FoodSheikh guest contributor Pandasfoodbelly is a multi-talented, third culture kid.  She loves food and music and dancing.  Most of her emotions are linked to food.  She generously shares a few of them with us.  Do you have a go-to food?  Comment below.

You can find her on Instagram @Pandasfoodbelly

Allow me to reintroduce myself, let emotions and food redefine themselves.  I was born in a land with nothing but desert, then raised in a city with outdoor leisure.  Graduated with Law and Psych in my pocket, then back to Dubai for full-fledged flourish. Take a step into my mind and experience these pleasures, then leap out, go on, and enjoy your own type of treasures.

Chocolate.  Sweet like chocolate.  If you’re allergic to chocolate, I don’t suggest this read – but me… I’m a chocoholic.  Also the type of person that resorts to the comfort of chocolate when something heavy is on my mind.  Depending on the gravity of the situation and the level of thought required, I would grab a bar of snickers while working long hours or if it’s something more deep, and something I can’t even figure out, I’ll want that chocolate fondant.

Why? Because I know fondant.  I know it will be good.  I know that when I cut through the cake, the chocolate will flow and so will the heavy thoughts, out of my head. And as I dip the warm chocolate into the vanilla ice cream, I’ll forget momentarily that I had any heavy thoughts. Yes, it has to be vanilla.  That bite is simply perfection.  A match made in heaven.  As your taste buds awaken and are aware of what’s going on, they rejoice at the contrasting tastes, temperatures, and textures.  Once that bite is over, your eyes rejoice at what remains on the plate.  Because there’s more! Before you know it, it’s annihilated, as are the heavy thoughts.

Sorry, what heavy thoughts?

Pizza. It’s the first type of food that comes to my mind when I think parties, movie nights, game nights, and any night for that matter.  Suitable for all occasions. I have a very fond memory of pizza.  One in particular for that matter… Pizza Hut.  When I was living in New Zealand, Pizza Hut was basically the only fast food chain that would deliver so late at night… yes, 11PM/12AM was and still is super late in New Zealand.  Now, this is when I was a kid.  My older brother used to come back from boarding school on the weekends. It was the most exciting thing about my weekend.  Having him home for a couple of days before dropping him back with mum on Sunday night.  He probably wasn’t that excited to see me because he claims I was super annoying. Yah ok sure, I beg to differ. Anyways, Pizza.

So as kids we’d spend our Friday and Saturday nights at home, but we’d stay up late. Honestly, there really wasn’t much to do at night in Auckland about 17 years ago. However, we are huge movie junkies. He probably loved watching movies with me because I wouldn’t be talking to him at the time. Well, I wasn’t allowed to. We’d always rent out movies and watch them late.  So obviously we’d need food at the time, and we’d always order pizza.  I wouldn’t have much choice on the pizza but I’ve been a foodie since I was a kid and I knew I’d be eating 3 slices of whatever we got.  The usual flavor of choice was cheese and tomatoes, with chunky tomatoes and thick crust.  That was the dream for me.  I lived for those late night dinners while watching movies.  A lot of the times they were the Fast and Furious movies.  To date, Pizza hut and the Fast and the Furious hold a really special place in my heart.  I got pizza and coke late at night on the weekend, while watching a movie with my too cool for school brother.  Definitely some of the best nights as a child for me.

Coffee. My favourite drink in the world.  I just love coffee.  It’s unconditional.  And the love grows stronger as my hours get longer at work.  My best friend.  There with me in the good and the bad, and through the thick and thin.  That glorious moment when the frothy milk touches my lips, and I taste the sensational flavour of well roasted coffee beans.  Life is made.  I love a good cappuccino, latte or flat white.  I don’t discriminate.  But sometimes, just sometimes, I want it black.  There are certain places that create such an incredible brew, that you just need to taste the full flavor, without the comfort of milk.  The beauty of it lies in the instant boost of energy a well-brewed cuppa black coffee gives you.  It’s fabulous! But when you have the time, and are in the mood for a cosy coffee, a cappuccino is the way to go.  It’s smooth, creamy and milky texture, can make you feel as full as the kind of milk you should be drinking when enjoying that cup of goodness.  I really do love coffee.  Can you tell?
Instagram:- @Pandasfoodbelly

Are we falling out of love with restaurants?

