Storytelling Through Food

Discussing how sharing personal experiences through food can connect us, inspire change and celebrate culture.

Chef Hadrien Villedieu
His background is as thrilling and diverse as his food. Having worked alongside the biggest names in the industry, notably Joel Robuchon, Alain Passard, and Jean Pierre Vigato, he has learned from the greats while bringing his own aroma to his dishes. From leading an entire army of chefs to consulting and serving as the Executive Chef of a cooking school, he has experience both at the forefront and behind the scenes of the kitchen world, and his art of cooking has taken him around the globe to places such as New York City, Saint-Barthelemy, Morocco, and Dubai.

Most recently, Chef Hadrien was the Executive Chef and culinary mastermind behind INKED, a multidisciplinary creative food platform generating pop-ups, events, food trucks, chef's tables, as well as brands and concepts. Being French is a big part of his culinary identity, and through his travels he has honed his favourite flavours, unique skills, and overall culinary DNA. His cuisine is modern, playful, and poetic, and though he continuously works on reinventing himself, his philosophy inspires him to create new dining experiences.

Now based at Chez Wam Dubai, Chef Hadrien acts as Head Chef and Co-Owner, playing a pivotal role in the restaurant’s creation by overseeing every detail, from the food to the décor, musical direction, and beverage options. The restaurant’s name, French for "At Mine," reflects how he has infused his techniques, ideas, and personal touch into its warm and familiar atmosphere.

Chef Kelvin Cheung

Chef Kelvin Cheung is a Chinese Canadian culinary visionary, born in Canada, raised between Toronto and Chicago, and currently based in Dubai. A multi award-winning chef, Cheung is best known for pioneering Third Culture Food in the Middle East - a genre of cooking deeply rooted in his Chinese heritage, North American upbringing, and French culinary training.

With an early start in kitchens across the U.S., Canada, and Belgium, Chef Kelvin rose toprominence during his time in India, where he served as Executive Chef at Mumbai’sacclaimed Ellipsis in 2012. Today, he is the Chef and Partner at Jun’s and Little Jun’s, under the banner of Three Layer Hospitality. At Jun’s, he leads culinary innovation and day-to-day operations, curating immersive dining experiences shaped by global flavours and locally sourced ingredients.

Recognized as a trailblazer in Dubai’s restaurant scene, Jun’s quickly garnered top accolades including inclusion in the Michelin Guide Dubai, MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants, and Gault & Millau UAE. In 2023, Cheung expanded his footprint with the launch of Little Jun’s in Time Out Market, Downtown Dubai, further cementing his status as a creative force in regional gastronomy.

Named What’s On Dubai’s 2024 Chef of the Year & Caterer Middle East Chef Patron of the Year 2024, Kelvin is renowned for his boundary-pushing cuisine, his dedication to sustainability - ensuring minimal waste and inclusive menu design - and his advocacy for diversity and wellness in the industry. As a mentor, he is committed to empowering the next generation of chefs, particularly women, and leads by example in championing inclusivity across the culinary world. Cheung’s recent milestones include cooking for global dignitaries and icons such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NBA stars during the Make-A-Wish Foundation Gala in Abu Dhabi. He was also honoured as a Soneva Star in the Maldives, spotlighting regenerative sustainability practices in partnership with one of the world’s leading eco-resorts. With a dynamic personality and unwavering values, Chef Kelvin Cheung continues to shape the future of modern dining - one inspired dish, one meaningful cause, and one global collaboration at a time.

Chef Neha Mishra

Neha Mishra is a self-taught chef whose Dubai restaurant, Kinoya, was named, after just 11 months in business, as the One To Watch as part of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022. Indian-born Mishra, who grew up in Dubai, quit her day job as a film producer to focus on her passion for cooking. She started a ramen supper club called A Story of Food in her home, serving over 7000 guests before setting up her own restaurant, Kinoya. Mishra obsessively studies the Japanese art of ramen in order to find her own true interpretation of the dish. With regular visits to Japan to immerse herself in the culture of ramen, Mishra is constantly refining and perfecting her own take on the Japanese dish. It allows her to serve food that fits into the UAE’s restaurant scene, while being respectful of the tradition from which it comes. A self-starter, Mishra has manifested her dream of owning a restaurant that is now lauded internationally.