Harummanis Dubai by Singaporean chef Akmal Anuar receives city’s Michelin Bib Gourmand award

On May 22, acclaimed Singaporean chef Akmal Anuar nabbed his latest Michelin Bib Gourmand award at Dubai’s Michelin Guide 2025. Harummanis Dubai – the overseas branch of Harummanis Sultan Gate – won its first Michelin Bib Gourmand award at the ceremony. 

The Michelin Bib Gourmand award recognises restaurants that “offer great quality and great value cooking”.

Akmal previously won Michelin Bib Gourmand awards for his Japanese restaurants Goldfish and Otoro.

Harummanis serves mod Malay cuisine that draws upon Akmal’s years of experience working in multiple award-winning restaurants, including the fine dining restaurant Iggy’s.

The Harummanis restaurants are also named after Akmal’s parents’ nasi padang stall in Teck Whye, which has been running for more than 30 years. According to his parents, the original hawker stall was named after the Harumanis mango, which means “sweet-smelling” in Malay.

Harummanis Dubai, which opened in December 2024, offers mostly similar items to its Singaporean counterpart, including Batang Pinang (50 dirham/US$13.60) – a starter comprising wagyu beef tenderloin, petis, jicama and white truffle – and Ayam Masak Putih (80 dirham), charcoal-grilled chicken in coconut stew.

During the ceremony, Akmal brought his parents on stage to receive the award alongside him.

“Today marks the day that I’ve fulfilled myself as a chef, son and a dad,” wrote Akmal.

“To see my parents attend and be up on stage with them and receive their first Michelin award is a beautiful thing…Harummanis is a Singapore Malay restaurant and I hope to do what's possible and see what the future holds for us.”