The first Caterer Middle East Food and Business took place on March 19, attracting more than 200 F&B professionals from the region. 

Here are 10 of the top news bites from the event:

1. Naim Maddad, hospitality specialist for Ròya International said the trend of celebrity chefs attracting guests is dying, as “they don’t particularly care who is in the back as long as they deliver”.


2. Markus Thesleff, co-founder of Okku Luxury Japanese Lounge and Restaurant warned to never build a business around one chef. If he goes crazy, “the whole business is dead.”

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3. Discounting was condemned by panellists. Ryan Hattingh, international operations director at Gaucho called it a “long and slippery slope”.

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