The award-winning pastry chef is revolutionising how we look at the final course
With Chef Carmen Rueda Hernandez, it’s all about the sweeter things in life.
The brains and the brawn behind Dubai’s only dessert-only tasting experience, she’s contending with a new high these days, having recently been named Pastry Chef of the Year 2026 at the Gault&Millau UAE Awards Ceremony this past January – the latest accolade adds to a growing list of international recognitions, including Best Pastry Chef MENA by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2025, and Best Pastry Chef Middle East by Tatler Dining Awards in the same year.
She comes from a storied background, having worked in both savoury and pastry, and some massively reputable kitchens around the world. We sit down with her to talk about all things BRIX Journey – her culinary magnum opus served in the heart of Dubai – and what it really takes to make dessert the star of the show on the dinner table.
How did you foray into the world of pastry? Tell us a little bit about the origin story.
I began my journey in hospitality as a savoury chef. My early years were spent working on the hot side of the kitchen, where I learned discipline, structure, and respect for ingredients. Everything changed when I moved to Barcelona with the intention of learning a bit more about pastry.
It was there that I truly fell in love with chocolate — its depth, complexity, and endless creative possibilities. That discovery naturally led me to continue down the pastry path. Slowly, restaurant by restaurant, I began to explore techniques, ideas, and approaches that resonated with me more deeply. Over time, I grew within the world of pastry, continuously learning, evolving, and discovering just how broad and expressive this discipline could be.
Tell us about your experiences working in pastry with some of the greats – what are some of the memorable stories and life lessons you took away with you? How did your formative years shape how you put together BRIX Journey today?
Working in places such as El Bulli and The Fat Duck played a defining role in shaping both my professional mindset and my personal values as a chef. These environments taught me that creativity only truly exists when it is supported by discipline, rigour, and an uncompromising respect for process.
One of the most important lessons I took away was the importance of questioning everything — techniques, flavours, and even established norms. Innovation was never about doing something different for the sake of it, but about understanding why something should exist. I also learned resilience, humility, and the value of teamwork; long hours, constant pressure, and high expectations force you to grow quickly and honestly.
These formative years deeply influence how I approach BRIX Journey today. The structure, precision, and attention to detail come directly from those experiences, while the freedom to explore storytelling and emotion comes from the encouragement to think beyond the plate. BRIX Journey reflects that balance: a space where discipline and creativity coexist, and where every dessert has intention, meaning, and a reason to be part of the journey.
How did the idea of the BRIX Dessert Experience come to you? How do you approach fine dining and storytelling in the dessert space, especially when it’s a dessert-only experience?
The idea for BRIX Journey came from questioning the traditional role of dessert. I wanted to create an experience where pastry was not an ending, but the main narrative — where desserts could carry emotion, structure, and meaning on their own.
In a dessert-only fine dining experience, storytelling becomes essential. Each course must have intention, progression, and balance, guiding the guest through flavours, textures, temperatures, and sensations. We design the experience as a journey rather than a menu, allowing each dessert to connect to the next.
Ultimately, we aim to make guests feel things they do not expect, and in some cases, emotions and sensations they may never have experienced before.
What are some of your inspirations for the BRIX Journey menu? How do you convert your inspirations into works of art for people to enjoy?
Inspiration comes from many places — travel, nature, culture, and personal memories — but also from moments, music, emotions, and situations we want to translate into something tangible for the guest. These inspirations are often subtle, sometimes fleeting, but deeply meaningful.
The creative process starts with an idea or feeling rather than a finished dish. From there, we build layers of flavour, texture, and technique that help express that emotion clearly. The goal is always to transform inspiration into an experience that feels intentional and immersive, allowing guests to connect not just with the dessert, but with the moment it represents.
How do you craft experiences for the local community? Are there any Dubai-specific practices you have adopted?
Dubai’s diversity plays a significant role in how we design our experiences. We focus on hospitality, balance, and openness, creating something that feels welcoming while remaining thoughtful and refined. Respect for ingredients, cultural sensitivity, and adaptability are key elements in how we connect with the local community.
At the moment, we are also presenting an experience inspired by Emirati culture, called The Voice of the Emirates. Through this journey, we introduce a wide range of local Emirati ingredients, interpreted in a unique and contemporary way. The intention is to express the essence of the Emirates from a different perspective — one that feels emotional, modern, and respectful, allowing guests to experience familiar elements through a completely new lens.
What new and exciting projects in the world of pastry are you hoping to undertake in the future?
Looking ahead, we are eager to continue pushing boundaries by creating new concepts that redefine how pastry is perceived. We want to explore new ways of understanding desserts — not only as food, but as a reflection of our world, our emotions, and our relationship with creativity.
Our future projects aim to challenge traditional structures and offer new visions of what the dessert world can be, always rooted in strong technique, thoughtful storytelling, and meaningful experiences.
@chefcarmenrueda6, @brixjourney
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Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
