The chef’s oasis-to-table experience is back.
World-renowned chef Alain Ducasse is returning to AlUla. The French chef’s oasis-to-table experience, Ducasse in AlUla, is returning for a third season to coincide with the Winter at Tantora festival. Located adjacent to the ancient heritage site of Jabal Ikmah, the restaurant offers a contemporary take on French food and special dishes developed specifically for the venue. Hidden beneath the lush palm canopy near the ancient site of Jabal Ikmah, Ducasse in AlUla returns from 18 December 2025 to 21 February 2026
Alain hails from Orthez, France. He is one of the culinary world’s most celebrated chefs. Throughout his career, he has opened the FACT award-winning Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Benoit in New York, Paris, Tokyo and Riyadh; and recently announced a French-American steakhouse for the soon-to-open Wynn Al Marjan Island.
Alain is no stranger to the Middle East. He has had restaurants in Doha, Dubai and Lebanon. In December 2023, he opened Ecole Ducasse Abu Dhabi Studios in the UAE, a cooking school created in partnership with Erth Hospitality.
The seasonal offering at Ducasse in AlUla effortlessly integrates sustainability with the rich flavours of Saudi Arabia, France, and the broader Middle Eastern region. Ducasse has appointed Afonso Salvação Barreto, one of his talented proteges, as the restaurant’s executive chef.
In line with AlUla’s dedication to sustainable development and the conservation of its natural splendour, Ducasse in AlUla has been crafted by French designer Aliénor Béchu and Donald Bovy from Volume ABC. The design blends with the surrounding environment, showcasing a thoughtful architectural integration that pays homage to the region’s natural heritage.
Other new restaurants in AlUla include AlNakheel Cafe for Hijazi and Lebanese flavours set against the backdrop of the AlUla Old Town, Daimumah Restaurant, where you can dine amidst ancient farmland and palm-scattered landscapes, or the FACT award-winning Maraya Social by Jason Atherton, perched atop the world’s largest mirrored building.
If you’re heading to AlUla, look out for the events in 2025, including the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, Winter at Tantora and the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo.
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GO: Visit www.experiencealula.com for more information.