She Started As A Food Blogger. Now She Runs One Of Dubai’s Most Exclusive Restaurants

Chef Akriti Jain didn't follow the script. She didn't spend her childhood shadowing chefs in professional kitchens. She didn't inherit a family restaurant. She wasn't whisked off to culinary school at 18. Instead, she started her career with a food blog.

And yet, today, she runs the kitchen of Flamingo Room by tashas, one of Dubai's most celebrated fine-dining restaurants.

In an industry that has long prized hierarchy, traditional apprenticeships, and a certain brand of unrelenting machismo, Jain's rise is proof that there's more than one way to lead. She's walked the path from food styling to Michelin-starred kitchens, from New York to the Seychelles, learning—sometimes the hard way—that talent alone isn't enough.

"You have to be a leader, a problem-solver, and a mentor, all while ensuring the food meets the highest of standards. It's rewarding, but not easy."

The kitchen, as it turns out, is as much about people as it is about food.

The Accidental Chef

Jain's journey began not in a restaurant but on the internet. Foodazzle, the blog she started in her early 20s, was supposed to be an outlet for her passion—an experiment in taste, texture, and storytelling. But it quickly became something bigger, earning her a Zomato certification and leading her into the world of food styling and recipe development.

She wasn't cooking professionally yet, but she was already thinking about food in a way that set her apart.

"I didn't start in a professional kitchen right away—I was experimenting at home, watching MasterChef Australia, and constantly pushing myself to learn. Studying economics before transitioning into food gave me a different perspective—I see the industry not just through a culinary lens, but also from a strategic and analytical one."

It's this balance—between instinct and execution, creativity and business—that has defined her career.

Fine Dining Is a High-Stakes Game—But Do Kitchens Have to Be Brutal?

Walk into any high-end kitchen, and you'll find a culture built on discipline, precision, and a touch of barely-contained chaos. There's a reason the phrase Yes, Chef! carries the weight of an entire industry. But does that intensity have to come at the cost of inclusivity? Jain doesn't think so.

"I think there's a way to maintain discipline and excellence without making the kitchen an unwelcoming space. A great team thrives on respect, collaboration, and mentorship—not fear."

She has seen both sides. Her time at Le Pavillon in New York, where she worked under the legendary Daniel Boulud, was a crash course in French fine dining at its most exacting.

"The pressure was intense, and I constantly felt like I had to prove myself. But instead of allowing it to intimidate me, I took it as a challenge—I stayed late, asked questions, and worked twice as hard to refine my skills."

That effort paid off. She was part of the team when Le Pavillon earned its Michelin star—a moment of validation in a world where recognition doesn't come easy, especially for women.

The Woman in the Kitchen

Ask Jain about being a woman in fine dining, and she won't sugarcoat it. The reality is that professional kitchens are still male-dominated, and the rules are often written with men in mind.

"Early in my career, I definitely felt like I had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. There were moments when I'd be the only woman in the kitchen, and I knew that expectations for me were different."

But Dubai, she believes, is evolving. There's a growing respect for female leadership in kitchens, and Flamingo Room by tashas is proof of that. The restaurant, helmed by strong women in leadership roles, is redefining what fine dining can look like.

"The more we see women leading at the highest levels, the less we'll have to talk about gender at all."

The Art of Keeping a Menu Alive

Running a high-profile restaurant isn't just about executing the perfect dish—it's about keeping an entire experience alive. Flamingo Room by tashas is known for its luxurious yet playful take on dining, a place where elegance meets a touch of nostalgia. Keeping that balance—between innovation and consistency—is Jain's daily challenge.

"If we introduce something new, it has to feel authentic to Flamingo Room—it's not just about change for the sake of it, but about evolving while staying true to our identity."

This means working with the best ingredients, ensuring every dish tells a story, and knowing when to follow a trend—and when to ignore it.

"I believe in timeless flavors over fleeting trends. If something aligns with our brand and enhances the guest experience, it's worth considering. However, I won't put something on the menu just because it's trending."

Her love for pasta, for instance, isn't just a preference—it's a philosophy.

"The handmade pasta dishes on the menu resonate with me deeply because pasta has been such a huge part of my culinary journey. At Torno Subito, I spent years mastering the art of fresh pasta, which shaped how I think about texture, balance, and technique."

The Ingredient She Can't Live Without

Dubai's culinary scene is unlike any other—one of the few places in the world where you can find the best saffron from Iran, the freshest seafood from the Mediterranean, and the finest truffles from Italy, all in the same city.

For Jain, one ingredient stands out.

"I love working with sumac. While it's not something I grew up with, it adds this bright, citrusy depth to dishes that I now can't imagine cooking without."

It's a small detail, but details matter. The right pinch of sumac, the perfect fold of pasta, the precise balance between acidity and fat—these are the things that elevate a dish from good to unforgettable.

If She Could Cook for One Woman, Who Would It Be?

Jain has cooked for some of the most discerning diners in the world—private clients at the Four Seasons in Seychelles, New York's fine dining elite, Dubai's glittering restaurant-goers. But if she could cook for anyone, it would be Julia Child.

"She was such a force in making French cuisine approachable, and I admire how she broke barriers in a male-dominated industry. I'd cook her a beautifully delicate seafood dish with beurre blanc—something that merges classic French technique with my own personal touch."

It's a fitting choice. After all, Child didn't follow the traditional path either. She came into food later in life, after a career in intelligence work, and rewrote the rules for what a chef could be.

In many ways, Jain is doing the same.

The Future of Fine Dining Looks Different—And That's a Good Thing

From food blogging to Michelin-starred kitchens, from home experiments to leading one of Dubai's most sought-after restaurants, Akriti Jain's journey proves that there's no single route to success in the culinary world.

She's part of a new generation of chefs—ones who value mentorship over intimidation, creativity over ego, and passion over tradition for tradition's sake.

It's not about being the first woman in the room. It's about making sure she's not the last.