7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Meet the Indian-Syrian chef duo behind Manao, a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant in Dubai
Earning a Michelin star within just five months of opening is a rare feat, even more so when there isn't a celebrity chef leading the kitchen. Yet, that's exactly what Thai-inspired restaurant Manao did in May, becoming part of the 2025 Michelin Guide Dubai.
Helmed by Indian chef Abhiraj Khatwani, 30, Manao is a reflection of his multicultural upbringing and a shared culinary vision with his mentor and business partner, Mohamad Orfali, the acclaimed Syrian chef behind Orfali Bros in Dubai, which also has one Michelin star.
'Honestly, it hasn't even fully hit me yet,' Khatwani, who was also awarded Michelin's Young Chef Award during the ceremony, tells The National. 'It feels more like a relief – for the team, for everyone who's supported us. But we're just doing what we set out to do, which is serve good food and make people happy.'
Born in Jeddah, raised in Dubai and educated in Montreal, Khatwani says his path to the kitchen wasn't straightforward. But food, he adds, was always a part of it. 'We always had people over ... 20, 30 people every other day,' he recalls of his childhood. 'My mum cooked everything, so hospitality was a way of life.'
After university in Canada, Khatwani chose to study culinary arts at a school outside London, which led him to working kitchens in Denmark as well as Thailand, where he began to develop a deep appreciation for Thai flavours.
In 2018, after returning to Dubai, he opened The Yellow Monkey, a casual Thai eatery in JBR, which quickly earned a dedicated following. It was here that he first met Orfali, already a well-known TV chef then.
'I wasn't a big fan of Thai food,' Orfali tells The National. 'But after tasting Abhiraj's food, I fell in love. It was different – creative, balanced, exciting.'
The Covid-19 pandemic lead to The Yellow Monkey shutting in 2020. The chefs' paths crossed again two years later. Orfali, who had already taken Orfali Bros to great heights, including earning its own Michelin star, was looking to expand his culinary empire and took Khatwani under his wing.
Their mutual admiration evolved into a business partnership, and Manao was born, opening in December last year to immediate acclaim. An ode to Thailand, food at Manao is served via an 11-course tasting menu, shaped by Khatwani's expertise in the country's cuisine and the Orfali Bros formula of refined cooking techniques. You won't find your traditional green curries or pad Thai noodles here, but rather modern interpretations that blend flavours masterfully.
Made in Dubai, for Dubai
In many ways, the city of Dubai helped birth Manao, Orfali says.
'We wanted to add something new to the scene, something elegant but accessible,' he says. 'Thai at its soul, but with layers of global influence.
'We always say: 'If something works in Dubai, it can work anywhere,'' he adds. 'Dubai has one of the most diverse, demanding audiences in the world. If they approve it, it means something.
'Manao will only ever exist in Dubai. It's made for this city.'
Like Orfali Bros, with its fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine, Manao is not supposed to be flashy. Even its location, in Jumeirah, close to Orfali Bros, was deliberately chosen and not intended to be a fine-dining destination.
Chasing people, not stars
Orfali Bros recently retained its Michelin star on the 2025 Michelin Guide Dubai. It also topped this year's Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list and earned a spot in the coveted annual listing's global ranking, coming in at No 37.
'We didn't set out to earn a Michelin star,' says Orfali. 'We're cooking for people. Our guests are our priority, and our team is our family. The stars come when you focus on what matters.'
Orfali, who works alongside his brothers Wassim and Omar, is putting the finishing touches on his a new restaurant concept, Three Bros, set to open soon. As he has done with Manao and Khatwani, he wants to turn his attention to young chefs, giving them a platform to shine.
'That's my investment plan for now, to do more by giving an opportunity to other chefs from the team, and replicate the concept like what we're doing with Abhiraj,' says Orfali.
As for Khatwani, he's staying grounded. 'We want to keep innovating, keep improving,' he says. 'I think we just have to keeping doing what we're doing.'
But Orfali, who calls Khatwani 'the fourth bro', might have something more up his sleeve for him.
'I want to push him to do something Indian,' he teases. 'He'll kill it.'