It is a horrible question to ask and a depressing notion to comprehend, but is Dubai falling out of love with the traditional restaurant experience?  When a new restaurant opens, we all go “Yay!’  But I’m sure there is, secretly, an inward groan highlighting our larger concerns. Keep shoving something down someone’s throat and they will eventually wretch.  I mean that in the nicest way possible.  I used to love Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn until it was played on every single radio station over and over; until I couldn’t bear the sound of it.

I fear for the enthusiasm of the market – I fear that because of this continuous, incessant stream of restaurant opening in every conceivable space in Dubai, people are, at the very worst, going to get bored and at the very least, ambivalent of this industry.  I fear for the over-reliance on F&B as the magic bullet that will solve all of retail’s problems.  Foot traffic down? Bring in some food trucks.  Got some dead retail space to fill?  Open some F&B kiosks.  Our industry’s saving grace has been a resilience and enthusiasm from our customers to continue to support the thousands and thousands of seats available across the city, every night of the week.  I fear for that continued gusto.

Perhaps people are bored already.  Home delivery is on the up and restaurant reservations are down. People are choosing Netflix’s The Crown and Uber Eats over traffic and a restaurant.  Deliveroo is building restaurants that live on their app as a “delivery only” option.  We’re not even bothering to build restaurants anymore – just a hot stove and a bike.

How have we got to that point where our restaurants are being threatened by luke-warm food (that is usually far below restaurant quality), impersonally delivered with little emotional attachment.  How have we become happy with an automated message asking for a rating as a replacement for an engaging, genuine table touch by a restaurant professional?

How have we got to the point where the majority of restaurants don’t need a reservation on a Thursday night, yet we have to wait up to an hour and a half for food delivery due to heavy demand?

The reasons are simple.

Too much mediocracy, not enough innovation.
Too much capitalism, not enough connection.
Too much ego, not enough egalitarianism.
Too much social media, not enough social skills.
Too much management, not enough ownership.

So, what’s the solution? How do we, as an industry, keep that fire alive?  How do we avoid becoming irrelevant?  We desperately need our guests to care about us because if they stop caring about us, we are lost.

Luckily, my thinking didn’t end there.  There are three things that I’ve identified as a food writer and a food professional that we, as an industry need to consider and get better at.

1. Accessibility

Is the restaurant easily within reach of your customers, physically, psychologically and financially?  Being accessible to your guest is ultimately about convenience.  How easy is it to visit the restaurant?  This includes fighting traffic, hunting for parking and distance traveled to get there.  Once there, how ‘open’ is the place?  A guest needs to feel welcomed and important from the moment they walk in, not alienated and awkward.  Finally, how accessible is the pricing of the experience?  The pricing should aim to encourage repeat visits, not remind guests to stay at home and order a chicken biryani.

2. Innovation

Innovation is the cornerstone of progress, especially in a fast-moving industry such as F&B.  It doesn’t have to be expensive; in fact, innovation is often born from frugality.  However, the very best restaurants are pushing boundaries and keeping things fresh.  Smashed avocado and kale will only get you so far.  A chef’s real job is to continuously explore flavours and technique.  A restaurant owners real job is to continuously reinvent service and experience.  Not enough restaurants here innovate.

3. Emotional connection.

This is the hardest to achieve, but the most powerful.  I’ve used this quote many times, but the great Grandmaster Flash once said, “Conquer your street.  Conquer your park.  Conquer your neighbourhood, and the world is yours.” Restaurants need to have a connection to the community they are in.  The local hairdressers should know the restaurant owners name.  The local dental clinic receptionist should have eaten there recently.  The guests should know who’s behind the business and buy into why they are doing what they’re doing.  Suddenly you’re not just eating at Café Abbaca; you’re supporting Lubna and Jonathan, and their dream of running a successful neighbourhood café.  You become part of that journey, part of something special.

What do you think? Are we falling out of love with restaurants? What do restaurants need to do better to get bums on seats? Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Comment below!

Originally, back in 1909 when International Women’s Day started, it was a day of protests and marches, in cities all over the world. Women across the globe marched for equal rights and the right to vote.  They marched for the right to hold public office.  They marched against employment discrimination, and they marched for equality and parity.  International Women’s Day became a moment in a calendar where women’s issues were allowed to be discussed and where women’s achievements were allowed to be celebrated, and the incredible struggles of women who have paved the way for others were recognised.

