< PreviousWould you say your cuisine is popular in this region? Andrew Cullen, Seven Sands, Emirati cuisine: At Seven Sands, we’re fortunate that we have a very distinct off ering and there isn’t really anyone in Dubai doing what we do. However, the fl ip side to that is that there is low awareness in the market of what Emirati cuisine really is, with many people confusing it with other Arab cuisines, such as Lebanese. For us, the chal- lenge continues to be around educating people on what sets the local cuisine apart and, whilst we are certainly seeing a rise in popularity, Emirati cuisine has yet to reach its full potential in the UAE’s Middle Eastern food scene. Akhilesh Singh, executive chef, Shayan, Swissotel Al Ghurair, Iranian cuisine: Traditional Ira- nian food is an extraordinary aff air. Unfortunately it is sorely underrepresented in this city as Iranian community makes up less than ten percent of the UAE population. However, it has huge potential to do well since it has some similarity to Levant cuisine. Eyad Ammouri, executive chef, Kubba Levantin, Al Manara, Jordanian cuisine: Jordanian cuisine is indeed a traditional style of food that has developed throughout the history of the region. Jordan is known for its rich and fl avourful dishes that are seasoned and prepared with olive oil, spices, herbs, garlic, onion, tomato sauce and lemon. A prevalent blend of spices with a unique taste, is called za’ater; it contains a local herb called sumac, also associated with other Middle Eastern cuisines. Jordanian cuisine is identifi ed as Levantine, as it shares similar traits with cuisines of Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. Franck Page, executive chef, Phoenicia Hotel, Lebanese cui- sine: As a multicultural country, Lebanon is home to one of the best and richest cuisines in the world. Having been ran by multiple nations such as the Ottoman Turks and later the French, the country has a unique history that makes it a melting pot of cultures espe- cially in the culinary world. The Lebanese cuisine has gained a wide popularity in region and the world due to its multiple health benefi ts. Sudqi Naddaf, executive chef, Olea, Kempinski Mall of the Emirates, Levant cuisine: Levant being not only a place but it’s the taste and the region of shared plates and a wide palate of tastes embracing numerous cultures. Dubai being a hub of cultures, the Levant cuisine is quite popular as it fi ts the taste of various regions and bringing them together. Choumicha Chafay, head chef, Bab Al Mansour, Moroccan cuisine: The Moroccan cuisine is one of the most popular and fl avoursome cuisines in the world. It’s known by its fl avours, diversity and colours. Morocco is a popular destination to many people from the UAE and KSA STATS/FACTS : Shayan’s kebab requires 1kg of boneless chicken, 500g of veal, and 500g of lamb mince • Olea as well as other Gulf countries. Many of them already know the famous Moroccan dishes like tagine and couscous and have tried it before. While Moroccan food is so well received by the GCC citizens and residents, it is only logical to establish an authentic Moroccan restaurant such as Bab Al Mansour. How authentic is your prepa- ration of your cuisine – are recipes tweaked to suit a local audience? Cullen: Whilst Emirati cuisine has its roots in tradition, the question of what makes a cer- tain interpretation ‘authentic’ is not particularly straightfor- ward, due in large part to the way that the cuisine has evolved naturally over the years. Today’s Emirati cuisine is refl ective of the melting pot that has long made up the UAE’s unique cultural and social fabric, so it lends itself well for innovation. Singh: We are an authentic Ira- nian restaurant, as none of the recipes are tweaked or adjusted to local fl avours. Iranian cuisine focuses on utilising very few in- gredients in their recipes, hence adjusting the recipe to diff erent taste would completely change the dishes. However, at Shayan there is a dish to suit every pal- ate such as simple mahi pollo of grilled fi sh and fl uff y dill-sea- soned rice; the complex fl avours of ghormeh sabzi, a deep-green herb, lentil and lamb or beef stew; and aash: hearty soups fi lled with pulses and seasoned with kashk, a kind of sour yo- ghurt. The north region of Iran Six different cuisines make up this month’s focus as we look at the varying traditions and challenges around the Middle East Arabian Delights Meet the experts Andrew Cullen Seven Sands, Emirati cuisine Akhilesh Singh, executive chef, Shayan, Iranian cuisine Franck Page, executive