Taste Elevated: The Ritz-Carlton, Amman Introduces Jordanian Executive Chef, Redefining Culinary Horizons

For Chef Sudqi Naddaf, taking up the role of Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Amman is more than just a new job: it’s a full-circle moment for the Jordanian chef. Chef Sudqi began his career in Amman in the 1990s, and after well over a decade working across the Gulf region—in Qatar and Dubai—he’s bringing his robust experience, insight, and vision back to his home country, to head up the F&B operations of the Kingdom’s most prestigious five-star hotel.
How did your interest in the culinary world begin?
My passion for cooking began as a child: I was always trying to shadow my mom in the kitchen, and she would always kick me out. Then, one day, my uncle came to visit us: I was about eight or nine years old, and it was my first time meeting him—and he was a chef. I remember thinking, ‘So it does exist: gentlemen can go into the kitchen.’ That day, my uncle went into the kitchen and made Spaghetti Bolognese. I’ll never forget that dish: it was plated in a very artistic way, and I remember looking at him and saying to my mom, ‘You always kick me out of the kitchen because I’m a man… but what about this man?’ After that, she never had an excuse to keep me out.
You’ve had an extensive career throughout the MENA region, but you grew up here in Amman. How did your upbringing here shape your culinary journey?
From a chef’s perspective, Jordan is a great place to learn: people here still do everything from scratch, and they are totally independent on the production side. So you get to go through this journey of learning how to do everything from scratch—and it’s still like that today.
I get lots of questions from young chefs who ask me, ‘Chef, do you think I’ll learn faster if I go to Dubai or Qatar?’ And I say, no, you have to start with the basics—and Jordan is a great place to learn the basics. I feel very fortunate to have started my career here.
You began your career in Amman, but you spent more than a decade in the Gulf. What does it mean to you to finally return back to Jordan? And how has the local culinary scene evolved since your career began?
You know, I wasn’t sure if I would ever come back to Jordan, but when The Ritz-Carlton called, I couldn’t say no. Seriously: as a brand, this is the one that everyone dreams of working for, and The Ritz-Carlton, Amman has become a masterpiece in the middle of the city, building up a great reputation in no time. So I was in, immediately. It’s also been great to be around family again, and to give my kids the chance to get to know their extended family. And it’s nice to be able to wear jackets again—to experience all four seasons again.
Amman’s culinary scene has developed a lot compared to where it was when I started my career here in the 1990s. Back then, there were about three or four five-star hotels and that was it. Today, there are lots of hotels, and thousands of restaurants. This has really raised the bar very high, and it’s one of the reasons why I decided to come back. I like competitive environments.
As Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Amman, what are your plans for the hotel’s F&B venues? What do you hope to achieve?
The Ritz-Carlton, Amman is already the leading hotel in Jordan: this is very obvious and clear to everyone in the industry. What I would like to do is to make it the leading culinary hotel in Jordan. I believe that the potential is there to take the hotel’s F&B outlets to new heights. With the right strategy, the right people, and the right execution, I believe that the hotel’s culinary journey can make a huge statement in the market.
I’m very excited to be working with a team that’s filled with great Jordanian talent, and it’s an honor to be able to help them grow. As a proud Jordanian Executive Chef, one of my goals here is to help prepare these local talents to step up into leadership roles—not only in this hotel, but across the market.

As we approach Ramadan, could you share with us your plans for the Holy Month? Are there any specific signature dishes or innovative culinary approaches you are planning to provide for guests?
At Arabesque, hosted in our Grand Ballroom, we are going to offer an array of lavish food items, including 16 main courses and eight live cooking stations. We’ll be providing many seafood options, including freshly prepared sushi, along with a wide selection of appetizers and salads. What’s unique about Arabesque this year is that the live cooking stations will be open daily, giving guests the chance to interact with our talented chefs and enjoy fresh, tailormade specialties on the spot. We will also be alternating between three varying menus, so that guests who choose to visit on a daily basis will always have lots of new options to enjoy—with a total of around 300 food items offered each day. For both Iftar and Suhoor, guests will be able to enjoy live music, and our daily Suhour event will include access to cards and board games for even more fun and entertainment. The Ladies and Gentlemen at The Ritz-Carlton, Amman are thrilled to welcome our guests to this unforgettable experience.