INTERVIEW: GATES HOSPITALITY

“JUBILEE GASTRONOMY WAS BORN OUT OF OUR VISION TO CREATE A PIONEERING CULINARY BRAND THAT UAE, AND THE WORLD, HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE”

Naim Maadad, Chief Executive & Founder of Gates Hospitality takes us on a journey from past to present. Here, Maadad discusses the brand’s remarkable concepts at EXPO 2020 Dubai

What is your personal story/ background?

Born into a family who were into the pub and restaurant business in Adelaide, Southern Australia, helped drive my passion for the industry at a very young age. It was never my mother’s wish for me to pursue a career in hospitality due to the long, hard hours associated with the business and she made this very clear when I dropped out of my economics degree at Flinders University, in favour of a hotel management course at Le Cordon Bleu. However, I knew what I wanted then, and have never looked back. While studying, I took my first role outside my family business, on Hayman Island at the Hayman Island Resort. My first venture into international hotel companies came when I joined Hilton Worldwide’s Conrad Jupiters in Queensland (now Jupiters Hotel & Casino), where after five years’ hard graft, I was promoted to the position of F&B Operations Manager. My international career began shortly thereafter in Japan at the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel & Towers, where I started out as F&B Director and was overwhelmed by differences in the language, food and lifestyle. However, once I became acclimatised, I found that my management style was a good cultural fit in Japan.

My next career destination was Dubai – where I was the opening outlets and beverage manager for Jumeirah Group’s Burj Al Arab. Following 12 months with Jumeirah Group, I moved back to Hilton Worldwide to open the JBR property in Dubai as Deputy General Manager – a role I would hold till my next Hilton Appointments in Jeddah (KSA) and Tokyo (Japan), where I reported directly to the Vice President of operations, managing an 806-room hotel with 1 million F&B covers per year. My next assignment took me to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wherein the Saudi Royal Family head-hunted me to manage a 220-key private villa compound. My big break into the development side of hotels and my first foray into the SPA industry came just after that when I joined Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas to open the group’s Oman and Jordan properties, before being promoted to Managing Director for the Middle East region. Thai Hotel Brand was the next stop, at Minor International’s Anantara Hotels & Resorts, where I managed the company’s global spa portfolio and its Middle Eastern hotels. I returned to Dubai joining the Turkish Group Rixos Hotels & Resorts as the COO of Spas and Vice President of Development. Following decades of building spa and F&B concepts from the ground up, managing operations, negotiating with owners and representing deluxe brands, I decided to put my skills to the test with my own company Gates Hospitality in 2010, which was born in Dubai with the vision of engaging, belonging, innovating and enriching hospitality experiences like nothing that had existed in the region before. 12 years later, this exciting journey continues with passion and zeal which has grown from strength to strength each passing moment.

Gates Hospitality has been the talk of the town when it comes to culinary offerings at EXPO 2020. Talk us through the concept.

Jubilee Gastronomy was born out of our vision to create a pioneering culinary brand that UAE, and the world, had never seen before. It was important for us to create a brand that’s a trendsetter and iconic in nature. It was an effort to bring the best of the best of culinary chefs from around the globe and hold chef’s table events for the entire duration of six months at Expo 2020. 31 of the world’s best Michelin Star and 50 Best Chefs were to be seen and experienced at one venue for the first time in culinary history of the world food scene.

Describe in detail the EXPO initiatives.

Our main objective was to bring sensational culinary experiences from around the world to the most awaited event which is Expo 2020. We launched six global brands at this iconic event, namely Jubilee, Kutir, Baron, The National, Scarpetta and ADRIFT Burger Bar.

Jubilee Gastronomy is dining redefined at Expo 2020 Dubai as it presents a schedule of

unique experiences at their signature ‘Chef’s Table’ concept. Hosting an intimate lunch and dinner degustation experience every Tuesday - throughout Expo 2020 Dubai - 31 of the world’s greatest chefs will create a signature four and nine-course menu, followed by appearances from celebrated local chefs twice weekly. Jubilee’s signature menu by Chef Guilherme will be available throughout. Jubilee Mixology is nothing short of showstopping, where you can embrace the classics as it offers a fresh interpretation of eight signature mixes, including all the classics alongside a truly unique repertoire of stunning signature beverages. Working closely with all chefs, our in-house sommelier is set to create an elevated beverage experience. Kutir opened in late 2018 and was the first solo venture from Chef Rohit Ghai, who had in previous roles become the first Indian Chef to be awarded a Michelin star in under one year. In the heart of Chelsea, this elegant townhouse restaurant serves Indian food that’s full of heart, elegance and tradition. Inspired by India’s vast and rich heritage and wildlife, Kutir offers diners the opportunity to enjoy traditional flavours in refined dishes alongside concoctions and a grape list full of rare finds. Kutir pays homage to India's rich heritage and wildlife - with a modern menu inspired by the history and splendour of this magnificent part of the world.

