Influential restaurateurs at the table

INFLUENTIAL

RESTAURATEURS AT THE TABLE

Creating a successful F&B concept in the Middle East is no easy feat, and yet these five restaurateurs make it look effortless. We learn more about their brands and expansion plans.

TONY RAMY

President of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Night-Clubs and Pastries in Lebanon / co-owner of Ramy Holding, the company behind Al Sultan Brahim and Al Diwan Beirut group of restaurants tonyramy.com

LEBANON

Experience

An eye for structure, organization and effective delegation is essential to launching and managing new and unique concepts in the hospitality sector. I manage the concepts of Al Falamanki group of restaurants and Mama Pita (U.S.) Furthermore, I am currently the chairman of M'look Holding for Hospitality & Leisure Investment. Prior to that, I was a partner and in charge of the management of B018, B018 Classic and the Trainstation venue.

Keeping it in the family

We are proud to be the third generation to handle the management of our family business. We are keen on continuity for the next generations while preserving excellence in terms of quality, value and taste. Lebanon of tomorrow

Once Lebanon is politically, financially and economically stable, I am positive it will reclaim its glory and be showcased on the tourism map, just like it was in the 70s. Stability is crucial for tourism to bounce back.

Years of experience: over 35 Number of employees: 750 Number of outlets per country/city and per brand: Lebanon – two Al Sultan Brahim, two Diwan Beirut, two Al Falamanki UAE – Al Falamanki Al Sultan Brahim (coming soon) Kuwait – Al Sultan Brahim and Diwan Beirut Qatar – Al Sultan Brahim Al Falamanki (coming soon) KSA – Al Sultan Brahim Al Falamanki (coming soon)

BACHIR BITAR

Owner and operations manager Al Reef Al Lebnani

JORDAN

Keeping customers happy

I’m always looking for opportunities to do better and achieve more. I am a people person, and customer satisfaction is my highest priority. Serving great-tasting food

Um Khalil was established in 1977 in the historical city of Jerash, Amman. It was founded by a Lebanese woman, Antoinette Rami, our great grandmother. Um Khalil is a fine-dining Lebanese restaurant that offers unique and authentic Lebanese cuisine, bringing back traditional dishes from the past. We offer a full menu, from cold mezze, hot mezze, raw meat and grills to set options. The restaurant boasts a cozy atmosphere, and we are dedicated to refined service and great-tasting food. Working toward perfection

Food is the world’s unified language. We are committed to improving our dining experience by providing our clients with excellent quality services and products that earn their trust.

Our management believes in working toward perfection to serve and satisfy a wide variety of guests from all over the world, and our team works hand in hand to pursue these goals. Years of experience: 22 Number of employees: 120 Number of outlets per country/city and per brand: Jordan – two Lebanese Um Khalil Restaurants, one Um Khalil Cafe and one Lb Lounge Qatar – soon to launch

RABIH FAKHREDDINE

Founder and CEO of 7 Management 7management.me

UAE

The sky is the limit

I am passionate and determined. I consider myself to be a dreamer, yet also an achiever of my dreams. I believe that the sky is the limit. Setting trends

Our experiences come with a twist. By following market studies, we set trends that align with 7 Management’s mantra: “Moments made memorable.”

A positive outlook

I am positive by nature. While everyone else was consumed by darkness during the pandemic, we took over several new locations. Thankfully, we are already witnessing a comeback in the industry, which has led to our aggressive expansion: three of our brands opening in Qatar, eight brands operating in Dubai, entering KSA with Café Beirut and Antika, penetrating Egypt in 2022 and expanding into Europe, starting with Greece and London by Q4 2022. Years of experience: 7 Number of employees: over 1,000 Number of outlets per country/city and per brand: Lebanon – Antika, Sayf, February 30 and Bait Dubai – Antika, The Theater, Seven Sisters, B018.dxb, February 30, Kahwet Beirut, Le Rosé and Lucia’s Doha – Antika and February 30 KSA – Antika and Kahwet Beirut

BRADLEY MICHAEL

CEO and founder Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group seagrassbhg.com

UAE

People business

I care about people and human development. Helping people and serving guests is what truly inspires and motivates me in life. I am in the people business serving food, not in the food business serving people. A team effort

I am leaving my mark on the industry by opening bespoke restaurants worldwide, providing guests with memorable dining experiences and, most importantly, providing employment and financial security for 1,926 employees worldwide. Growth and shared rewards

I am aiming to grow the company so it is valued at USD 1 billion in five years. My goal is to have it listed on the Australian stock exchange. My motivation is to financially reward our long-standing staff members for their hard work, passion and loyalty, and show them my gratitude. Years of experience: over 35 Number of employees: 1,926 Number of outlets per country/city and per brand: UK – two restaurants, third to open by Q1 2022 Australia – 54 stores Dubai – two outlets, third to open by Q1 2022

MANHAL NASER

Group CEO and co-founder AWJ Investments awj.ae

UAE

Mantra

With me, excellence has no limits.

Leaving a mark

My F&B legacy is AWJ Investments, a solid company with a portfolio of strong homegrown concepts that compete well in the Middle East and worldwide.

Future plans

I want to see Operation: Falafel grow further throughout the U.S. In 2022, Operation: Falafel will open in Europe, starting with London, and I hope to see it become the next franchise in food capitals over the world. I plan to create many more concepts to bring people great food and experiences at our restaurants and to their homes as we grow and develop our DKitchen concept further. Years of experience: over 20 Number of employees: over 1,000 Number of outlets per country/city and per brand: UAE - Falafel 8, Awani 3, Catch22 2, Smoky Beach 2, Surf Bite 1, D Kitchen 1, SushiDo 4, Awani express 4 ChixFix 1, Habibi Kitchen 1, Tabkha 3, Fuse 1 KSA - Falafel 7, Awani 2, Catch22 1 USA - Falafel 1