Adrian V. Oidem Crowned Gold for Sous Chef of the Year at Middle East Chef Excellence Awards 2025
DoubleTree by Hilton's Pastry Maestro Takes Top Honors.
The Middle East culinary world has a new golden boy - Adrian V. Oidem of DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square just claimed the Gold Award for Sous Chef of the Year, proving that pastry chefs can dominate the savory scene too.
Oidem's rise reads like a culinary fairytale - from whipping up desserts at Waldorf Astoria RAK to commanding the kitchen at one of Dubai's hippest addresses. His nine-year pastry pilgrimage through luxury hotels gave him the precision of a scientist and the creativity of an artist - qualities he now brings to his leadership role.
What makes this win remarkable? Oidem represents the new breed of culinary leaders blurring the lines between pastry and savory. His De La Salle University hospitality training provides the business acumen, while those years perfecting chocolate tempering and sugar work gave him an almost obsessive attention to detail.
At DoubleTree M Square, Oidem has become the secret ingredient in the hotel's culinary success, mentoring junior chefs while maintaining standards that would make any executive chef proud. The award judges noted his rare ability to translate pastry discipline to all kitchen operations.
For an industry obsessed with savory stars, Oidem's victory sends a clear message: the future belongs to versatile chefs who can glaze a dessert as skillfully as they can run a brigade.
Its boring keeps popping up