But guess what – it’s 2018 and #TimesUp on International Women’s Day because women aren’t waiting for March 8th to let their voices be heard.  They aren’t limiting themselves to 24 hours of appreciation for their contribution to this planet.  The IWD is no longer just a single day – it is a movement – a powerful tide of progress, a seismic shift in the balance of gender equality and I’d like to talk a little about my experience of women in my industry.

Let’s start by calling it for how it is – globally, in the very best examples, women are underpaid, under-promoted and held to ridiculous standards.  In the worst examples, they are subject to sexual harassment and blatant discrimination.  There are always outliers, but for the most part, these observations hold true, especially in F&B.

So, please remember that any woman working in the F&B industry probably has as much, if not more grit, determination and resolve than her male counterpart.  It is likely she has been teased, touched and tormented by co-workers and customers alike.  Malicious or not, it is the same; it happens every day, and nevertheless, she persisted.

So, let’s not use today to offer a dinner discount or a free glass of bubbly to women.  Let’s make a commitment to acknowledge that without women in our restaurant kitchens, we would have less creativity, discipline, and innovation.  Without women in our dining rooms, we would have less harmony and balance and less genuine hospitality.  Without women in management, we would have less clarity and focus, less perspective and vision.  Women in our industry bring balance, energy, intelligence and grit to our businesses. And they do it every single day, not “once a year.”

So, I would like to shout out to all the women in our great industry – the chefs, sous chefs and commis, all the bartenders, cocktail servers and waitresses, all the hostesses, and supervisors, all the managers, and leaders that bring such balance, strength, and vitality to our industry.  My hat is off to you, and it remains off.

Please share this article with any women in the industry that need a shout out!

Two and a half years ago, I started on a journey to experience restaurants and create helpful, credible and entertaining reviews.  I gave myself a few self-imposed rules to follow, without exception. I would always review independently, anonymously and fairly.  I would never get on my high horse and belittle, embarrass or berate.  This was not an egocentric mission to blast the smallest of errors but to give the restaurant a genuine summary of their performance.  Every review I write has two audiences – one is the consumer who wants to learn about the restaurant and be entertained at the same time.  The other is the restaurants themselves.  I try to offer genuine advice and feedback with each review, with the hope that FoodSheikh can play a small part in helping the industry raise its standards – one restaurant at a time.

I have reached a milestone in my journey – I have just finished my 100th review.  It may not seem a lot – especially against the thousands of restaurants in Dubai, but for me it is significant, because each review is a story in itself – one thousand words of research, knowledge, and narrative.  It is a portfolio I am proud of, and I am grateful for all the people I have met along the way.

I’ve developed a significant audience across all my platforms.  It’s not the biggest audience, but they are intelligent, engaged and supportive and I wouldn’t swap them for anything.  Every review is read thousands of times, reaching into the hundreds of thousands in totality, if you include everyone who clicks through from other platforms as well.

Here are a few highlights from one hundred restaurant reviews

The Ingredients (serves 100 restaurants):-

52,560 Aed – Amount spent on restaurant bills alone.  No alcohol included.
451 – Number of dishes eaten.
116 Aed – Average dish price.
525 Aed – Average Check (for two)
3 hours – the time it takes to write a review
5 hours – the time it takes to research for a review.
13% – % of restaurants reviewed that have since closed.

Methodology/What I’ve learned.

I can count the great restaurants on one hand. The rest fit into a mosh pit of mediocracy.  Originality cannot be celebrated enough.  You can tell how committed or passionate the owner is within 3 minutes of walking into a place.  The art of the table touch is dead.  Only 18% of reviews had a meaningful table touch by a manager or supervisor.  Genuine hospitality is still an issue in F&B service.  Avocados, so many avocados.  Most restaurants are 40% too big.  Bread quality is mediocre.  Foodies can spot an influencer fluff piece a mile away.  Nothing is as important as overall experience.  Facebook is the blogger’s frenemy.  Restauranteurs trump hoteliers when it comes to F&B, hands down.  Ingredients maketh meal.  The word authentic is overused and misunderstood.  Some PR companies don’t truly understand restaurants.  Celebrity Chefs will have to work harder.  Restaurants are obsessed with escapism.  Always tip in cash.  Eating out is expensive.

