Dubai, UAE: As ZEA prepares to unveil its modern Mediterranean dining and lounge sanctuary at Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, the brand continues to shape its leadership with the strategic appointment of Rafael Nunes as Bar Manager, a move that defines the venue’s ritual-led beverage identity with international experience and refined sensibility to guest experience craft, ahead of its debut in the city. Rafael will manage ZEA’s bar identity, one rooted in ritual-led hospitality.

Known for narrative-driven menus and precision-led execution Rafael will be responsible for concept development, menu creation, team leadership, and enhancing the overall guest experience. His natural flair for balancing flavours and dedication to craftsmanship will shape a bar identity that is both immersive and perfectly aligned with ZEA’s core philosophy of elemental beauty and modern elegance.

This philosophy translates into a bar journey where timing, movement, and flavour progression are as considered as the ingredients themselves.

ZEA bar is envisioned as a ritual space, going beyond typical cocktail service to create an intentional experience of flavours, aromas, and atmosphere. Rafael Nunes will spearhead a sophisticated beverage program, blending Mediterranean botanicals, bright citrus, and aromatic herbs with contemporary techniques and subtle international influences. This expertly curated cocktail and wine selection is designed to perfectly accompany the smooth transition from relaxed early evenings to vibrant, expressive late-night lounge moments.

With a career spanning some of the region’s most respected dining destinations, including Zuma Dubai & the Michelin starred Tasca by José Avillez at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Rafael brings with him a philosophy reflecting balance, precision and narrative-driven hospitality. His approach mirrors the very essence of ZEA - inspired by the ancient “grain of life”, a symbol of abundance, vitality and renewal across the Mediterranean.

“ZEA is built on rhythm, the way an evening unfolds, softens, and then gradually gains energy,” says Rafael Nunes. “My goal is to create a bar experience that moves with that transition, where every drink, gesture, and moment feels naturally in sync with the atmosphere around it creating moments that feel fluid, intentional, and alive rather than simply served.”

With the appointment of Rafael Nunes, ZEA further reinforces a leadership vision grounded in intention, creativity, and precision. As the venue prepares to open its doors at Emirates Financial Towers, DIFC, this approach positions ZEA as one of the DIFC's most anticipated openings of 2026. From its opening this January, guests can expect a destination where cuisine, cocktail culture, and atmosphere move in rhythm — a contemporary Mediterranean sanctuary where ritual, warmth, and refined nightlife energy unfold seamlessly from day into night."

ABOUT ZEA

ZEA is a modern Mediterranean dining and lounge sanctuary set to open in Dubai’s DIFC this January 2026. Located within the Emirates Financial Towers, the venue draws inspiration from ZEA, the ancient “grain of life” revered across the Mediterranean, symbolising abundance, vitality, and renewal. Rooted in a philosophy of quiet luxury, elemental beauty, and multi-sensory enrichment, ZEA transitions from a setting for serene dining into an expressive lounge experience as evening unfolds.

The cuisine celebrates the purity and generosity of Mediterranean coastal cooking, focusing on clean flavours, high-quality produce, refined fire-driven techniques, and subtle PeruvianGood  influences woven throughout the menu.

ZEA’s sophisticated ambiance is designed as a place of connection, offering a dining and luxury nightlife experience shaped by ritual, warmth, and contemporary Mediterranean elegance.

For media inquiries:

Nazia Mallick| nazia@xoconsultancydubai.com

Valencia de Souza| valencia@xoconsultancydubai.com