chef, Phoenicia Hotel, Lebanese cuisine Eyad Ammouri, Kubba Levantin, Jordanian cuisine Sudqi Naddaf, executive chef, Olea, Kempinski Mall of the Emirates, Levant Choumicha Chafay, head chef, Bab Al Mansour, Mo- roccan cuisine Cuisine Focus Mena www.caterermiddleeast.com 98/ Caterer Middle East | February 2019able to receive certain items. As we only source the best organic ingredients, this is not a simple task. Page: It is indeed easy to source our ingredients; in fact, some would be freshly picked two to three hours before being added to the buff et at Mosaic. The beauty of Lebanon, especially for a chef, is that each region is well- known for a fruit, a vegetable or any kind of ingredient, so you’d be getting your components from all over the country. Naddaf: Dubai not being part of the Levant region it could be quite challenging at times to source the traditional ingredi- ents in order to follow our norm of grandma’s recipe. However, the best and the closest taste is always sourced. Choumicha: Each Moroccan dish has its own identity and requires special ingredients. We import 90% of our ingredients from the fi nest farms in Moroc- co including fruits, vegetables, oils, and spices. Almost all our produce is organic. We believe that the ingredients in the dish are like words in the song, if you add something that doesn’t rhyme perfectly or take out something important, it won’t sound right. In the place where food speaks Moroccan, we pay close attention to every small detail while creating unforget- table gastronomic experiences for our guests. What are your biggest chal- lenges? Cullen: The Dubai dining scene is extremely dynamic, with exciting new openings seemingly happening every week. Whilst this makes it a fun and exciting place to be, operationally it makes it hard to sign. We believe this is the only way for us to express the real fl avour of the food and what it represents. We however, care- fully selected our menu items to ensure they match with the cosmopolitan taste of Dubai and UAE residents. How easy is it to source your ingredients? Cullen: We’re very lucky in Dubai as we are now seeing locally produced ingredients becoming more and more accessible, which helps us as an Emirati restaurant to make more authentic dishes. Of course, as with any ingredi- ents, there are always some that are easier to source when they’re in season. We pride ourselves on authenticity and a key part of this is using local suppliers as much as possible and we are proud to serve Dibba Bay Oysters. Singh: Iranian food is colour- ful and uses many ingredients that have been highlighted as ‘superfoods’, with purported health benefi ts. This stems from ancient Ayurvedic medicine which many Iranians still loosely follow today. The practice states that food must be balanced between the “hot” – such as nuts – and “cold” – like refreshing fruits. This means that things like saff ron; Omani limes; sumac; fresh herbs and nuts; fruits such as pomegran- ate; yoghurt; and high-quality meat and fi sh are central to the food which are all available in Dubai. However, for seasonal items such as zereshk (Iranian barberry), kashk (dried drained sour milk) etc., we source it through our special suppliers. Ammouri: We often struggle with sourcing, as our location impacts the frequency of being restaurant did over 100,000 covers in 2018 • Seven Sands uses 330kgs of rice a month • Kubba Levantin seats 300 people uses a lot of pomegranate and walnuts whereas in the south you will fi nd tamarind and a number of diff erent species of fi sh – which are a surprise to our customers who thought Iranian food was all about kebabs. Ammouri: Our preparation styles are very authentic indeed, as they are based upon tradi- tional cooking methods, such as the cooking method of zarb. We use the same authenticity in the fl avouring of the dishes as well. Page: Mosaic, our lobby-fl oor Restaurant, truly represents the heart of dining at Phoenicia, warmly welcoming guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant off ers a diverse buff et of oriental and international dishes with live authentic cook- ing stations. Take the breakfast, for instance, a great representa- tion of Mosaic Restaurant where you can fi nd the traditional mankoushe, the lahm b ajin and the knefe. Nevertheless, for us to stay in touch with the latest trends in the industry, the restaurant comes alive with ever-changing twists on the Lebanese gastronomy. On special occasions, we revisit the cuisine in a modern way while keeping the ingredients of the original dish