What year are we in?  Is this 1903?  Pepsico is creating snacks exclusively designed for women.  I was listening to a Freakonomics podcast where the CEO of Pepsico (who is female) claims that women don’t want their Doritos to crunch “too loudly”, they don’t like licking their fingers in public, and they want to be able to carry their snacks in their purses.  Apparently, Pepsico is getting ready to launch several lady specific snack ranges very soon.  The backlash in the media has been swift and brutal.  #ladydoritos.   I’m assuming women would like equal pay, not crunchless crisps!

I feel like we’ve taken an enormous step backward and this got me thinking, the F&B industry has a terrible misconception of women – for all our advances in technology and ingredient trends, food provenance, and ethical farming, it is embarrassing how the industry communicates with the female audience, even in Dubai.

Reese Witherspoon created a film company which came out with some pretty big hits, amongst them are Big Little Lies and Gone Girl.  She created this company with the desire to create films that not only have female characters in them, but that have female leads that are mysterious, deep, confusing, brave, controversial… all the things that a regular woman is.  Why can’t we communicate to all the nuances of the female gender instead of assuming all she wants is pink, sparkles and unicorns?

Almost twenty-five years ago, back in 1994, a company called Six Continents asked the question, “how do we make the British pub more accessible to women?” Surprisingly, they asked a bunch of women, and the answers were simple and effective.  Improve the bathrooms.  Put hooks under the bar counter for scarfs, jackets and handbags.  Provide more comfortable seating.  Improve the food.  Have lots of windows so you can see the atmosphere before walking in.  Ban all football shirts, to eliminate “tribes” and conflict.  These are pragmatic, respectful and obvious considerations and in hindsight apply to both genders.  This is how All Bar One was born.

Fast forward quarter of a century and we seem to have gotten worse.  How restaurants talk to their female customers is downright embarrassing at times.  I’ve seen many ads that have gentrified the eating experience, or the food, or the ambiance, to attempt to appeal to a female audience. The thing is, women are far more nuanced than needing to gentrify anything.

Traditional steakhouses trying to appeal to the female audience use tag-lines “Not your daddy’s steakhouse.”  Really?

They use adverts that highlight the legs and lips of the women who are supposedly the restaurant’s target customers.  If anything stimulates a woman’s appetite for a piece of meat, it’s seeing another woman being treated like one.

Restaurants give cocktails names like “French Kiss” or “Pink Elegance” because those will clearly make their female audience feel cute and sexy and asking a bartender for a French Kiss is totally not awkward.   It gives the term “switch and bait” a whole new meaning!

Dubai’s ladies’ nights probably allow for the best/worst examples.  Close-ups of women’s lips, pictures of red lipstick, handbags and high-heels adorn most of the promotional flyers.  Three free drinks and discounted food seems to be what the entire market has agreed it will take for women to act as bait for men to visit a venue.  Bonus points for pink champagne and super sweet cocktails.

Check out a few of these real ladies night names.

Lipstick Ladies. Gossip Sundays.  Leave Your Boyfriend At Home.  Pink Elephant.  One for the Girls.  12-inch Tuesdays.  Friends with Benefits.  Pin Up.  Lost Angels.  Mile High Club.  Sparkle in the Sand.  Go, Geisha.  Her Night.  Dollified.  Boom Boom.  Berries and Bubbles.  Miss Independent.  Lady Liberty. Guilt-Free Ladies Night.  Ladies on Top.

Come on Dubai – can’t we do better than demeaning names and free pink drinks?

The new year hasn’t even got started, and Zahira restaurant at The H Hotel has already closed their doors, after trading for just seven short months.  Two hundred and fifteen days was all it took for the owners to cut their losses and turn off the lights.  That’s like getting a divorce during your honeymoon.

I have walked through a few closed restaurants myself, always with grief and sad reflection.  Where there was once laughter and life and happiness, there is just silence.  Where there was once good food and drinks being enjoyed every day, there is nothing but emptiness.  The restaurant team scattered into the wind, each one of them responsible for finding work that will support their families.  It is a surprisingly emotional event – someone’s hopes, dreams, and savings extinguished.

