borders
• Standout dishes and moments from chefs across the list 

Chapters

00:00 Welcome from MENA 50 Best 2026 and what to expect from the night
00:07 Chef Fabrice on the daily grind and why being recognised “is beautiful”
00:15 The real point of 50 Best nights, community, connection, and not over-fixating on the list
00:24 Mohamed Orfali on pride, responsibility, and leading the region’s food scene forward
00:32 A dream moment on stage, the team behind it, and the “could this be real?” reaction
00:40 Building restaurants without creating new problems, and how small teams grow into leaders
00:49 The reveal is over, a new No.1 is announced, and the room turns electric
00:56 Winning brings more eyes and more pressure, and what it takes to keep earning it
01:04 What the night represents at its best, unity across cuisines and celebrating each other
01:12 The soul of hospitality, love, craft, and why some chefs “deserve” the recognition
01:20 A chair’s view of the region through food, and the cuisines that shaped their palate
01:28 Closing wrap from the night and the final takeaway on where the region is headed

Proudly Brought to You by Potatoes USA

Potatoes USA represents America’s potato growers and supports chefs, home cooks, and food lovers with inspiration, nutrition, and creativity.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potatogoodnessgcc/
Website: https://www.potatogoodnessgcc.com

Follow The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants

https://www.instagram.com/theworlds50best/

Follow Chef JKP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco
Support the show
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

Send us a text
Welcome to the third episode of the SNACKS series.
SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations.
In SNACKS Episode 3, Chef JKP brings together insights from Björn Frantzén and Regan Hillyer, exploring leadership, mental resilience, and how emotional state influences performance inside high-pressure kitchens.
Björn reflects on leadership from lived experience at the highest level of gastronomy. He speaks about accountability, hiring and training responsibility, and why a leader must first look inward when performance drops. Drawing from his time building world-class restaurants, he explains that what truly separates elite kitchens is not technique alone, but culture, pride, and a team that believes deeply in how and why the work is done.
Regan brings a complementary perspective grounded in wellbeing and performance psychology. She breaks down how stress shows up in the body before people are even aware of it, why most leaders miss those signals, and how breath, awareness, and presence directly affect decision-making. She connects leadership to service, explaining why calm is not passive, ego blocks performance, and true leadership is felt more than announced.
Together, this SNACK examines why great kitchens rise or fall on the emotional state of the people inside them. From how stress transfers through leadership to how energy carries into food itself, this conversation reframes performance as something shaped long before service begins.
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE
• Leadership accountability and owning team performance
• Why culture matters more than control
• What elite Michelin-level kitchens have in common
• Personality, pride, and belief inside great teams
• Recognising stress responses in real time
• Breath, presence, and decision-making under pressure
• Leadership without ego
• Why calm is a leadership skill
• How energy transfers from kitchen to plate
• Creating environments where teams perform with clarity
CHAPTERS
01:00 Leadership responsibility and accountability
03:00 Hiring, training, and owning outcomes
05:00 What defines top-level kitchens beyond technique
07:00 Culture, pride, and chef personality
09:00 Recognising stress in the moment
11:00 Breath, presence, and performance
13:00 Leadership as service, not ego
15:00 Energy, food, and emotional transfer
17:00 Final reflections on calm and excellence
FOLLOW THE GUESTS
Björn Frantzén
Personal
https://www.instagram.com/bjornfrantzen

Restaurants
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantfzn

https://www.instagram.com/restaurantzen.sgp

https://www.instagram.com/restaurantfrantzen
Regan Hillyer
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/reganhillyer
FOLLOW CHEF JKP
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco
Support the show
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

