JOALI BEING celebrates fifth anniversary with Chef Sahar Al Awadhi’s pastry residency
JOALI BEING will mark its fifth anniversary with a culinary collaboration featuring award-winning Emirati pastry chef Sahar Al Awadhi, who will lead a four-day residency combining pastry education, dessert pairing and the creation of an exclusive anniversary dessert inspired by Emirati and Maldivian flavours.
The residency, titled “A Taste of Becoming”, will take place from 20 to 23 October 2026, ahead of the resort’s main anniversary celebrations on 15 November.
Al Awadhi, Chef and Owner of Abra Restaurant in Dubai, was named MENA’s Best Pastry Chef 2022 by MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants. She is recognised for her approach to New Emirati Cuisine, combining traditional ingredients and culinary heritage with contemporary techniques and presentation.
At JOALI BEING, the residency will include an intimate pastry masterclass and a Signature Afternoon Tea and Dessert Pairing, giving guests an opportunity to explore her interpretation of Emirati flavours through modern pastry.
Emirati pastry meets Maldivian ingredients
A central element of the collaboration will be the development of an exclusive dessert celebrating JOALI BEING’s fifth anniversary.
Al Awadhi will draw inspiration from the natural flavours of the Maldives while incorporating her Emirati culinary perspective, bringing together influences from two Indian Ocean food cultures.
The dessert will be unveiled during the resort’s anniversary celebration on 15 November.
For pastry professionals, the collaboration highlights how regional ingredients and traditional flavour combinations can be interpreted through contemporary dessert-making.
Al Awadhi’s approach to New Emirati Cuisine also places culinary storytelling at the centre of pastry development, using desserts to communicate heritage while exploring new presentations and flavour combinations.
The pastry masterclass will provide another opportunity to share that approach, introducing participants to the creative processes behind her work.
The Signature Afternoon Tea and Dessert Pairing will extend the experience beyond individual pastries, with attention to how flavours, textures and accompanying beverages can work together within a structured tasting.
Beachside grill to mark fifth anniversary
JOALI BEING’s main anniversary programme, “The Joy of Becoming: Celebrating Five Years of Transformation”, will take place on 15 November.
The celebration will conclude at MOJO Beach with a Beachside Grill, bringing guests and resort team members together for an informal dining experience by the ocean.
Al Awadhi’s specially created anniversary dessert will be presented following the beachside dining experience, serving as the culinary conclusion to the milestone celebration.
The anniversary programme will also include an island run, coral planting, Zumba and tennis experiences with ATP Tour professional Roman Safiullin, who will be in residence from 11 to 18 November.
The activities reflect JOALI BEING’s focus on well-living, with gastronomy forming part of a wider programme centred on movement, connection and personal wellbeing.
Culinary collaboration and knowledge exchange
For JOALI BEING’s culinary and pastry teams, Al Awadhi’s residency will bring an opportunity to engage with a visiting chef whose work focuses on the relationship between cultural heritage and contemporary gastronomy.
The collaboration will also provide a platform for exploring how ingredients associated with the Maldives can be incorporated into dessert concepts influenced by other regional culinary traditions.
From the October pastry masterclass and afternoon tea to the signature dessert presented in November, the culinary programme will connect professional pastry craft with the resort’s anniversary theme of transformation.
As JOALI BEING celebrates five years, the collaboration with Al Awadhi will place pastry, regional flavours and culinary creativity among the central elements of its milestone programme.
