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FIVE MINUTES IN KITCHEN UTOPIA WITH MOHAMAD BALLOUT Kitopi is short for “kitchen utopia.” What can you tell us about the company? We are the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform. As F&B concepts develop and grow, we make sure our kitchens are perfect, technologically advanced with state-of-the-art infrastructure, hence the name: Kitchen Utopia.
Mohamad Ballout, CEO and founder of Kitopi — a renowned cloud kitchen platform — prides himself on being in the business of “satisfying the world’s appetite.” Here, he speaks about allowing brands to scale up across borders.
How does Kitopi help F&B concepts? By replicating a firm’s menu and offering access to any of our 60 plus kitchens in UAE, KSA and Kuwait, we take care of the operations on behalf of the brand, so that they can focus on what they do best — marketing and product innovation.
What do you anticipate the new normal will be post Covid-19?
normal is the work-from-anywhere culture. Last year, we gave our Kitopians the freedom to work wherever they felt most comfortable, with our offices open for those who wanted to use them; productivity is not confined within office walls. From an industry standpoint, customers today have access to thousands more additional options than they had a year ago due to the rise of on-demand delivery and cloud kitchens alike. Dine in will never be the same again, and the winners will be organizations and brands that not only put the customer first but those that are highly customer focused. kitopi.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
From a business perspective, the new
PASSING THYME WITH RESTAURATEUR CARLA REBEIZ Having spent her life between Paris and Brazil, Carla Rebeiz left her job as an investment banker to establish Eats Thyme, a food concept. HN spoke to the Lebanese entrepreneur to learn more about her journey. What can you tell us about Eats Thyme? Eats Thyme is a contemporary take on Lebanese cuisine that focuses on seasonal,
fresh ingredients. We redefined the manoushe by creating new recipes, mixing Lebanese and international flavors that truly tickle the taste buds.
Where do you buy your ingredients from? We source our zaatar and sumac from a women’s cooperative in Lebanon, thus providing them with financial support. The halawa and tahini are from Cortas. I am always on the lookout for premium orange blossom water, pomegranate molasses and arak, among other Lebanese favorites.
Do you have plans to expand beyond France? From its inception, Eats Thyme was developed with the ambition of expanding the brand internationally. We are already researching markets outside France. eatsthyme.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
HOW “HOME IN A BITE” IS PROMOTING LEBANESE FOOD CONCEPTS IN THE UAE AND BEYOND HN speaks to Christine Assouad, (@homeinabite) and on Deliveroo. We are founder and CEO of The Catalyst starting with Dubai as a pilot, and we intend to keep growing across the UAE and the rest of Growth, to learn more about of the Gulf. her “Home in a Bite" project What can you tell us about the brands and how it’s bringing a piece of that have joined the initiative? Lebanon to the UAE and the Gulf. The first eight brands are: Tawlet by Souk el What made you decide to take 15 Lebanese food concepts to Dubai? The “Home in a Bite” project was created to scale and grow Lebanese restaurant brands, while bringing new amazing food options to consumers in Dubai. You can find our brands on homeinabite.com, on our Instagram page
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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR - MAY 2021
Tayeb, DeliCo (including BurgerCo burgers), Ummi, Casper & Gambinis, Tarator, Diet Center, Cuisine d’Amour and Semsom. Seven additional brands will be joining soon. catalystofgrowth.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
