Jason Atherton wins two stars for Row on 45 in Michelin Guide Dubai

Jason Atherton’s Row on 45 restaurant has entered the Michelin Guide Dubai with two stars, just 10 months after opening.

The fine dining venue sits on the 45th floor of the Grosvenor House hotel and serves a multi-course tasting menu to just 22 guests.

Jason said he and his wife Irha had cooked up the “crazy idea” for the restaurant and assembled a team of “Avengers” to run the project.

These include executive chef Daniel Birk, who has worked with Atherton for 10 years, head chef Rahul Baba Shrestha, and former Ritz London chef Spencer Metzger, who helps oversee the project.

Michelin inspectors said they were impressed by the restaurant’s "marriage of French techniques with Japanese ingredients such as Hokkaido scallops and Saroma wagyu to create dishes that are refined and sophisticated”.

Speaking on stage at the award ceremony, a visibly emotional Jason described the win as “a dream come true”.

He added: “I’m just looking at the stars down there on that tiny screen and, oh my god, it’s like a boyhood dream come true.

“The city of Dubai has been so kind to me. Gordon Ramsay sent me out here in the year 2000 to open up Verre by Gordon Ramsay which was the first three-star chef to open up in the city. I fell in love in Dubai, I met my beautiful wife here, we got married here.”

He added: “The way Dubai has evolved over the last 20 years is just quite incredible. I want to thank every single person in this room for supporting us, coming to see us, and just helping us with the supply chains. You are wonderful people and thank you so much the city of Dubai.”

Berenjak, the Persian restaurant backed by JKS Restaurants which has two sites in London, won a Bib Gourmand for its debut Dubai opening.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Hakkasan both retained their Michelin stars in Dubai, while Atherton’s City Social maintained its guide listing.

Four new restaurants won single Michelin stars, including French chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s La Dame de Pic Dubai.

Michelin launched its inaugural Dubai guide in 2022 and the 2024 edition includes four two-star restaurants, 15 one-star restaurants, and three venues with Green Stars.