Lincoln Holding Group is delighted to welcome Chef Emmanuel Soares to the team. The world-renowned chef will join as Culinary Director to oversee all of the group’s outlets back-of-house operations in the UAE. These include one of the regions most loved French restaurants La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie, Restaurant & Lounge Taikun, and Restobar Distillery.
Born in Châtenay-Malabry in France, Chef Soares’s mother was the chef for a minister. This meant a natural progression for him into the culinary industry. His profession has seen him work with some of the greats. In France, his career began with working for two stars Michelin Chef Gérard Vié at the Trianon Palace before moving to Le Pavillon Ledoyen on the Champs -Élysées with Chef Ghislaine Arabian. Soares’ other notable career moments were at Relais du Parc for Chef Alain Ducasse and a few years spent in Paris working for Potel & Chabot, Duval, Dalloyeau, Pierre Mauduit, Saint Clair and many others.
His three decade long career has seen him spend time travelling and working across the globe, honing his skills and delving into different cultures. His journey began in Brazil, where he cooked for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergio de Amaral. He then moved across the world to Morocco. Based in Casablanca, he opened the five-star hotel Kenzi Tower with two-star Michelin Chef Pourcel. He also opened Aquapura Douro Valley Resort in Douro-Portugal and the first 5* Hotel IHG Hotel in Porto-Portugal.
Other prominent positions have seen him take charge of President Putin’s events in Russia, managing the team for his and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s official and private functions. He has also spent time in Ukraine, where he headed two hotels in both Kiev and Donetsk and worked for its Premier League football club Shakhtar. In addition, he spent three years in the Maldives as the Executive Chef for the One & Only.
Most recently, Chef Soares has spent time as the Culinary Director at La Réserve Hotel in Geneva. He then moved to the Bahamas, where he worked at the Bakers Bay hotel. Finally, moving to the Middle East, he held the position of Executive Chef at Jumeirah’s renowned Saadiyat Island Resort before working with Saudi Arabia’s Royal Family.
“Chef Emmanuel Soares is an icon in the food industry. It’s an honour to have him join our ever-expanding group. We are excited for him to bring his abundant experience and knowledge to our team, where we hope to elevate our guests experience even more,” says Ralph Homer, the CEO and founder of Lincoln Holding Group.
For Chef Soares, his love for cooking and the experiences that come with it drive his passion. Ready to take on this new role, he says, “I am excited to be taking charge of Lincoln Holding Group culinary direction and am ready for any challenge that comes my way.” Now, working with some of the region’s most loved restaurants, his approach focuses on creating an unforgettable experience for every guest.