Zahira was a venue with a dream kitchen team, a slick, well-designed restaurant, and a quite delightful menu, conceived and cooked by none other than Chef Greg Malouf – the “Godfather” of Middle Eastern cooking.  This restaurant should have had a waiting list weeks long.  The food was critically acclaimed and boasted perhaps the best hummus and Ouzi in town.  Greg himself was cooking alongside his talented and trusted head chef, Troy, six nights a week.  The pricing point was excellent, and the bar had some decent bottles behind it.  Alas, after suffering a torrid summer and seeing no upturn in business over the remainder of the year, the writing was on the wall.  In capslock.

Having read the online social and trade commentary about the Zahira closing, and understanding a little of the history of the restaurant, some interesting things became apparent.

The first thing is that the Dubai F&B industry is a close-knit community, despite everyone ferociously fighting for the same diminishing dirham.  When a new place opens, industry colleagues pass by, partly to have a nosey and check out the “new place” but mainly to support and congratulate their industry peers.

Similarly, when a place closes, there is an outpouring of condolences and support, as if a dear friend had passed away.  For the most part, there is a real integrity and mutual respect for what every restauranteur is trying to achieve out here.  It’s these little things, in moments like this, that make me proud to be associated with this industry.

Additionally, the strong empathetic reaction is not just because Greg is a popular chef and personality, but also because every restaurant owner and chef know they could easily become the next Zahira restaurant.  Closure is just a bad weekend away for some operators – that is the reality, unfortunately.

Another thing I realised is how easy it is to perform a back-seat autopsy and claim the closure was because of this or that.  Poor management, an undefined concept, lack of marketing strategy – there are hundreds of reasons why restaurants fail, and it’s easy to throw the blame around when it’s all done and dusted.

The astonishing part and this is what impresses me the most, is the desire to do it all over again.  Reflect, learn (find new investors) and stand back up, again and again.

The very best traits of this industry are its persistence and resilience and eternal optimism.

Zahira might have been the first casualty of 2018, but unfortunately, it won’t be the last.  Yes, the challenges are there, and this is not an attempt to sugar coat them.  The industry is approaching breaking point; rents are crippling, food costs are soaring, disposable income is decreasing, and yet there is hope.  There is determination, and for the very best, for the ones who will win, there is strategy and discipline and a commitment to excellence.

In a market that is softening faster than my soufflé cheesecake, it is remarkable that restauranteurs are still hungry for good locations and opportunities, and ways to serve food experiences that bring joy to the city.

I wish each of us the same resilience and optimism, and the very best for 2018.

Hello!  It’s fast approaching Christmas and I wanted to share with you my top five Christmas gifts that I will be giving to people that I don’t really spend that much time with.  They are five pieces of equipment that are usually found in commercial kitchens but are incredibly useful at home too.

If you’re looking for a super practical Christmas gift that will score you zero affection points, then read on.

Restaurants need just three things from their kitchen operating equipment. They need to be durable, functional and inexpensive, and I like all three of those in my Christmas gifts.  That I give, not receive.

1. Bench Scraper

Otherwise known as a Bench Knife, is one of my favourite tools to keep around the kitchen. As you can see from the pictures, it can be used for a bunch of things, such as portioning dough, scraping clean work counters, decorating cakes, picking up large quantities of chopped onions and stuff, and cutting large amounts of errm, white powder.  About 50 AED

2.Plastic squeeze bottles

Standard issue in restaurants, these squeeze bottles are really cheap and really useful. I keep things like cooking oils, sauces, dressings, and honey in mine, decanted from the larger bottles. They are kept close to the cooker and are super convenient and keep things clean. Sometimes I suck honey straight from the nozzle like a sugar-crazed hamster. About 50 AED for a pack of six

3.Tongs

None of these fancy tongs with silicon tips and non-slip grips. These tongs are made tough and are uber functional. Although they come with a closing pin, their natural resting position is a sensible 30-degree angle, and they make a wonderful clacking sound when you use them. They can be used for pulling pans out of the oven, turning pieces of meat and fish over or flipping roast potatoes without burning your fingerprints off. You can also spin them round your middle finger like a gunslinger. About 130 AED

4.Stainless Steel Prep Bowl

Multi-functional and highly durable, this prep bowl can be used to collect food prep waste, helping keep your counter clean. They can hold ingredients ready for mixing. You can mix sauces or dressings in them, or you can marinade meat or wash vegetables in them. You can also eat a full box Cinnamon Toast Crunch out of them at 4 in the morning. Highly versatile and highly recommended. About 10 – 15 AED each

5.Half Sheet Pan (with rack)

This perfectly sized stainless-steel baking tray can be used for so many different things. You can lay out your chocolate covered strawberries on them, or you can use it for roasting vegetables or making your homemade hipster granola. You can turn it over and use it as a pizza peel, or put the insert in and it becomes a cooling tray or a perfect rack to cook a Sunday roast.  About 150 AED

The prices I have given are based on what I could find online, on professional trade websites.  They are ballpark figures only and are subject to change.  Try visiting a trade warehouse here in Dubai for better prices and products than retail.  Al Difaya Trading in Al Quoz Courtyard has a pretty good stock of kitchen stuff.

