The French hotel giant has signed an exclusive partnership with the Top Chef judge to roll out new dining concepts at its properties across India, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East.

The acclaimed chef, known for his high-profile TV appearances, will work to enhance Accor’s F&B programme.

Experiential dining

Chef Maroun Chedid has become famous across the world for his gastronomic achievements and TV appearances, including as a Top Chef judge on MBC. He’ll now join forces with Accor to introduce new culinary concepts to some of its 402 properties across India, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East.

Mark Willis, CEO of Accor India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey, said: “We are very excited to welcome Chef Maroun to Accor. We are confident that this partnership will bring a valuable addition to the dining scene across our properties in the region. His expertise as a chef, also as a businessman and entrepreneur, makes him the perfect partner to elevate the culinary experiences in our hotels.”

Cuisine of the terroir

Chedid grew up in the village of Saghbine in West Bekaa, Lebanon. An area renowned for its natural beauty and rich soil, this environment has been a continuous source of inspiration for the chef, having opened his eyes to the diversity of produce and wealth of possible ingredient combinations from a young age.

Now, with 30 years of culinary experience and achievements under his belt, Chedid has established an unbridled approach to creating dishes that are unexpected yet familiar, reintroducing classics with a contemporary twist that doesn’t diminish their Mediterranean authenticity. Drawing on this foundation, while using European techniques to elevate Mediterranean and more specifically Lebanese gastronomy, the chef creates what can best be described as ‘cuisine du terroir’.

This new partnership with Accor will see Maroun’s restaurants and concepts launch across hotels in the region, highlighting dishes like pumpkin and pistachio ravioli or slow-cooked veal cheek, representing his four core pillars: terroir, authenticity, inventiveness and artistry.

“I am happy to begin a new journey with the Accor Group,” said Chedid. “I believe that together, we can take the hospitality and dining scene of their properties to another level, introducing new concepts that challenge the current culinary state. I couldn’t think of a better hospitality group to develop and implement new concepts to match with my boldness and thirst for innovation.”

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