Speaker Biographies

Originally from Geelong, Australia, Tom Arnel is a chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur who has helped shape Dubai’s modern hospitality scene. His career began with a school holiday job as a kitchen hand, which quickly developed into a passion for food and hospitality. He went on to train in leading Australian kitchens, including Melbourne’s acclaimed Vue de Monde under chef Shannon Bennett, where he spent three and a half years developing his culinary skills and approach to hospitality. In 2010, Tom moved to the UAE and three years later, he co-founded Tom & Serg in Al Quoz, creating an approachable, ingredient-led café centred around quality food, specialty coffee and community. The concept became one of Dubai’s most influential independent cafés and helped establish Al Quoz as a destination for the city’s emerging creative and food scene. Following the success of Tom & Serg, Tom went on to establish EatX, a homegrown hospitality group now spanning more than 20 venues across Dubai. Its portfolio includes The Sum of Us, Common Grounds, Harvest & Co., Byron Bathers Club, Hawkerboi and The Guild, alongside a number of other concepts. In 2023, Tom opened The Guild at ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC, marking a new chapter for EatX. Inspired by the great brasseries of New York and Europe, the restaurant brought a more elevated dining experience to the group while maintaining Tom’s focus on quality ingredients, considered design and warm hospitality.