One of Abu Dhabi’s leading luxury hotels, Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri has appointed Chef Julien Poulain as Chef de Cuisine and Benoit Bishopp as Restaurant Manager at Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard. The appointments will support the restaurant’s continued development and enhance its contemporary French dining experience.
Chef Julien Poulain, Chef de Cuisine at Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard
Chef Julien Poulain joins Bord Eau as its newly appointed Chef de Cuisine. With nearly two decades of culinary experience across Europe, Chef Julien brings a well-rounded background in fine dining and a deep passion for authentic French cuisine.
Chef Julien began his professional culinary journey in 2006 as an apprentice cook at Restaurant Gastronomique La Coquille. He then went on to work at some of Paris’ most prestigious culinary addresses, including La Tour d’Argent, Four Seasons Hotel George V and Alain Ducasse’s Rech. During this time, he trained under renowned French chefs Laurent Lalvée and Jacques Maximin, both recipients of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France title.
In 2020, Chef Julien moved to Switzerland to become Head Chef of Restaurant Le Vallon in Conches, where he worked under Executive Chef Christophe Raoux, MOF Cuisine. Under Chef Julien’s culinary leadership, the restaurant has received multiple internationally recognised accolades and awards including a Michelin Bib Gourmand. His career continued to grow in 2023 when he joined Hôtel Marmont in Switzerland as an integral member for the hotel’s opening team. Before relocating to Abu Dhabi to join Bord Eau, Chef Julien also trained extensively under Romain Pellet, MOF Charcutier and Caterer, at RP Traiteur.
Having worked in several Michelin-starred establishments and leading high-performing culinary teams, Chef Julien is passionate about sharing his knowledge and nurturing talent. His commitment to developing the next generation of culinary talent is also reflected in his role as a jury member at the Médéric Jean Drouant culinary school in Paris in 2015.
At Bord Eau, Chef Julien will lead the culinary direction of the restaurant, bringing technical precision, creativity and an authentic expression of French cuisine to its menus.
Benoit Bishopp, Restaurant Manager at Bord Eau by Nicolas Isnard
With extensive hospitality and operational experience across premium London restaurants, Benoit Bishopp joins Bord Eau as the new Restaurant Manager, bringing strong leadership, a deep understanding of guest relations and expertise in managing fine-dining restaurants. He is also experienced in leading multilingual and multicultural teams within high-volume dining environments.
Benoit began his career in 2017 as Senior Waiter at Colbert, part of The Wolseley Hospitality Group, and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2022, he was appointed General Manager of Colbert, where he oversaw full operations of the multimillion-pound neighbourhood brasserie, including front-and-back-of-house service. He also led training and development, building a high-performing, guest-focused team. Throughout his time at Colbert, Benoit maintained a disciplined approach to service without compromising on the quality of the guest experience. He also managed events and worked closely with vendors to support guest engagement and brand consistency.
In 2024, Benoit joined Arlington by Jeremy King Restaurants as Senior General Manager. In this role, he led a comprehensive operational restructuring, introducing new SOPs, service standards and frameworks to strengthen consistency across the restaurant. He was also responsible for budgeting, inventory management and supply-chain logistics. Furthermore, Benoit introduced a structure training programme to his team that improved engagement, service standards and operational execution.
Before joining Bord Eau at Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, Benoit was appointed Opening General Manager of TOWN Restaurant, where he led an intensive five-week pre-opening programme. He oversaw recruitment, onboarding, training, SOP development, supplier setup and overall operational readiness. Through consistent team briefings, training and clear standards of accountability, he ensured that every aspect of the guest journey was delivered with confidence, warmth and attention to detail.
