Doing it for the kids
Another chef who has noticed a change in Chinese restaurants is Paul Hage, executive chef at the Metropolitan Hotel, Dubai, which is the new home to Summer Place (originally Summer Palace) – the oldest Chinese restaurant in Dubai.
“We were originally open in 1987 at the Metropolitan Hotel Dubai, and we are still serving very traditional Chinese food. The only difference now is that we also have a bar and lounge section serving a much lighter menu. We serve traditional dishes, but in a new way – like finger Peking duck. We’ve made Chinese food trendy.
“Even though the location of the restaurant has moved to somewhere new, we still have our regular guests from the old restaurant coming here, so business is going well. The décor is more elegant, but we’re trying to get the young people in too.
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“Thankfully there is a constancy about Chinese cuisine, and it’s one of the reasons it’s proven so popular in the Middle East.”
Money matters
In the face of global food costs rising, constancy is something that’s welcomed with opened arms.
“There is always a supply of good, raw Chinese materials, especially compared to, say, Australian, French or English produce,” says Hage. “It’s good value and it’s always fresh.
“The ingredients are cheaper too, it’s not like we’re having to serve lots of caviar and foie gras and lobster. The market is still upside down but I’d say prices have gone up about 8-10% in the last couple of years. But that’s compared to around 18-20% for French foods.”
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