Trend 7: Dietary requirements
Following in the footsteps of their US and European counterparts, Middle East diners with dietary requirements are demanding specialised dishes, so they can take part in the gastronomy scene too.
Hugh Sato Gardiner, corporate chef at Okku Luxury Japanese Restaurant and Lounge, admits: “Diners are becoming educated about things like nutrition and allergies, and this has spurred a rise in demand for dishes that are low-cal and gluten-free.
At Okku we’ve introduced a range of dishes that cater to this increased demand. We have also decided to focus on vegetarians as we know there are a very high number in Dubai due to religious and personal preferences – they often are overlooked or ignored.
“We have recently started using brown barley rice, which is appealing to those looking for a substitute to the more glutinous white sushi rice. And on a daily basis we consciously prepare konbu dashi (seaweed stock) for vegetarian miso soup, and as a substitute for basic dashi (which uses a base fish stock).”
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