alive.. Naddaf: Most of the recipes that are followed are based on grandma’s recipes; how- ever some of the signature dishes are tweaked with the modern fusion along with the presentation. Choumicha: The preparation of Moroccan cuisine at Bab Al Mansour is in accordance with classic recipes that come with the heritage and culture of the country and its people. We do not go with the “fusion” style as we believe our guests will truly enjoy our authentic dishes that are perfect by de- The one metre kebab at Shayan. Mena Cuisine Focus www.caterermiddleeast.com /99 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East representation that Lebanese food revolves around a social activity, a friendly spirit, rather than a simple act of eating. In terms of structure, I believe we should keep the authenticity of the dish but be trendy in the way of presenting it. Naddaf: With the Levant region being open and merging vari- ous cultures and religions, the latest trend is a similar culture merge; the Turkish. Enhancing the taste buds and the variety of the food types. Choumicha: Dishes are pre- pared healthier: organic spices, less oil, old cooking methods are back, that’s what makes our Mo- roccan cuisine more authentic. © we have increasingly started implementing the concept of modern fusion between Arabic and European cuisines, in order to keep up with the food move- ment of the world as a whole. Page: The latest trend in the culinary world and in Lebanon is the tendency to eat healthy. People nowadays are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of a balanced healthy diet and Lebanese food can fi t perfectly in those requirements. There is also the concept of sharing that has been getting more popular in the region for quite some time and the Lebanese cuisine perfectly embodies this trend. The ‘Mezza’ are a clear get traction with guests when there is always somewhere new and diff erent to try in town. Competition is increasing, es- pecially when it comes to price and promotion. Singh: The biggest challenge is to change the mind-set of people living in UAE - they don’t believe that Iranian food is more than just kebab and rice. For instance, a Persian meal is incomplete without a dish of sabzi khordan, or edible herbs. The plate can include mint, tar- ragon, basil and cilantro, along- side scallions, radishes, walnuts, feta cheese, and Iranian naan (fl atbread). You simply tear off a piece of fl atbread, tuck a bit of the herbs and cheese and other garnishes inside, and fold it up like a rustic sandwich. The plate stays on the table throughout the meal, and the herbs are a crunchy palate cleanser. Ammouri: One of our biggest challenges is dealing with the many diff erent suppliers and the varying frequency of being able to receive the same re- quired products. Also, as we im- port many items from abroad, the availability of the required items is scarce at times. Page: As I’ve just mentioned, we are able to source quality ingredients; however, what’s diffi cult is being able to get the quantity that the restaurants in Phoenicia actually need. We in- sist on off ering all of our guests, and through all of our outlets, the highest quality of food with the fi nest ingredients. Today, my mission is to inspire and infl uence those up-and- coming chefs to be proud of their culture, and to continue developing and maintaining the highest level of the Leba- nese cuisine in the country and all around the world. Naddaf: The availability of the right products and consistency of the delivery of them Choumicha: I wouldn’t call it a challenge, it is more of the long term goals that I wish to share with you. One of the biggest aspirations for us now is to make Bab Al Mansour the best Moroccan restaurant in the UAE. While it’s a home- grown brand, we believe that with the resources and skilful management of Global Catering Services (owner company), we can take our brand global. What is the latest trend in your cuisine? Cullen: As we’re still in the early stages of Emirati cuisine emerg- ing in the region, we are yet to see clear trends developing. However, in Dubai for example, we are starting to see a few dif- ferent concepts coming through which show a real diversity to the cuisine. We look forward to seeing it become even more widely available, and with an increased breadth of concepts, from casual dining and QSR through to high-end options, making it accessible – and inspiring – for all. Singh: A delicate cuisine with passion. Tradition implies that there has been minimal change in the lifestyle of people living in