Praba Manickam

Praba Manickam is Group Executive Chef of Food Fund International (FFI), a global restaurant group that originated as a South African steakhouse over 16 years ago and now operates across the Middle East and Europe. After earning a Bachelor's in Hotel Management and an MBA (2007), he began his culinary career as a Commis Chef in India. Joining FFI in the Middle East, he trained under Chef Roy at Meat Co., winning Best Commis Chef in the Middle East (2008) and Head Chef of the Year (2010). He led the expansion of the African-themed restaurant Tribe into Dubai's major malls, securing Dubai’s Best African Restaurant award in 2011. In 2014, he was named Taste New Zealand Chef of the Year. Currently, he oversees 24 restaurants across 11 concepts, leading 420 chefs and driving new concept development and culinary standards. “I draw inspiration from every cuisine,” Praba notes. “Sketching a dish first helps me visualize and execute it perfectly.”