At Dr. Ali’s, our objective is to offer guests authentic regional cuisines. The key to our success is in having four specialty chefs from India, Vietnam, Egypt and China, who bring along the traditional flavours and cooking techniques they grew up with.
Chef Murari Padmanabhan, Indian Chef
Chef Murari
started his hospitality career in 2004 with Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur in India
as Demi Chef de Partie. He then worked in Laziz, a fine dining Indian
restaurant in Gibraltar, United Kingdom for a year as Indian Head Chef, where
he honed his art in modern fine dining. Chef Murari joined Shangri-La’s
Villingili Resort and Spa in 2009 as Chef de Partie, Indian Cuisine, and was promoted
to Indian Sous Chef in February 2011.
Chef Nguyen Huu Tam, Vietnamese Chef
Chef Nguyen
was born in Can Tho City, Vietnam, and has over a decade of experience
preparing traditional Vietnamese cuisine. He trained under Master Food Artist
Mrs. Pham Anh Tuyet and has worked as Chef Demi Partie at Sai Gon Phu Quoc
Resort and as Sous Chef at Sofitel Vinpearl. Chef Nguyen has been with
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa since June 2010.
Chef Kevin Huang, Chinese Chef
Chef
Huang is a native of Guang Dong province in China. He started his career as an
apprentice in the kitchen, but rose quickly through the ranks to Chinese Head
Chef. Prior to joining Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Chef Huang worked
in Beijing Tian Hong Ke Yuan Hotel and Shangri-La Hotel, Changchun. He brings
with him more than 20 years of experience in Chinese food with his speciality being
Cantonese cuisine.
Chef Hussein Sabir Halawa, Arabic Chef
Born in
Egypt, Chef Hussein started his career with Movenpick Hotel, Egypt, as Commis
Chef before moving in 2004 to Al Sahara Resort in Dubai as Chef de Partie. In
2009, he moved to Fairmount Hotel Egypt as Junior Sous Chef and later joined
Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives as Chef de Cuisine for Dr.
Ali’s Restaurant.