Iran. However, healthy and superfoods are incorporated in Iranian cuisine as well. Many of our patrons request grilling instead of frying, to minimise use of oil and butter. We defi - nitely integrate superfoods in salads and soups. However, no compromises in our speciality dishes such as our ‘metre kebab’. Ammouri: In recent years, Emirati tasting menu at Seven Sands. • Phoenicia Hotel did 8,000 covers during Ramadan • Bab Al Mansour orders 500kg of premium Australian lamb shank per week Cuisine Focus Mena www.caterermiddleeast.com 100/ Caterer Middle East | February 2019Robert Jones , managing director of Coff ee Planet, tells us why you should be working with them and how they are helping people experience the fi nest possible coff ee Give us a brief about Cof- fee Planet and its products Coffee Planet originated in Dubai and our goal is to help people experience the finest global specialty Arabica coffee. Producing quality coffee is our number one pri- ority, which is why we have excellent relationships with the world’s best coffee pro- ducers, ensuring customers always receive the highest quality coffee they have come to know and expect. We roast green beans in our UAE-based ISO and HACCP certified roastery, creat- ing our own whole bean, ground and capsule coffee. We have been supplying customers in foodservice, retail and business across the Middle East and beyond since 2005 and we have grown to become one of the largest specialty coffee vendors in the region. Our brand also has franchised outlets in multiple countries. What is your core busi- ness concept and product range? We offer a full suite of products and services to ensure customers receive everything they need from crop-to-cup, including all coffee related consumables and market leading equipment. We also provide full support and training, machine delivery and installations and 24-7 tech- nical support. At Coffee Planet, we can provide customers with bespoke solutions to suit any require- ment. The comprehensive nature of our offering means we can cater to a wide range of customers within the foodservice industry including five-star hotels, offices, restaurants, cater- ing companies, airlines and many more. Have you introduced any new product ranges recent- ly? If so, please provide details about these new products and why they are important? This year at Gulfood marks the launch of our new Cold Brewed coffee, available in four different varieties that include; Original, Nitro, Ni- tro with Milk and Nitro with Milk & Natural Vanilla. This offering is brand new to the UAE and provides consum- ers with a natural alternative to energy drinks, catering to a more general ready-to- drink consumer market. Towards the end of 2018, we introduced our Coffee Planet Reserve range for retail and foodservice. These specialty, 100% Arabica blends are expertly crafted from a selection of our small batch single origin coffees and are separated by region to create a unique coffee reflective of their source; Africa or The Americas. We are also proud to showcase our refined Origin range, a collection of five specialty single origin cof- fees that are unique to their respective regions around the world. The Origin range is available exclusively for foodservice and from our online store. We have also expanded our in-room offering for hotel partners, developing new va- rieties of soluble coffee for guests to enjoy. Have you expanded the company in new regions or started distributing in new regions recently? In 2018 we made significant developments in expanding our business on the inter- national level. We opened the first Coffee Planet café to be managed in-house in Cardiff, the UK, signifying a prominent step towards so- lidifying our present in the UK market. We also signed a franchise agreement with Royal Management LLC, a newly-formed F&B trading entity based in Oman, which will see 11 outlets open across the Sultanate. Our foodservice solu- tions are now available in a wide variety of countries including China, Japan, Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Al- geria as well as throughout the GCC region. Our focus on international expansion will continue in 2019 and we will be partici- pating in several prominent exhibitions in key markets of interest to facilitate growth. Why should the hospitality industry work with you and your products? At Coffee Planet we con- sistently deliver a seamless and 360-degree approach to coffee solutions. With the UAE market revolving around the latest trends and the industry continuing to grow at a steady pace, we