Merry Christmas and let me know if there are any other must-have items.  Like the automatic omelet sausage maker.

Food enthusiast Alia Ibrahim reached out to me and in a breathless, excited email, proclaimed that she had a food story for me.  It was about her journey across the globe to find Alain Ducasse, infiltrating one of his master classes and finding some important lessons in the process.  Here is her story.

Alain Ducasse, needless to say, is one of the most instrumental French chefs and restaurateurs whom the world regards as “The Architect of Flavors.”

I have always been mesmerized by Alain Ducasse’s creations that I only got to see from afar (on TV etc.). When it came to gastronomy, there was always something about him that stirred my curiosity and interest.

Thus, I decided to go to Paris to solely meet him at Restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athènèe. I kept myself updated with his whereabouts (yes I’m sugarcoating “stalking”), and I was suddenly nuked by the fact that he left Paris. I did not give up. I was so determined to meet him that I signed up for a Baking Master Class at one of his restaurants in the Middle East.

I entered the restaurant with the biggest smile on my face, only to be disappointed, once more. As the maître d’ warmly welcomed me and escorted me to the kitchen, he also told me that Alain Ducasse took off the same day I landed. I wanted to leave at that moment, but I tried to ground myself.

Even though I crossed borders to meet Alain Ducasse, and not really cared for the baking class, I was surprised by the way I was all-consumed – even more interested in the class than the bakers who attended to learn all the recipes.

It was my turning point as a culinary arts aficionado – I hit so many realizations at once.

1. As much as we think, as hardcore foodies, that our knowledge in food is on the right side of the bell curve, being alongside chefs who work for the world’s very best opens our eyes to the many voids in our knowledge… and it fills those voids
2. Such master classes, even though might not benefit us in the sense of executing the “secret” recipes, offer keys to understanding culinary arts like never before
3. These classes also reveal the reasons why fine dining, as an overall experience, is indeed worthy of its cost when done properly
4. New facets to reviewing food are created, new sensibilities, and new perspectives

The “unofficial” lessons (the side-note kind of lessons) surpassed the “official” ones at the master class. The chefs drew our attention to the littlest details of food, whether the cooking of it or its consumption. For example, the pastry chef emphasized on how the cooking of caramel and its addition to desserts should be in regard to the weather (less when it’s hot, more when it’s cold), and how fruits and vegetables should only be consumed in respect to their seasons.

He also shared the birthplaces of the best ingredients, and how we should not be fooled by the “good enough” ingredients (i.e. fleur de sel should be from West of France, almond milk from Italy, chia seeds from South America, and sugar from cane is better than land (beetroot) sugar)… to name a few.

Moreover, among the many lessons learned, I will never forget the “10, 10, 10” technique, in which one is supposed to wait until caramel is cooled to remove it, instead of applying cold compress or ice on the burnt skin.

Equally important, watching the chefs synchronize perfectly in a clean and organized kitchen, smile even under pressure, use only organic and premium ingredients, utter knowledge, and wisdom, and deliver their feelings before the dishes (that seem as though have fallen from heaven) really justify why fine dining is what it is.

It all starts from the kitchen, the backstage, and it all stems from the core principles of culinary arts that the team follows. Being in that backstage, just like a theater, gives an idea of the hard work that the performers (the chefs) put in their creations. As food reviewers, food fanatics… whatever we may call ourselves, we often attend the show, the front stage, and we critique accordingly. Yet, having a closer look at what happens in the kitchen is an opportunity we should always consider. It so beautifully widens our horizons and ignites the emotional aspect of food.

All in all, I may not have met Alain Ducasse like I planned, but I have definitely understood him and his success through his exceptional team, especially through the performance of chef Benoit Champeau – the head pastry chef at Alain Ducasse Enterprises.

