AIR MILES

AIR MILES WITH Rashed Al Fahim

Emirati Rashed Al Fahim is a former airline pilot turned entrepreneur and founder of DRVN by Porsche in Dubai

WORDS VARUN GODINHO

You started your career as a pilot

with Emirates. Which was your most challenging flight?

I won’t mention the destination, but on one occasion we couldn’t land due to a last-minute runway closure owing to bad weather and had to divert. e destination only used metric units and the diversion airport used imperial units. It was very confusing, but with hard work and concentration, we managed to divert safely. Unfortunately, there was such a high workload that we forgot to inform the purser. She wasn’t pleased.

Why did you decide to move into the culinary business?

It was always a dream of mine as I love to cook. I felt that I needed to do something on the side of ying. I started working in this eld in July 2016 and opened our rst DRVN Co ee branch in Abu Dhabi in April 2019. DRVN Co ee branches in Abu Dhabi, a DRVN by Porsche concept on Bluewaters Island Dubai and a UDN Restaurant in Abu Dhabi. Together, we serve 15,000 customers a week at our peak. Expansion plans are underway with at least 16 branches planned over ve years around the region and possibly further west.

What is the current scale of your business?

Currently, we have three DRVNs and one UDN (udon noodle) concept. We have two

Are there similarities between operating within the hospitality and aviation space?

e two jobs are very di erent, although the only similarity would be that we try and o er the best service from when the guest arrives to when the guest walks out the door, ensuring that they become a returning client.

The three things that you never fail to pack in your suitcase…

An AeroPress kit, my phones and a portable wi router.

Your most rewarding travel experience to date…

My most rewarding travel experience was a personal trip to Fregate private island in Seychelles. It is an island the size of Monaco with just 12 villas and 150 giant turtles, and is located a 20-minute helicopter ride from the capital. It was a sensational experience, like a dream.

The one travel experience you’d never forget…

On a Bologna ight, Horacio Pagani was my passenger and subsequently became my good friend. I have been a huge Pagani fan since he came out with the Zonda, and used to play with it on Grand Turismo 3 on my PS2. My family is one of the Mercedes distributors in the UAE, and so we used to service Paganis because they have Mercedes engines within them. Each time a Pagani would come in for a service, the managers would call me just so that I could witness the car’s perfection. e fact that I met Horacio, I believe, manifested the possibility of me becoming an owner of one of its cars – I own a Pagani Huayra Roadster BC.

How have you spent your air miles in the past?

I’ve used my air miles to stock essentials when moving between houses.

What’s the toughest lesson that you’ve learnt about the hospitality business?

Know your seasons, and always prepare for droughts. Have multiple substitutes for supply chain [disruptions] and ensure you always have a backup plan.