ME Dubai, the new flagship property of Spanish hotel brand ME by Meliá scheduled to open in early 2020, has appointed James Knight-Pacheco as its new executive chef.

The multi-award-winning British professional brings more than 16 years’ experience to the role, as well as exceptional talent and expertise gained in the hospitality industry in a number of countries around the world.

The formative years of Knight-Pacheco’s career included positions as associate chef lecturer at an esteemed culinary college in South England, and as both general manager and head chef in a variety of top establishments. He went on to work in Michelin-starred restaurants alongside world-renowned chefs, including Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay, Michael Caines, Jason Atherton, Peter Gorton and Andre Garrett, honing his talents as a passionate, inventive and driven chef and team leader.
 
In 2012, Knight-Pacheco arrived in the Middle East, beginning his regional career at the luxury resort Zighy Bay Six Senses, Oman as chef de cuisine. A move to the UAE in 2015 saw him assume the executive chef position for a number of properties within the Emaar Hospitality Group, including Dubai Marina Yacht Club and Vida Downtown Dubai. By 2018, he returned to Zighy Bay Six Senses as executive chef, a role that extended to assisting and recommending with regards to designing and operational flow during the renovation of the award-winning resort’s kitchen.

Knight-Pacheco was recently named the Executive Chef of the Year at the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2019. Other notable accolades include being in the top five of Hotelier Middle East’s Power 50, shortlisted for Best Chef at the Middle East Hotel Awards 2017, awarded Taste New Zealand Pro Chef of the Year 2017, shortlisted for ‘Best Chef Middle East’ by Caterer Middle East 2015 and awarded 2 x AA Rosettes Awards from The AA Guide UK.

In his new role as the executive chef of ME Dubai, Knight-Pacheco will oversee culinary operation across all owned food and beverage (F&B) outlets including the all-day-dining concept Central, the pool bar, R&R Bar and The Opus Studio – developing innovative menus that reflect the contemporary hotel and its position as the new epicentre of Dubai’s dynamic cultural scene.

Commenting on his role for ME Dubai, Knight-Pacheco said: “I’m excited to begin the next chapter of my career with ME Dubai – the first ME by Meliá hotel in the Middle East. This is a brand that is bold, stylish and articulates perfectly today’s concept of contemporary luxury, and my role will be to express that in our menus. It’s an opportunity for creativity, innovation and attention to delicious detail and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

ME Dubai features 74 luxury guestrooms and 19 suites, as well as 96 serviced apartments, and will offer guests a choice of 15 diverse F&B outlets. - TradeArabia News Service