Four Seasons Hotel Doha Reimagines Elements as a Vibrant Dining Destination for Creative Mediterranean Cuisine

Explore the Mediterranean on the plate, in the glass, and across the palate with the relaunch of Elements at Four Seasons Hotel Doha. Long an anchor of the Hotel’s dining scene, which counts 10 restaurants and lounges, Elements has been thoroughly reimagined as a dynamic restaurant with menus, design, service and programming intended to engage guests of all ages and appetites with thoroughly modern international cuisine inspired by the fertile region stretching from east side to west side of the Mediterranean area with a world of culinary traditions in between.

Arrayed within its original setting on the Hotel’s lower level, the new Elements continues the restaurant’s standing as a favourite of Four Seasons guests and Qataris alike. Design re-envisioned by Dubai-based boutique hospitality interior designer David Tkint is both captivating and clever, combining soothing colours, well-placed greenery, hardwood flooring, and striking artistic and ornamental features to give the space a sense of place all its own.

An energy all its own, too. The culinary operations of Elements unfold in an open kitchen designed to reveal chefs in their own element preparing fresh and à la minute dishes in full view of guests. An interactive bar encourages engagement with mixologists crafting an extensive array of original cocktails and zero-proof drinks inspired by flavours of the Mediterranean. And live stations tucked here and there are staffed by specialty chefs who create fresh, mouthwatering offerings ranging from Greek specialties to shawarma, crudo to ice cream, and more.

Leading the kitchen and fashioning the menu is Chef de Cuisine Claudio Leanza. Italian by birth and worldly by ambition, Leanza took to cooking while growing up in Latisana along the Tagliamento river in northeastern Italy, but he studied science and worked as an engineer before setting his aspirations on a career in hospitality. He got his start as a trainee with Four Seasons in Florence and has now returned to the company to lead Elements in Doha following a decade that saw him travel and broaden his culinary knowledge and management expertise at restaurants in his home country as well as in Costa Rica and Norway.

“With so many remarkable cuisines in the Mediterranean, I have endless opportunities to develop my own ideas while continuing to learn,” says Claudio of his role at Elements, noting his strong knowledge of sourcing products and readiness to change the menu to ensure that only the best-quality seasonal ingredients are used for every dish. “I have spent a lot of time cooking European cuisines, but now I’m drawing inspiration, ingredients and techniques from North Africa, Syria, Turkey and more. It's exciting, and I’m studying all the time.”

Breakfast is particularly jumping for Claudio and his team, when Elements is the main dining outlet in operation at Four Seasons Hotel Doha and guests arrive craving everything from eggs to pastries. Dinner menu includes hot and cold starters, crudo, and salads, followed by an extensive array of authentic pizzas and flat breads created by a designated pizzaiolo, with traditional dough and seasonal toppings cooked in a specialties pizza oven. There are also pastas and signature specialties, including braised and selection "From the Charcoal" such as Lamb shank and beans, Wagyu Striploin with carrots moutabal, Omani Prawns with sweet chili glaze, Seabass with shirazi salsa and chimichurri, and a generous Mixed Grill Platter sizzling with chicken, lamb and beef delicatessens.

Dishes are artfully plated on porcelain, cast iron or wood, with both balance and contrasts of colours, textures, aromas and tastes. Tables are generously sized and spaced, and set with centrepieces of candles, greenery and the like. Many dishes come with custom toppings, from flavoured oils for dipping to sauces for pouring, all plated nicely to fit into the scene.

That scene includes seating for 166 guests on wicker or cushioned chairs and banquettes, with different seating areas including spaces for families or groups of friends. It also includes Four Seasons anticipatory service, with most of the front-of-the-house team bringing experience from the original Elements, as well as deep knowledge of the origins and ingredients of all dishes, including how best to enjoy them.

The warm, contemporary atmosphere of Elements extends out onto a terrace overlooking the manicured greenery and outdoor swimming pool of Four Seasons Hotel Doha, and the sparkling Arabian Gulf beyond.

With all the above going for it – and more – the newly reimagined Elements is a stylish outlet for creative Mediterranean cuisine as well as an exciting addition to Four Seasons Hotel Doha as the property continues to lead in luxury hospitality in the capital of Qatar.  

Elements is open seven days a week serving breakfast and dinner. Opening times: breakfast from 6:30 to 11:00 am; dinner from 6:00 to 11:00 pm; aperitivo Sunday – Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

For reservations, call +974 4494 8888.