Doxis Bekris

Doxis Bekris was born and raised on Rhodes island in southern Greece. In his words, his parents, Antonis and Anna Bekris inculcated in him the passion for food and first Doxis started practicing cooking typical Greek cuisine at home learning from them. Bekris is the third of five siblings: Giorgos, Maria, Tasos and Ioanna. He reveals that everyday family lunches were a must and gathered all of them together for fresh and delicious homemade food

Besides food, he is also passionate about retro-style automobiles, Harley-Davidson, travel, gym, kitesurfing and paddle-boarding. Doxis has several tattoos that make him even more personable.

Bekris started his education at High School of Krestena, Peloponnese in 1990. He left the school at the age of 16 and completed his studies at the Technical Professional School of Tourism in Rhodes in 1993. He has mentioned, that this education gave him the fundamentals of the Greek cuisine. Later he received a degree in Food Hygiene at Stamford College, UKBekris also holds an HND in Hospitality and Licensed Retail Management from the University of Wolverhampton, UK. Later, he also attended a fast track training program for chefs in The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Napa, California. While at CIA he was invited to perform as a presenter and guest chef at the annual event World Of Flavors

Throughout his career Bekris has worked with world-famous chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, Richard Neat and Marco Pierre White in London, Daniel Boulud in New York and Gualtiero Marchesi in Milan.

Bekris’ first job was as a junior chef in a large hotel complex Esperides Resort in Rhodes, Greece where he gained his first professional experience in the field. After completing his degree in UK, he was invited to work as a junior sous chef at a 3 Michelin Star Restaurant at Hotel L’alberetta, member of Altagamma. After this he moved back to Greece where he worked as an executive chef at various resorts including Grande Albergo Delle Rose, Aldemar Olympian Village, Panorama Hotel and others. In 2001 Bekris was invited as a consultant chef to a 1* Michelin restaurant Enoteca Turi. Since then restaurant consulting becomes a regular business for him. In 2004 he becomes the executive chef of a newly opened venue Residence Georgio Hotel in Athens, Greecewhere he receives 5 Stars Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

After having accomplished numerous projects in Greece and Europe, in 2005 Bekris was invited to move to Dubai, UAE to join the 5* Kempinski Hotel Mall of Emirates as an executive chef where he worked for 2 years and has led the evolution of Sezzam restaurant transforming it in to an award-winning dining destination. . In June 2007 Bekris was promoted to become a regional executive chef for Middle East and Africa of Kempinski Hotel S.A., being responsible for all of the hotel chain’s pre-openings in the UAE, Djibouti, Bahrain, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt including conceptualizing of new F&B outlets, recruitment, training, kitchen design and SOP’s. Then in 2008 he took a position of executive chefat The Address Downtown Dubai Hotel leading the opening set up for the venue. Later in 2010 Bekris joined FRHI Hotels & Resorts, taking on the role of corporate F&B director of development for Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and overseeing the brand’s worldwide F&B operations of 34 properties. In April 2011 Bekris returned to Greece where he was appointed a complex culinary director at Costa Navarino, The Westin Resort & The Romanos Luxury Collection being in charge of culinary operations of 19 restaurants of the resort.

While working there he had also developed a biological farm and organic garden with fresh fruits and herbs and set up the production of limited edition of extra virgin olive oil at the property

In November 2014 Bekris moves to Africa to lead the overall culinary operation of 3 luxury hotels of FRHI Hotels & Resorts group in Kenya: Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club and Fairmont The NorfolkHe was responsible for concept development of all F&B outlets along with recruiting and training culinary personnel for the group. In 2015 he was granted a Chef of The Year Award by Taste. A year later, in May 2016, Bekris transfers to UAE within the same group of companies, recruited as an executive chef by luxury resort Raffles Dubai managing it’s 7 award winning restaurants

In less than a year, he takes the position of Director of F&B and culinary operations for the hotel where he works till now.

• In 2015 Bekris earns Taste Award Chef of The Year while performing as Group Executive Chef at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Kenya
• While managing Tatu Fine Dining Restaurant at Fairmont The Norfolk in 2014, the restaurant received 5* Diamond Award of Excellence and was voted Best Restaurant
• In 2007 Bekris was chosen by Lufthansa German Airlines as the guest chef in their prestigious Star Chef's Program serving 159 of his own menu creations.

• In 2007 Bekris was the Runner-up for Chef of The Year for Middle East and Africa for the Hotelier Awards
• In 2006 under Bekris’ leadership Sezzam restaurant at Kempinski Hotel Mall of Emirates, UAE was awarded the Best Family Restaurant by Time Out Dubai magazine
• In 2004 Bekris receives 5 Stars Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences at Residence Georgio Hotel Athens, Greece previously to which he achieves the same award for the Thalassa restaurant, Elounda Bay Hotel Crete, Greece in 2003.
• In 2004 he attains Award of Excellence for the fine dining restaurant, Vivendo, by the Chefs Club of Greece at Residence Georgio Hotel Athens, Greece. Vivendo then was awarded with the National Golden Toque Award as the 6th Best Restaurant in Greece.
• In 2003 Thalassa Restaurant in Crete, Greece under Bekris’ management wins Award of Excellence for the extensive wine list by the Wine Spectator magazine.
• In November 2011 Bekris was invited as a presenter and a guest chef at 14th Annual Worlds of Flavor® International Conference & Festival, held by Culinary Institute of America

In 2013 Bekris was invited as a celebrity guest chef to star at one of the episodes of Master Chef 2 Greece TV Show