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Welcome to the second episode of the SNACKS series.
SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations.
In SNACKS Episode 2, Chef JKP brings together insights from Himanshu Saini and Peggy Pui Ki Li, exploring pressure, recognition, and what really changes after success arrives.
Himanshu speaks candidly about what Michelin recognition actually feels like. From the uncertainty of awards season to the pressure that follows, he reflects on how visibility reshapes a restaurant, its guests, and the expectations placed on the chef. He shares the emotional weight of recognition, the responsibility that comes with it, and why peace and patience matter more than chasing the next milestone.
Peggy brings a complementary perspective shaped by years of operating at the highest level of hospitality. She breaks down the difference between commercial and fine dining, how attention to detail defines premium experiences, and why leadership, clarity, and mental resilience are essential when operating under constant scrutiny.
Together, this SNACK episode explores what happens after recognition. The pressure it brings, the responsibility it creates, and how chefs navigate visibility, expectations, and their own wellbeing without losing focus on the craft.
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE
• What Michelin recognition actually feels like in real time
• The pressure that follows awards and global attention
• How visibility changes guests, expectations, and business
• Mental health challenges after success arrives
• Managing distractions outside the kitchen
• Leadership through uncertainty and responsibility
• Commercial dining versus fine dining operations
• Attention to detail at the highest level of hospitality
• Developing talent and kitchen culture
• Staying grounded while navigating recognition
CHAPTERS
01:00 The reality of Michelin announcements
03:00 Pressure, nerves, and expectations
05:00 Visibility and changing audiences
07:00 Managing attention beyond the kitchen
09:00 Mental health and balance
11:00 Leadership under pressure
13:00 Commercial versus fine dining
15:00 Talent, culture, and long-term thinking
17:00 Final reflections on recognition
FOLLOW THE GUESTS
Himanshu Saini
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/chefhimanshusaini
Restaurant
https://www.instagram.com/tresindstudio
Peggy Pui Ki Li
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/peggy_p_li
FOLLOW CHEF JKP
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco
Support the show
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE

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Welcome to the first episode of the SNACKS series.

SNACKS are short, bite-size episodes from the Chef JKP Podcast, built to spotlight the strongest ideas from our most impactful conversations.

In Snack Episode 1, Chef JKP brings together insights from the legendary chef Pierre Koffmann and Reim El Houni, offering two perspectives on leadership, craft, and visibility in hospitality.

Pierre reflects on building excellence in an era before trends, PR, and performance culture. He shares what it took to shape The Waterside Inn on its rise to three Michelin stars, why a kitchen needs one clear voice, and how originality and restraint defined his approach.

Reim brings a modern lens to the conversation with a clear message. If you are not visible, you are invisible. She explains why visibility is now part of the job, how chefs and creatives can turn presence into opportunity, and why preparation, testing ideas, and owning your platform matter more than ever.

Together, this SNACK contrasts two generations of excellence. One built quietly through discipline and craft. The other shaped by communication, visibility, and evolving expectations.

WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE

• Building a Michelin kitchen in a very different era
• Life inside The Waterside Inn during its rise to three stars
• Leadership, authority, and why one clear voice matters
• Cooking without trends, tweezers, or theatrics
• Ingredient quality versus presentation culture
• Knowing when to back your own taste
• Why originality creates attention
• Visibility as a modern responsibility
• Turning content into real opportunity
• What longevity in gastronomy really requires

CHAPTERS 

01:00 Michelin kitchens before trends and performance
03:00 Leadership at the pass and owning responsibility
05:00 Cooking with instinct, seasonality, and restraint
07:00 Opening your own restaurant and backing your taste
09:00 Originality, risk, and confidence
11:00 Visibility and modern expectations
13:00 Testing ideas before building them
15:00 Creating your own platform
17:00 Final reflections on longevity

FOLLOW THE GUESTS

Pierre Koffmann
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/pierre.koffmann/
https://www.instagram.com/thefoodheroesfamily

Reim El Houni
Instagram: 
https://www.instagram.com/reimelhouni/
https://www.instagram.com/ti22films

FOLLOW CHEF JKP

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcast

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17

TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpaccheco
Support the show
Follow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE