Building His Next Culinary Legacy
For Georges Dakkak, cooking has never been simply about preparing food. It has always been about creating experiences, building teams, understanding people and finding new ways to turn passion into something meaningful. After more than 25 years across the hospitality industry, the Lebanese Australian chef and culinary entrepreneur is entering another important stage of his professional journey, this time with Australia as the centre of his vision.
His career has taken him through Lebanon, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, exposing him to different cultures, hospitality environments and culinary expectations. Along the way, he has developed restaurant and catering concepts, worked as a culinary consultant, led kitchens, mentored teams and helped shape more than 35 hospitality concepts.
Now, in 2026, Georges is bringing those experiences together as he works to build the next chapter of Le Georges Group in Australia.
A Passion That Started in the Kitchen
Long before international projects and culinary recognition became part of his career, Georges was simply drawn to the world of food.
His early professional years in Lebanon gave him the foundation that would later define his approach to hospitality. Working through different kitchens, restaurants and hospitality concepts allowed him to understand the industry from the ground up.
Those experiences taught him that being a chef requires much more than technical ability. It demands discipline, patience, teamwork and the willingness to keep learning.
For Georges, the kitchen became a place where creativity and responsibility came together. It was also where he began to understand that great hospitality is ultimately about people.
That belief has remained central to his career.
From Lebanon to the Gulf
In 2017, Georges founded Le Georges in Lebanon, initially focusing on catering and culinary consulting. The move represented an important shift from working within hospitality businesses to creating and developing his own ideas.
A year later, he moved to Kuwait, continuing his work as a culinary consultant. In 2019, his professional journey expanded further into Saudi Arabia, where he continued consulting until 2023.
The Gulf became an important part of his development as a culinary professional. Working across different markets challenged him to adapt his knowledge to new audiences while maintaining the identity that had shaped his cooking.
His approach brings together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours with modern French and Italian techniques. Rather than limiting himself to one culinary style, Georges has built his identity around versatility, creativity and a willingness to explore.
Building More Than a Restaurant Business
As his experience grew, Georges began looking at hospitality from a broader perspective.
For him, successful food businesses are not created by a chef alone. They require strong teams, thoughtful concepts, effective operations and a clear understanding of what guests want.
This mindset helped shape the development of Le Georges Group between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The group became connected with catering, culinary consulting and hospitality development, allowing Georges to move between the creative and business sides of the industry.
He also expanded his work into artisanal cured meats and butchery through OSÊL, combining traditional techniques with a more contemporary culinary perspective.
These ventures reflected a larger evolution in his career. Georges was no longer only focused on what appeared on the plate. He was increasingly focused on everything behind the experience.
Recognition That Reflects Years of Work
Over the years, Georges has collected achievements that represent different sides of his professional identity.
One of his proudest recent milestones came in 2025, when his work received recognition through the La Liste 1000 Silver Selection.
He has also served as an International Culinary Judge with the Worldchefs Association since 2018, an experience that has allowed him to contribute his knowledge beyond his own kitchens.
Since 2023, he has also served as an ambassador for Meat and Livestock Australia in the Middle East, strengthening his connection with Australian food culture and premium produce.
For Georges, these roles are not simply titles. They represent years of learning, professional discipline and contribution to the wider culinary community.
Yet he remains clear that recognition is only one part of success.
The People Behind the Success
Perhaps one of the most personal aspects of Georges’ career is his focus on people.
Over more than two decades in hospitality, he has worked with countless chefs, restaurant professionals and hospitality teams. He considers watching people develop their careers to be among the most rewarding parts of his work.
For a chef who has led numerous concepts and culinary projects, leadership has become just as important as cooking.
Georges believes that strong teams are essential to creating successful hospitality businesses. His experience has shown him that talent grows when people are given the opportunity to learn, take responsibility and develop confidence.
This philosophy has also shaped his approach as a consultant and culinary educator, where sharing knowledge has become an important part of his professional identity.
Georges Dakkak’s New Beginning in Australia
In 2026, Georges moved to Australia, opening a new chapter after years of professional experience across the Middle East.
Australia represents more than a new location for him. It is an opportunity to bring together everything he has learned throughout his career.
His current focus is building Le Georges Group in Australia while developing his presence within the local culinary and hospitality industry.
His vision is ambitious but grounded. He wants to create exceptional food experiences, develop strong teams and build a culinary brand that can grow beyond the kitchen.
At the heart of that vision is his Mediterranean heritage and Middle Eastern culinary identity, combined with international experience and an appreciation for modern hospitality.
For Georges, the move is not about leaving his past behind. It is about using everything that came before to build something new.
Turning Experience Into a Future Vision
A career spanning more than 25 years naturally comes with its share of challenges.
Georges has learned that hospitality can be unpredictable and that successful careers are rarely built through a straight path. Markets change, businesses evolve and circumstances can force professionals to rethink their direction.
His response has always been to keep moving forward.
His philosophy is simple. Success is a journey rather than a destination. Challenges can become lessons, setbacks can create new opportunities and every experience can contribute to a bigger story.
That perspective is particularly relevant as he begins his Australian chapter.
Instead of relying only on what he has already achieved, Georges is approaching the next stage with the same curiosity that shaped his early career.
A Culinary Legacy Still in Progress
Georges Dakkak’s story is ultimately one of evolution.
From his early years in Lebanon to his work across the Gulf, from culinary consulting and hospitality development to international judging and food industry representation, every stage has added another layer to his professional identity.
Today, Australia gives him the opportunity to bring those layers together.
His ambition is not simply to become known for his food. He wants to create experiences, build businesses, develop people and establish a long term culinary identity that can continue growing.
His message to aspiring professionals is equally straightforward. Never be afraid to start from the bottom, change direction or begin again. Every experience, whether positive or difficult, can become part of the journey.
For Georges, the next chapter is already underway.
With decades of experience behind him and a new market ahead, his journey shows that a culinary career does not have to follow one fixed path. It can evolve from chef to consultant, from entrepreneur to mentor and from hospitality professional to brand builder.
And in Australia, Georges is now preparing to turn everything he has learned into the foundation for what comes next.
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