People keep asking who we are and where our name Baron came from. It was through a series of inspirations that are downtown: a history of street warfare, street art, design, music, our 20th century brick and mortar, and an abstract approach to be whoever we wanted to be, without boundaries. We are cooking food that is meaningful to us and delicious, and we are careful not to label ourselves. Our space is local, spreading from the inside out; we’re organic in our approach and our delivery. Our team’s background is complex and while we hail from some of the finest dining establishments in the world, we just want to be your favourite, neighbourhood joint. The menu comes from organic farmers markets, sustainable fishing boats, fields and the wondrous meanderings of our spirited travels searching out our passionate palates.

The National by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian brings to life his vision of an American Grand Café with The National by Geoffrey Zakarian. The menu offers classic dishes from The National Bar & Dining Rooms, the flagship location in Midtown Manhattan. The approachable American cuisine is prepared with the best ingredients and expert care, while the bar serves up special blends that feature unique ingredients, fresh juices, and careful technique to make the perfectly balanced drink. It is easy to understand why the combination of this lively fun environment paired with Zakarian’s style of cooking has earned him much acclaim and has made The National beloved for over a decade.

Scarpetta is the ideal venue as it is a culmination of the region’s commitment to sustainability and setting a cutting-edge tone for the future. The menu is centred around our core of fish crudo, seasonal vegetable share plates, and homemade pastas showcasing our signature spaghetti, tomato, basil in addition to our first-ever Burrata Bar, where guests can curate their own Burrata dish. Gelato and bomboloni carts will also be offered to complement our signature lemon sgroppino. Our beverages include regional Italian grapes, in addition to signature twists on classic concoctions and refreshing mocktails. Scarpetta Mercato at Expo 2020 brings our homage to the modern Italian dinner party to the modern world.

ADRIFT Burger Bar was born from the legacy of Michelin-starred chef David Myers’ burger - once named “The perfect burger” by New York Times. From Los Angeles to Tokyo, from Singapore to Dubai; where David travels, the tales of his epic burger recipe always follows. After taking the recipe on the road for a decade, David finally launched ADRIFT Burger Bar in just 30 days in his hometown neighbourhood of Venice Beach, California in 2020. Serving David's signature burgers and classics with all the fixings alongside grownup shakes and fries, ADRIFT Burger Bar embraces David's Californian roots with hints of his global sojourns etched across the menu.

Gates Hospitality secured top Michelin-starred chefs to showcase their culinary skills. Why was this route imperative for the brand?

Dubai has always been known for its vision to be the culinary hub of the global food and restaurant sector. In keeping with this vision, it has been our genuine effort to bring the top talent around the globe to be unified at Expo 2020. It has been truly gratifying that our initiative has been welcomed with open arms and has become the trendsetter that many other brands are emulating now with similar efforts.

Will you be working with these chefs in the near future?

Certainly, open to it – our efforts whilst bringing the international chefs and brands to our own doorsteps in Dubai – in the longer scheme of plans, we are in the process of having these chefs and brands make their unique flavours and culinary magic to find a permanent location in this vibrant city and become a part of the cuisine circuit for good. It is an ideal opportunity to meet celebrity chefs and experience the unique flavour they bring to the table.

How has Gates Hospitality disrupted the current F&B space?

I would say in a very positive manner. It has taken the culinary expectations to the next level and raised the benchmark. The F&B sector has a lot more to match up to in the times ahead. Certainly, an exciting for the industry.

Thrilling plans for 2022?

Keep the exciting journey of what Gates Hospitality does best – create unique concepts and trendsetting trends which have not been in the market before – and fill a vacuum perfectly. We will constantly focus more on the culinary scene of the extremely vibrant city of Dubai and beyond.