About the Author
Although a holder of BA in International Affairs, Alia considered food as a career in her early days in university. She was a Nutrition and Health Sciences student at first until she found a bigger challenge in International Affairs. It might seem like the two majors are worlds apart, but her background in health sciences strengthened her passion for food, and her degree in politics made her the writer and researcher that she is today. Every so often, the two harmonize with each other.

Dubai has an opportunity to create something inspiring in the world of gastronomy. Sure, there are challenges – the start-up costs for a restaurant can be crippling and must be a huge deterrent for an inexperienced operator looking to share his or her passion with the community. Because of this, grassroots start-ups need colossal investment behind them, to get projects off the ground. Hundreds of great restaurant concepts and ideas lie in a landfill of F&B dreams, some destined to live only in the minds of their creators. Which is a travesty.

David Chang’s Fuji apple kimchi or Ansel’s cronut. Mosimann’s mushroom risotto and Blumenthal’s bacon and egg ice cream. Ducasse’s baba au rhum. These are dishes that have enthralled thousands and inspired generations of chefs, amateur and professional alike. What a different world we would live in if those dishes were never created for us to experience.

Worst still – imagine New York without Balthazar, or Paris without Chateaubriand. What would Tokyo be without Sukiyabashi Jiro or London without The Ivy? What would Dubai be without… well, I guess that’s my point. What is Dubai’s dish? What restaurant legacy can Dubai truly own? Not Zuma – that belongs to Rainer and Knightsbridge. LPM belongs to Nicole Rubi and Nice, France. There are a few recent restaurants that perhaps can lay claim, but 18 months of business does not make a legacy.

So how do we support and encourage restaurant start-ups that don’t require the backing of a Russian Oligarch or the sort of money that Man City throws at mediocre left back wingers? How do we give these grass root start-ups the opportunity to shine and stand on their own merit?

The answer is clear – throw a glitzy independent restaurant award ceremony – obviously. That’s what Martin Kubler, the founder of JLTDining.com is doing.

Jumeirah Lake Towers is home to over 200 restaurants, many of them falling into the “independent” category, who don’t have the benefit of large investments behind them. Some are tiny little establishments, with just 10-15 seats, (Pitfire has a table for two!) specializing in a particular dish or cuisine. Many are owner-operator with a few employees. (Chef New at Café Isan for example). Because of this, there is an absolute consistency and quality that is there day in and day out.

To celebrate this, JLT Dining is launching the JLT Restaurant Awards – the first micro-community awards scheme focusing just on the JLT neighbourhood. It’s a fantastic initiative, and one FoodSheikh is proud to champion.

But here’s the thing. It’s not really about the awards, in my opinion. Yes, the awards themselves are significant, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an initiative built for and supported by the community of JLT. Humble neighbourhood restaurants, smiley staff and simple service that often get lost in the fuss and froth of the fine dining world. The JLT Restaurant Awards are important, particularly to Dubai as a city. It is the start of something quite special. That’s why the awards seem secondary to the real purpose of this initiative – to provide the neighbourhood with something to rally around.

Martin says, “We want to support the local food scene and its doers and makers, mostly SMEs and family-run companies, who often struggle to make their voices heard in a city filled to the brim with restaurants.”

It reveals a sentiment that is increasingly being felt on high streets, in shopping malls and throughout retail precincts around the world – residents want to support businesses that are woven into the community rather than just exploiting a passing opportunity.

Martin says the support has been tremendous – they were lucky to get some excellent partners from the community and this is how it should be – an initiative from the neighbourhood, for the neighbourhood.

If you’ve been reading my ramblings for long enough, you know that FoodSheikh tries to celebrate the industry with refreshing, humourous and honest content. Here’s one of my first serious calls to action. Get involved with your own neighbourhoods. Reward your local pizza place, hang out at your local coffee shop and order from the family-run Chinese down the road. Show these businesses that you care.

Glastonbury music festival started in 1970 with an audience of 1,500 people. Last year, they welcomed 175,000 people to the event. The Crossfit Games started in 2007 with 70 athletes. Last year, 324,000 athletes competed worldwide. Head over JLTdining.com to see if you can get yourself an invite to their inaugural JLT Restaurant Awards ceremony. You can tell your grandkids that you were there at the beginning.

