The Gourmet Food Scene in the UAE Is Taking on the Likes of Paris, New York and London – NBC Chicago

• And with the UAE’s tourism sector’s boost to the dish, leaders have announced plans to bolster the tourism sector.
• Michelin’s chief executive has said the UAE is now on par with global gourmet destinations such as Paris, New York, Singapore and London.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Although the economic outlook for many parts of the world is projected to be volatile into 2023, there are positive moods in the Gulf states.

This comes not only after football became a lucrative frenzy in Qatar, but also because the tourism sector in the region has never been stronger.

This is especially true for the United Arab Emirates, whose economy has grown by more than 6% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The United Arab Emirates hospitality sector literally faces many challenges if the number of sophisticated new fine dining restaurants is increasing. This is an important business partnership as any nationally licensed dining establishment must be part of the hotel, with a few exceptions in the DIFC’s financial district.

And as ever in this part of the world, the competition for the most luxurious and admired is already fierce. This is demonstrated by his competitive spirit displayed at the inaugural Michelin Guide Dubai Awards in the UAE a few months ago.

In the capital city of Abu Dhabi, three restaurants have been awarded one star. It’s his Talea from Antonio Guida serving ‘Cucina di Familia’ or family-style Italian cuisine. Traditional Cantonese restaurant, Hakka Mountain. Ultra-trendy Japanese restaurant 99 Sushi Bar — Famous for creations like king crab leg gratin with wasabi, tobiko, and yuzu mayonnaise.

Abu Dhabi’s bustling neighbor and unofficial rival, Dubai, has an impressive 11 restaurants down the road, including upscale Italian restaurant Armani Ristorante at the base of the city’s most famous landmark, the towering Burj Khalifa. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star.

Chef Giovanni Papi told CNBC that his Michelin and other accolades this year have drawn both locals and tourists to wealthy foodies. “Since our recent ratings and awards, we’ve seen an increase in gourmet guests,” he said.

Armani Ristorante’s kitchen now offers an ambitious truffle-themed degustation menu starting at AED 949 ($258) per head, or AED 1,559 with wine pairing. It includes complex dishes such as button-shaped ravioli stuffed with braised lamb and artichokes Botoni ripieni, Castelmagno his cheese his fondue, and lamb ragout.

The United Arab Emirates doesn’t have an official three-star Michelin restaurant yet, but in November three-Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire stopped by his restaurant, Pierre’s TT at InterContinental Dubai. I was. The French maestro is a regular visitor to Dubai and is one of the more serious global chefs setting the gastronomic agenda in the emirate.

For just a few nights, well-heeled guests sampled creative dishes such as calamari with black garlic, Parisian mushrooms, and arugula.

Gagnaire commented at the event: restaurant. ”

Michelin’s chief executive agrees, saying the UAE is now on par with global gourmet destinations such as Paris, New York, Singapore and London.

“The selection criteria for all Michelin Guide restaurants is the same as the global standard review process where anonymous inspectors review all dishes and only rate the quality of the dishes,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide. He told CNBC.

“It can be said that restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide in the United Arab Emirates are comparable to big cities.”

local cuisine?

But for some local gastronomists, consomme has flies. So while this year’s Michelin selections included cuisine from Europe and the Asian continent, no UAE restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine received a star.

Samantha Wood, founder of the popular unbiased restaurant review website FooDiva.net, told CNBC: But even more disappointing is the lack of a restaurant in the Michelin Guide that makes the most of its local bounty. ”

Mr Wood added: “Of the 11 1- and 2-star restaurants listed in the Dubai Guide, only 2 are independent chef-led restaurants. There is a lot of talent here. is focused on imported celebrity chef concepts that are available anywhere in the world.”

Best Value Award

Middle Eastern cuisine was recognized among the winners of the Michelin Bib Gourmand, a category of restaurants offering a three-course gourmet experience at an average price of AED 250. Winners include Levantine home-cooked restaurant Beit His Mariam and Al His Haima, which serves rustic Emirati cuisine.

Interestingly, Bib Gourmand restaurants have successfully carved out their own niches. Rather than a sub-Michelin restaurant, it is enjoyed as an Instagram-worthy space for a special dining experience.

A case in point is Fi’lia, located on the 70th floor of the stunning new SLS Dubai hotel. This trendy eatery serves “fresh produce from the wood-burning oven and grill, handcrafted bread and pasta” with a decidedly upscale twist. Think gnocchi and caviar with rosemary butter and 1kg of branzino sprinkled with salt.

Fi’lia’s management seems happy with the foodie rankings.

“Our goal was never to aim for a Michelin star.

“Having a Bib Gourmand, on the other hand, reflects Fi’lia’s always aspiration to be affordable food with high quality ingredients. just like the mother of the old used to make.”

And with this culinary rise in the UAE’s travel sector, leaders have announced plans to strengthen the tourism sector and increase its contribution to the country’s GDP from the current AED 177 billion to a whopping AED 450 billion by 2031. Did.

According to Economy Minister Abdullah bin Touk Al-Mali, the strategy plans to attract investments worth AED 100 billion and bring 40 million hotel guests to the region.