believe differentiation is essential and coffee quality is one measure that we pride ourselves upon, as well as our freshly-roasted ethos. We specialise in provid- ing the freshest coffee, which is available to our customers’ guests within days of being roasted. We find the combina- tion of quality and freshness makes a tangible difference to the guest experience in hotels and foodservice outlets. COFFEE PLANET The Coffee Planet Cold Brewed range is com- ing soon for both retail and foodservice. HOW CAN CUSTOMERS CONTACT COFFEE PLANET? Romany Ward Marketing Executive Coffee Planet Mobile: +971 56 414 6087 Romany.Ward@coffeeplanet. com www.coffeeplanet.com Coff ee Planet www.caterermiddleeast.com Brand View /101 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East TWO YEARS OF IL BORRO Popular Italian restaurant Il Borro Tuscan Bistro at Jumeirah Al Naseem celebrated two years of existence with a high class cocktail party for friends and customers Located in the heart of Ju- meirah Al Naseem hotel in the beautiful surroundings of Turtle Lagoon, Il Borro Tuscan Bistro did not take long to endear itself to the Dubai population. It has won award after award in its two years in the city, at- tracting a top-end crowd even at a time when people have been saying that fi ne-dining is on the way out. A venue that prides itself on using its own homemade goods from the farms of Italy where the brand started, it's poster boy of creating success by fo- cusing on the basics and build- ing from there. With over a thousand years of history to utilise from the found- ing of the Il Boro estate owned by the Ferragamo family and from which it gets its name, it's no surprise that Il Boro exudes true Italian authenticity and has done so well in the Middle East. To celebrate its success, own- ers Orange Hospitality through a lavish cocktail party which saw throngs of Dubai's sophis- ticated glitterati turn out to bid a happy second birthday to the Italian restuarant. Orange Hospitality founder Omar Saideh was in good form as he welcomed the guests into his concept for a night of free- fl owing champagne and delec- table cocktails. Naturally for Il Borro, the food was plentiful and fantas- tic. Whether it was the seem- ingly unlimited oyster bar or traditional pizzas, guests were spoiled for choice by the many waiters doing the rounds. The venue was completely packed out, with the party spilling out onto the walk- ways around Turtle Lagoon as hundreds came to enjoy the celebrations. They were kept occupied by entertainment from DJ Ican Minuti, saxaphonist Matt West, and percussionist Hush Bongos. Highlight of the night was the arrival of the giant "2" birthday cake which came out to much fanfase as Saideh toasted the crowd and more years of success. Il Borro Tuscan Bistro Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 102/ EventsPLANETARY MIXERS www.smakymixers.com info@smakymixers.com | Tel: 0046 865 79490 5 qrt. 8 qrt. 10 qrt. 20 qrt. 40 qrt. 60 qrt. 80 qrt. also with electric lift FOR CAREFREE SALES & HAPPY CUSTOMERS WE SEEK DISTRIBUTORS IN: Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar 3Warrantyyears SPARE PARTS O N TH E TRANSMI SS IO N Il Borro Tuscan Bistro www.caterermiddleeast.com /103 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East EventsJumeirah Beach Hotel Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 104/ Events BACK WITH A BANG The relaunch of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel showed the class and style of the setting which has been a Dubai fi xture for more than two decades The Jumeirah Beach Hotel was originally built back in 1997 and received more than one mil- lion guests in the 20 plus years since, so it was certain- ly about time for a face lift. The iconic building has been completely renovated inside and looks smart and mod- ern, with a number of new F&B concepts also taking their places. To welcome the new hotel back into Dubai’s bustling hospitality scene, the lav- ish party saw no less than a thousand guests invited to the property to enjoy a wide range of entertainment and free-f lowing champagne and plenty of food. All of Jumeirah Beach Ho- tel’s F&B concepts were rep- resented at a wide range of live cooking stations placed around the main communal area by the beach. The themed culinary jour- ney took in everything from the Middle East to Asia through the America, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Live entertainment was provided in the shape of a DJ and the smokey, soulful voice of Layla Kadran who performed for her audience on the