Setting the scene
“As I said the most important aspect of a restaurant is the environment you sit in,” White continues. “Number two the welcome that you receive – they throw their arms over to you metaphorically speaking, they sit you down and make you feel comfortable, make you feel welcome, so before you’ve even seen a menu, before you’ve even had a drink, you’re feeling comfortable and once you start to feel comfortable then you start to enjoy yourself.

It’s as simple as that. And in a way you let them guide you – because you’re so trusting of them, because you have confidence in them, you’re like a puppy dog, you want to roll over and have your tummy scratched and say look – give me whatever you want to give me.”

And as long as the guest isn’t rushed and they have an enjoyable evening, then the restaurant is well on its way to being perceived as good value, whatever the price point.

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“If you’re in the restaurant for three hours and you spend GBP 300, that’s GBP 100 an hour isn’t it – that’s how I value things anyway, I look at how long was I there, how much did I spend.

I’m no different to anybody else in this world, when I get my bill at the end of it I look at it and I ask myself a very simple question, did that represent value? It’s not whether its GBP200 or 300 or 400 or 500, it’s not about that – it’s did it represent value, the package, and that’s where a lot of people get it wrong. It’s about being spoilt really.”

I’m starting to feel a little spoilt myself; I’ve been with the culinary genius, who achieved what most chefs only dream of, for close to an hour now, and later am to be one of the first guests to sample a taste of Titanic. White is spoiling the emirates too, he is set to open his Wheelers seafood restaurant brand in DIFC in September and of future expansion, tells me he has “lots of plans…all will be revealed in time”.

There, I’ve caught him on that White lie: it seems even the most revered of restaurateurs must plan ahead from time to time.