The weather has turned quite cold since the busy Christmas and New Year period - but not as cold as back home, of course. I went back to the UK early in the year for a short break, and it was wonderful to see snow after sand and sun all year.

We had a very stress-free Christmas in Dubai, as we were a bit more clued-up this time. One of the great things about being a trained restaurant chef and now working in a five-star establishment is that I've got a good knowledge of modern food presentation and the things that come naturally to a restaurant chef.

It was hard work but very rewarding to see how successful Christmas was. When the hotel is pumping on all cylinders and I see both restaurants full, the deli and the function rooms full and outside catering going on, I really appreciate how even bigger hotels like the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park under David Nicholls run.

The beginning of January was also very busy, but it slowed down until the start of the shopping festival on 15 January, when the hotel went back up to 95% occupancy. Things roll then until the summer in Dubai, because the government seems to have something going on every few weeks until it gets too hot and everybody hibernates.

I'm really looking forward to the golf Desert Classic when Tiger Woods fever hits town. We're just hoping the UN can sort out the Iraq issue without going to war. The 11 September attacks had a devastating effect on tourism in this area - nobody was flying anywhere in the world, let alone the Middle East.

Meanwhile, things are hotting up with the development of Palm Island just off the Dubai coastline - I believe Hilton is planning new properties there.

We also had our first Dubai Cateys - well, sort of - on 11 January. The local catering magazine, Grumpy Gourmet - the only one worth reading as it has an honest opinion about restaurants which is not linked to advertising space - organises a gala dinner and presentation of awards.

Verre won Best Restaurant in the whole of the United Arab Emirates, which was quite an honour, so well done to all my team - I couldn't have done it without your dedication.

And I've just learned that Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's has won its first Michelin star, so well done to Mark Sargeant and his brigade.

Jason Atherton is head chef of Verre, Gordon Ramsay at Dubai Creek, Dubai