STAVROS FASSARIS SHAPES THE NEXT CHAPTER OF
MARRIOTT RESORT PALM JUMEIRAH’S F&B PORTFOLIO
With 26 years of international hospitality experience, the EAM of Food & Beverage is driving a five-year vision for the resort’s award-winning dining portfolio
DUBAI, UAE – 29 September 2026: Stavros Fassaris, EAM of Food & Beverage at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, is shaping the next chapter of the resort’s award-winning dining offering, setting the direction for its acclaimed restaurants and bars across Palm West Beach.
Bringing 26 years of international experience to the role, Fassaris oversees award-winning destinations including Korean steakhouse Smoki Moto, rooftop Nikkei restaurant and bar Above Eleven, and neighbourhood Italian Cucina. His focus is on building on the success of the resort’s established concepts through new experiences, partnerships and pop-up activations.
Stavros Fassaris, EAM of Food & Beverage at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, said: “The foundation here is already incredibly strong, so the challenge is not simply to maintain what has been achieved, but to define what comes next. My focus is on building the strategic direction for the next five years - continuing to evolve our concepts, develop our people and identify new opportunities for growth; while ensuring we remain relevant in such a competitive market.”
That approach is already taking shape across the resort. Fassaris has navigated the Food & Beverage team through a challenging period for the region while continuing to drive plans forward, including the successful launch of Palm Arena 2.0, the resort’s live sports and entertainment destination in partnership with Heineken, with nearly 6,000 additional covers recorded at the pop-up venue. He has also overseen the launch of the resort’s first ladies’ night, She’s an 11, at Above Eleven.
Looking ahead, the coming months will see further developments across the resort’s dining destinations. Cucina will see a series of new experiences and collaborations, including the return of its Acquasale terrace for Dubai’s outdoor season, while Smoki Moto is set to introduce a new gentlemen’s night and Above Eleven prepares to unveil a new evening experience. Further partnerships and activations will follow as part of Fassaris’ long-term direction for the resort’s restaurants and bars.
For Fassaris, that approach is underpinned by a focus on the fundamentals of hospitality and understanding what drives guests to choose – and return to – a restaurant.
“Trends come and go, but genuine hospitality and a great classic product will always remain relevant,” added Fassaris. “In a market like Dubai, however, you cannot simply wait for people to discover you. Great product, the right price point, personalised service, storytelling and strong marketing all need to work together to build a successful and sustainable business.”
Fassaris’ career spans the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Greece, the UK and Germany, with experience across multi-outlet hotel operations, standalone restaurants, concept development and major international events.
Prior to joining Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Fassaris held senior Food & Beverage roles at Fairmont The Palm and W Doha Hotel & Residences. At W Doha, he led 11 outlets alongside banqueting and outside catering operations, including major catering projects for Formula 1, MotoGP and the AFC Asian Cup. He was later named Best Director of F&B 2024 by Qatar Tourism.
His restaurant experience includes the development and opening of Hellenika in Al Khobar and Riyadh, with the latter named the number one restaurant at Riyadh Season 2022, as well as the pre-opening and operations of BB Social Dining in DIFC, which was named Best Newcomer Restaurant at the Time Out Dubai Awards in 2018.
At Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, people development remains an important part of Fassaris’ leadership approach, centred around visibility, open communication and empowering team members to take ownership. His focus is on building strong teams, while continuing to develop the resort’s dining concepts and identify new opportunities for growth.
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