Food & Beverage

BRINGING BACK THE OLD BEIRUT WITH AL FALAMANKI

Lebanese restaurateur Tony Ramy has dedicated his life to promoting the unique flavors of Lebanon through his restaurant group and his work with the RNCP Syndicate. Here, the chairman and CEO of Mood Village and co-owner of Al Sultan Brahim, Al Falamanki and Diwan Beirut group shares his expansion plans.

You previously opened a pop-up concept for Al Falamanki in KSA. Are you considering a permanent branch anytime soon?

Our pop-up in Riyadh was a success story. We felt the love toward our brand, as we were fully booked most of the time. This shows that our reputation goes far beyond our beloved Lebanon. Our next permanent outlet with a franchisee partner consists of 3,000 square meters and will be ready by 2023. What can you tell us about Al Falamanki Egypt?

Egypt is next, as we have already signed in Sitta October and have been searching for a suitable location under Al Falamanki management. We are very excited to explore this new territory, as it’s looking promising.tonyramy.com

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SANDY HAYEK AT THE HELM OF TIME OUT MARKET DUBAI

Sandy Hayek is a woman of many talents. Having worked in Sweden and the UAE, where she has held senior positions at a number of award-winning dining and retail concepts, she recently began a new chapter as the GM of Time Out Market Dubai, a new food hall. We learn more about her new role.

How will you launch and grow Time Out Market Dubai?

Time Out Market Dubai was launched in April 2021 and is already a huge success. It is home to 17 award-winning chefs who have been handpicked by the editors at Time Out. The chefs represent the best of the city and we are looking forward to welcoming more locals and tourists as travel restrictions ease.

What are your future plans?

Given the model of Time Out Market, there is always room for growth. In the coming years, we will continue to see exciting concepts from new and existing vendors alongside cultural activities and entertainment to complement this oneof-a-kind dining experience. In terms of expansion, Time Out Market will be popping up in various cities, including Abu Dhabi. timeoutmarket.com/Dubai

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LIFE AS A UNICORN: WHAT DOES KITOPI HAVE UNDER ITS BELT?

UAE-based cloud kitchen platform Kitopi has become the MENA region’s third billiondollar company, making it a “unicorn”. HN spoke with Mario Arjan, the company’s managing director, UAE, to learn about the company’s upcoming plans.

Given the comeptition among many dark kitchen service providers, what is the key to your success?

Kitopi is the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform, and we take care of the entire operations for a restaurant or F&B partner – from the supply chain, staff training, food preparation and delivery to customer experience. A large part of our competitive advantage is due to our proprietary Smart Kitchen Operating System (SKOS). SKOS is a suite of applications that optimizes the performance of our cloud kitchen operations in real time. The solution focuses on delivering a great customer experience across multiple brands in a single kitchen by maximizing operational efficiency. Since launch, SKOS has enabled Kitopi to scale to 200+ brands in 60+ sites in over just three years. What’s coming?

We will channel the new funding to fuel our continued expansion within the Middle East and support entry to new markets such as Southeast Asia. We will also continue to innovate and expand our tech stack and grow our strategic restaurant partnerships. More specifically, our plan is to make Saudi Arabia Kitopi’s Middle East headquarters, while Dubai will remain a global head office as it looks to expand into Southeast Asia. kitopi.com

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ALINE KAMAKIAN'S ARMENIAN ADVENTURE

Aline Kamakian, founder and CEO of Fig Holding, is on a quest to spread Armenian heritage across the world. Here, she tells us about her expansion plans and upcoming projects.

What can you tell us about Mayrig in Kfardebian, Lebanon?

Back in 2020, we had a branch of Mayrig in Faqra club, which is also in Kfardebian. However, we decided to move to a bigger and more open location, where you can sit in the forest and enjoy a quality homemade Armenian meal. The location is family oriented, with a vast open space and a closed area featuring a chimney. We are very fond of the village of Kfardebian, so much so that we opened a sunset location for our other concept, Batchig, at the Ahlam club, with international tapas and drinks. What are your upcoming projects?

Of course our Mayrig, Batchig and Lahmajun concepts in Lebanon (Beirut, Kfardebian, Broumana and Dbayeh) take most of our time. We are expanding abroad as well, in KSA, the UAE and in Egypt. I am also working on my own product line that will see the light of day in the very near future. alinekamakian.com figholding.com

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Q6 CATERING SCOOPS SEVERAL AWARDS IN GREECE

A lifelong aficionado of food and culinary arts describes George Khalil, founder and GM of Q6 Bistro & Catering, UAE. In an exclusive interview, he tells us more about his recent award and striving for excellence.

Q6 Catering recently won three Ambassadors of Taste stars and the Ambassadors of Taste for Global Gastronomy's Gold Award. How important are such accolades to you?

It was a pleasure and a privilege to participate in the third Ambassadors of Taste for Global Gastronomy in Greece and a beautiful opportunity for Q6 Catering to be a part of such a strong culinary community that supports cultural exchange. This award provides reassurance that we are moving in the right direction with our vision, and we should remain committed to delivering top-quality products and services. What are your upcoming projects?

There is a great deal going on, especially before the beginning of the season in Dubai, so you will be seeing many changes happening as part of our short- and long-term brand vision. quartier6eme.com

FOOD FOR THE SOUL WITH MARIO HADDAD JR.

Mario Haddad Jr. has artfully blended his expertise in the film industry with a love for gastronomy and a unique flair for both storytelling and creating unforgettable experiences. Here, he shares news about his latest F&B concepts.

You are an avid traveler. How is your personality reflected in your restaurants?

As a passionate traveler and gastronomy lover, I am known for the soulfulness of the dishes I serve.

Will you be opening any additional concepts in Egypt, or will you be expanding to other Middle Eastern countries?

We have four ongoing projects in Cairo at various stages of development: Kyuka, a sushi restaurant in Tagamoo; Don, an Asian street food joint in Tagamoo; Mariolino in New Cairo; and a Lebanese home-cooked food concept in Maadi. instagram.com/mariojrhaddad

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