big stage. Performers, some using fire to impress the large crowd, were a regular occurence as the party continued into the small hours. XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJumeirah Beach Hotel www.caterermiddleeast.com /105 February 2019 | Caterer Middle East Events Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCelebrating its fi rst birthday in Dubai, Luigia founder Enrico Coppola tells us how it chases authenticity over all and what he would be if he wasn’t a chef What is your earliest food memory? My first culinary memory is potatoes wrapped in aluminum paper cooked on the wooden stove by my grandfather. Besides this, the main culinary memory I have are the scents of ragu on Sunday mornings in the kitchen when I wake up. In my family, and in general throughout Italy, it is customary to start cooking the ragu early Sunday morning and allowing it to cook throughout the morning, which results in an amazing smell that spreads throughout the house, and greets the family when we wake up. I loved that smell, besides the goodness of the product, for the profound meaning of “family” that it carried with it. How would you describe your culinary style? The culinary style we created at Luigia is authentic, and respectful to the Italian traditions, at the same time adapting to today’s style trends. We run a clean kitchen, in which the product and the raw material are supreme. The authenticity of our cuisine goes through a deep knowledge of the traditional recipes of the Italian cooking. To this day, I add my style and technique with the purpose of making old recipes that was passed through generations. What has been your proudest moment as a chef? I reached the pinnacle of my career as a chef when Gruppo Luigia received the Gambero Rosso award for tradition and authenticity. However, my pride is nourished daily when I decide to spend some time in the Luigia restaurants and listen to the comments and the feedbacks from the customers who are satisfied after their dinner or lunch. It simply fills Italian Flair appreciate the organisation of the country, and last but not in order of importance, the weather, which for one with origins of the south like me, is very important. From a professional point of view I like that in Dubai you can taste the best of every kitchen in the world. There is great competition and it is a stimulating market because we measure ourselves against the best. If you weren’t a chef what would you be? A painter. What does the future hold for Luigia? I hope that the future will have great surprises in store for Luigia, such as opening up new markets in which to measure and continue the mission to bring the extraordinary products and abilities of our country across the border, without losing sight of our traditions. me with joy. Luigia has been in Dubai for around a year, how has it been received? Luigia in Dubai received ‘The Best Pizzeria in Dubai’ Gambero Rosso award which has brought expectations from the customers. In fact, there is always a high expectation of Italian restaurants that are in the market as many people who know Italian cuisine has dramatically expanded. This aspect is even more evident in Dubai, where people travel a lot and therefore have full knowledge of the Italian gastronomic landscape. Right from the start, we had a great success with our customers who immediately loved the veracity of our kitchen. What has been the biggest challenge with Luigia in Dubai? The biggest challenges that we face at Luigia is importing our key products from Italy, which makes our recipies so authentic. Our second challenge is training the newly joined staff to Luigia’s working method, so they undertand the dishes perfectly and will give our cutomers the warm Italain hospitality that our resturants are known for. We are very satisfied by the result obtained with the help of the local partners Sunset Hospitality, who have worked tirelessly to stay true to the brand. Their commitment has been extraordinary. How often do you get to Dubai and what do you enjoy the most about it? I visit Dubai at least twice a year. It always fascinates me to think about the vision they had in designing and building the city, and when I’m in town it seems to be a dream that has become a reality. In addition I really Tomahwak steak Luigia founders Enrico Coppola (L) and Luigia Guarnaccia (R) Last Bite Enrico Coppola Caterer Middle East | February 2019 www.caterermiddleeast.com 106/2 01 9 www.bragard.com +971 4 395 16 11 contact.me@bragard.com Visuel A4 Caterer Middle indd 125/01/2019 12:05Next >