Atlantis The Royal Gathers the World’s Top Culinary Talent in One Destination

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Immersive and exclusive culinary travel experiences are in high demand, and luxury travel destinations are seizing the opportunity to tap into global tastes and talent to attract high-end food enthusiasts.

According to an American Express Travel report on global travel trends, nearly 40 percent of travelers overall and nearly 50 percent of Gen Z and millennial travelers have planned an entire trip around visiting a specific restaurant — and luxury travelers, in particular, overindex on their interest in culinary travel experiences, as reported by Skift. Food and beverage programs are elevating to meet the moment, offering a competitive advantage through culinary craftsmanship and unique dining journeys for guests eager to travel for it.

Centering Culinary Innovation

Given that hospitality brands frequently lead culinary innovation internationally, Atlantis The Royal has pioneered in Dubai by harnessing distinctive destination features, global flavors, and creative partnerships with acclaimed celebrity chefs. It has developed an extensive collection of innovative dining experiences, including its Michelin star restaurant Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Michelin guide selected Ariana’s Persian Kitchen, La Mar by Gastón Acurio, and Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis, as well as lauded Nobu by the Beach, Jaleo by Jose Andres, Elements, The Royal Tea Room, and Little Venice Cake Company by Mich Turner.

“With the fine dining scene in Dubai booming, guests want to savor culinary creations from international and regional award-winning talent right on their doorstep. We aim to select the finest chefs in the world to create exceptional dining experiences like no other,” said Cedric Darthial, vice president of food and beverage at Atlantis The Royal. “Whether we have updated interior design, introduced new menu items, or brought a completely new restaurant to life, there will always be something exciting and new for guests to discover.”

Creative Collaboration and Powerful Partnerships

As trends continue to emerge in global culinary tourism, a central desire for authentic, unique, and innovative experiences remains constant. In distinguishing itself in the region, Atlantis The Royal has rooted its offerings in a coveted location, elevated service, and careful curation while leveraging collaborations with internationally recognized chefs to create transformative guest experiences. Guests can explore a wide variety of cuisine at its seventeen restaurants and bars, featuring eight celebrity chefs.

“Our affiliation with high-profile chefs started at Atlantis, The Palm several years ago and is something we continue to elevate. Atlantis The Royal is taking the gastronomy experience to new heights by hosting the largest number of celebrity chef restaurants anywhere in the world,” said Darthial. “As one of the greatest cultural melting pots and most popular tourist destinations, Dubai is suited for celebrity chefs, many of whom expanded from other locations already well known to guests. We have selected some of the world’s top talent so guests can partake in experiences from Michelin-starred concepts to regional-first gastronomic showstoppers.”

By providing a multitude of remarkable dining options led by these celebrated chefs, the integrated resort has built upon the idea that guests can have everything they want at its singular luxury location. Additionally, the destination’s diverse nature has become a fundamental strategy behind the offerings.

“Dubai is a destination where renowned and up-and-coming talent come together to create one of the most diverse gastronomy hubs worldwide,” said Darthial. “Culinary enthusiasts can savor the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean at Estiatorio Milos, be swept away by celebrity Iranian-American chef Ariana Bundy’s modern take on Iranian cuisine at Ariana’s Persian Kitchen, or indulge in one of the world’s most exciting restaurants, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, helmed by Chef Tom Allen. Each restaurant offers a unique experience with a story to tell.”

The Future of Culinary Tourism

With hotels striving to stay ahead of the curve and continuously adapting to the evolving taste and sophisticated palates of luxury travelers, the future of culinary tourism will move beyond simply anticipating guest needs and into creating previously unimagined experiences to attract new and returning guests. Atlantis The Royal continues to effectively strategize in its dedication to actualizing its vision as an undisputed leading food and beverage destination globally and in the region.

“We endeavor to deliver world-class hospitality, exceptional cuisine, and award-winning service in a creative, innovative, and socially responsible manner,” said Darthial. “We will continue to strive for excellence and build upon our early success.” In addition to Dinner by Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin starred, three of Michelin’s five Special Awards were bestowed upon Atlantis The Royal restaurants: Ariana’s Persian Kitchen took home “Opening of the Year,” Arturo Scarmadella, head sommelier of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal took home the coveted “Sommelier Award,” and Tomislav Lokvicic, general manager of La Mar by Gastón Acurio, was awarded the “Service of the Year Award,” all within four months of opening the restaurants. “Achieving this was extraordinary, and we aim to carry that momentum into the future.”

Atlantis The Royal sees the future of culinary travel as ripe with opportunity. Darthial said, “Food tourism will only continue to grow in the coming years, and the industry is poised for exciting developments as it evolves. We will see culinary exploration, cultural immersion, sustainability, and technology coming together to create memorable and enriching travel experiences.”

Learn more about Atlantis The Royal.

This content was created collaboratively by Atlantis The Royal and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.