Chef Stephanie Haywood opens 1206 at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
The fine-dining restaurant, named after the resort's former hidden room, opens October 30 with a menu built on whole-ingredient cooking and local produce.
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab has revealed 1206, a fine-dining restaurant that opens on October 30 and marks the final venue to debut as part of the resort’s opening sequence. Named after a hidden room on level four of the property, the restaurant overlooks Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa from an expansive terrace.
The kitchen is led by Chef Stephanie Haywood, whose career has taken her through Michelin-starred restaurants across the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and the Gulf Cooperation Council region.
An ingredient-led philosophy
The menu draws on British culinary traditions alongside French, Mediterranean and Scandinavian influences, with an emphasis on sourcing high-quality produce responsibly from local farms. Vegetables carry the same importance as proteins, and the kitchen prioritises whole-ingredient cooking, turning bones and offcuts into broths, sauces and stocks. Fermentation, curing and slow cooking are used to add depth to dishes without obscuring the natural character of the produce.
A signature preparation demonstrates the approach. A single langoustine travels through the restaurant—its tail becomes the centrepiece of the plate, the shells are made into bisque, the offcuts feed the bar’s beverage programme, and the remaining elements return to soil in the terrace garden. The same garden supplies fresh herbs and botanicals that feed directly into both dishes and cocktails.
Design and setting
The interiors were designed by AvroKO, an internationally recognised studio. The space employs warm, earthy tones alongside refined craftsmanship drawn from Levantine coastal architecture, with carved marble, handcrafted textures and custom cabinetry creating a tactile environment. According to the resort, herbal displays and garden-integrated joinery blur boundaries between kitchen, terrace and landscape, reflecting the connection between nature and technique that guides the cooking.
Wine and sourcing
The wine list centres on small producers and bottles from independent growers. The same philosophy extends to food procurement, with the kitchen developing close relationships with local farming partners to secure ingredients that meet the restaurant’s provenance standards.
The restaurant opens Tuesday to Saturday, 18:00 to 23:00.
This article was compiled by the CityLifeBytes editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