JLT Restaurant Awards Ceremony – 27th of November, 2017 at 7 pm. Bonnington Jumeirah Lake Towers. Click here for further information and demand an invitation!

Mixologists, cocktailians, Barkeeps, Beverage Craftsmen – whatever you call them, if you are a bar owner, you are always on the look-out for talented bartenders.  They are the lead singers in your rock band – your front men and women who give your establishment personality and energy.

Good bartenders have an encyclopedic knowledge of all spirits, drinks, and cocktails.  They are charming, charismatic and hardworking.  They are attractive even before that fifth long island iced tea kicks in, and they multitask like a one-man orchestra.  They manage a station that is five customers deep and pump out good quality drinks with minimal of fuss.

A good bartender can pop a beer bottle cap off with her bar blade.  Some will be able to flare; some will know napkin tricks.  Others can tell great stories or share worldly advice.

However, a good bartender, unfortunately, will also be able to rob you blind.  Most don’t, but some less scrupulous do.  Here’s how they do it.  Don’t try this at home.  Or in a bar.

The primary question bar owners ask is “does what we sold in the register till match what we sold physically?”  Typically, if the two balance, then everything’s good and life goes on.  Well, not so fast.

There are a small group of highly intelligent scam artists that are exceptionally good at playing the system. It is highly illegal and is not to be condoned – but it’s important to know how they do it.  Here are three well-known scams that can make the bartender quite rich.  And unemployed.  Perhaps even jailed.

BYO – Bring Your Own.

The premise:  A bottle of vodka can sell for over one thousand Dirhams in a bar.  Here are the maths.  Your average 750 ml bottle of liquor contains 25 shots of a 1 oz measure.  An average drink with mixer will cost you 45 Dirhams.  45 Dirhams multiplied by 25 shots is 1,125 Dirhams retail value.

The Scam:  So, all a sneaky bartender has to do is bring in their own cheap bottle of vodka, which cost them 80 Dirhams and drops it in their speed rail at the beginning of their shift.  Throughout the night, any drink that comes from that bottle is untraceable.  The bartender doesn’t have to ring it up, as the bar’s stock levels never change.  If a bartender does that twice a week, that’s an additional nine thousand Dirhams per month in the pockets of that greedy little barkeep at the expense of the business.

Shot Counting.

The Premise:- The key is to ensure the inventory balances at the end of the night.  If the point of sale system says it sold ten bottles of vodka, there had better be only ten bottles gone from the storeroom.  Not eleven bottles or even nine bottles.  Ten.  Balance the books.  So, much like card counting in Vegas, this method involves a very sharp mind with an ability to run a multiple shot tally in one’s head over the course of a six-hour shift.  Like The Rainman with a bottle opener.  The less sharp ones use toothpicks or coins in a glass as a makeshift abacus.

The Scam:- The bartender under pours on a certain number of drinks – cocktails with multiple spirits are the easiest for this – and remembers how many shots she has “in the bank.”  To trick people into thinking they’ve received a strong drink, she might fill a straw with alcohol before they stick it in a cocktail.  This makes the first sip taste exceptionally strong, even though the drink has less alcohol.  The bartender is then free to cash those shots in throughout the evening by not ringing in certain drinks and pocketing the cash. Let’s say she “counts” a conservative five drinks per night, five nights per week.  That’s four and a half grand extra a month for her nefarious troubles.

The Distracted Guest

The Premise:  Towards the end of the evening, as the drinking crowd gets less and less attentive, the sneaky bartender thrives.  Usually, after one am, guests are happy, sweaty, feeling liberated and are much less alert to what’s happening behind the bar.  Some bartenders take maximum advantage of this, unfortunately.

The Scam:  Ordering a premium liquor with a mixer at two am? Well, firstly, why? Secondly, chances are you’re getting a cheap liquor from the bartenders “bank, ” and he’s pocketing the cash.  Premium spirits can go up to 75 Dirhams a drink.  A bartender only has to do that just three times a night, and he’s got another dirty four and a half grand in his real bank account every month.

Dishonest bartender scams are notoriously difficult to figure out and can ruin a business, both from a reputation and profit and loss standpoint.  The best way to stop these things from happening comes down to two main elements.  Hire the right people to start with – follow up on proper reference checks, and make sure you know who you are hiring.  The second is to have a vigilant, well-experienced management team – they are your best line of defense against the dark arts of bar tendering.