1 · POSITION
Alba is the Italian restaurant at Raffles Doha in Lusail's Katara Towers. Named for the Piedmontese town associated with white truffles, it brings a recognisable regional reference into an international hotel. Its first Michelin star, awarded in the Doha 2026 selection, belongs to the restaurant's own operating history rather than to the reputation of another establishment. [1, 2]
2 · THE ORIGINAL SIGNATURE
An earlier Raffles presentation named the restaurant ALBA by Enrico Crippa, crediting him with curating the menus and Antonino D'Alessio with leading their execution. That wording records a division between the visiting culinary signature and the resident team. It supports Crippa's association without making the Doha dining room identical to his Italian restaurant. [3]
3 · A ROOM WITHIN THE TOWERS
Michelin describes a first-floor interior with a vaulted ceiling and an intimate scale. The hotel's monumental exterior thus gives way to a more contained dining setting. A chef's table offers proximity to preparation, while a separate balcony table accommodates two: different ways of inhabiting the same restaurant, from watching work to concentrating on a companion. [1]
4 · A LATER KITCHEN
The 2026 Michelin announcement credits chef Cristhian Serraino. The current Raffles page also names him in its chef's-table offering. Michelin's examples include Barolo-braised veal cheek and spaghetti with shrimp ragù, locating the cooking within an Italian repertoire whose apparent familiarity can conceal considerable technical work. This is evidence of a developing kitchen, not merely an inherited name. [1, 2, 4]
5 · ⚑ CANDOUR
⚑ Older multilingual hotel pages retain Crippa and D'Alessio while current material identifies Serraino. These accounts describe different presentations of the restaurant and should not be merged into one current staffing list. The one-star distinction is specifically dated to the 2026 guide; neither another restaurant's stars nor a chef's earlier honours transfer automatically. [1–4]
Sources & Further Reading
Sources checked 24 September 2026.