Hilton Muscat Barr Al Jissah Resorts appoints Gurkan Gozyilmaz as Executive Chef

2026-02-09 - 15:59

Hilton Muscat, Barr Al Jissah Resorts proudly announces the appointment of Gurkan Gozyilmaz as Executive Chef, overseeing the culinary operations across DoubleTree by Hilton Muscat Al Waha, Hilton Muscat Al Bandar, and Al Husn Hotel Muscat. Located along Oman’s picturesque coastline, Hilton Muscat Barr Al Jissah Resorts is one of the Sultanate’s most established resort destinations, renowned for its diverse dining experiences, expansive beachfront, and strong leisure and luxury appeal. Chef Gozyilmaz’s appointment further reinforces Hilton’s commitment to culinary excellence and elevated guest experiences across the destination. Chef Gozyilmaz brings more than 20 years of international luxury hospitality experience and has recently been recognized as Hilton’s Top Executive Chef in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions, receiving the Hilton F&D Rockstar Award—an internal accolade celebrating outstanding culinary leadership and operational excellence across the region. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef at the Forbes 5-Star Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre. His career also includes over two years leading the pre-opening and post-opening culinary operations at Waldorf Astoria Kuwait, where he played a pivotal role in establishing luxury dining concepts, large-scale banqueting operations, and high-performing culinary teams. His broader experience spans senior leadership roles across the Middle East and Asia, with a strong track record in multi-restaurant operations, complex pre-openings, and large-scale events within globally recognized luxury brands. In his new role, Chef Gozyilmaz will lead the strategic direction of the resort’s culinary vision, focusing on enhancing food and beverage quality, driving innovation across dining concepts, and ensuring consistency and excellence across more than 14 dining venues, as well as the resort’s extensive banqueting and group dining operations. He will also play a key role in developing culinary talent, strengthening operational standards, and supporting sustainable and locally inspired dining experiences across both day-to-day resort operations. As Executive Chef, Gurkan Gozyilmaz will play a pivotal role in overseeing large-scale banqueting and bespoke event dining, ensuring exceptional culinary standards, seamless execution, and innovative food concepts that elevate everything from high-profile corporate gatherings to landmark social celebrations. “I am excited to join Hilton Muscat, Barr Al Jissah Resorts at such a dynamic time for this iconic destination. I look forward to working with the talented culinary teams to celebrate local flavors, introduce creative dining experiences, and deliver the highest standards of quality and hospitality for our guests,” said Gurkan Gozyilmaz, Executive Chef. “Chef Gurkan’s international experience, leadership approach, and passion for culinary excellence make him a valuable addition to our resort leadership team,” said Matthew Mullan, Resort General Manager. “We are confident that his vision and expertise will further strengthen our food and beverage offering and create memorable dining experiences for our guests across all three hotels.” Hilton Muscat, Barr Al Jissah Resorts features an extensive and diverse culinary portfolio with over 14 dining venues, including five specialty restaurants, two all-day dining venues, five pool and beach venues, and one bar. The trio of hotels is also widely recognized as a premier destination for large-scale events including weddings and celebrations, meetings, and group experiences in Oman. The resorts offer an exceptional collection of venues, including a grand ballroom accommodating up to 850 guests, various multi-purpose function rooms and meeting spaces, an open-air amphitheater and a helipad with a capacity for up to 2,000 guests each and a 500-metre-long private beachfront capable of hosting events for up to 500 guests. For more information or to make reservations, please visit hilton.com or call +968 24776666 Read more about Hilton at stories.hilton.com.