When I was offered the opportunity by 4 Corners and Grupocatala, I knew it was going to be exciting, but I didn’t think it would be this varied. When you stay in a hotel or eat at a restaurant, you just cannot begin to believe how complicated and important the supply chain actually is.
From the beginning of July, I have been working as an intern for 4 Corners and Grupocatala and it has opened my eyes to the food industry. As Michael Kitts mentioned in last month’s comment, I am here to learn about the supply chain for fruit and vegetables from end-to-end.
I have had an amazing couple of months, beginning with interviewing some of the leading chefs in the UAE ... probably the world! I have had the pleasure of meeting with 15 different chefs from the hospitality industry and it has been so insightful to get their opinions on how things are working (or not) today.
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In the last month I met Nick Alvis from Table 9, Reif Othman from Zuma, and Christian Gradnitzer, the director of culinary at Jumeirah Group to name a few. I didn’t realise there was so much involved in fruit and vegetable supply, and the margin for error is tiny.
I also have been round the fruit and vegetable markets of Dubai which was incredible; there is such a variety of products and the way in which they are treated is just so different from one place to the next. In September, I was back in Spain for the second time, and I replicated the trip to the market here, so that I can make a direct comparison.
In August, I was looking at the stone fruit season, now I am investigating what goes on in the tomato and salad season, with a citrus focus to follow in October.
My first trip to Spain was so interesting; I spent much of my time in the growing fields, packhouses, and processing plants of Grupocatala. They are the largest grower of fruit and vegetables in Spain, and it is a family-owned and run business, which provides not only that personal service and experience, but superb heritage as well.
Every process before delivering the product out of the packhouse is made with the highest level of professionalism and hygiene. When you get the opportunity to view a company like this from the inside, you can easily see that every person takes so much care about the product that is going to be delivered.
They love what they are doing and that is why it is easy to rely on these people. After watching the whole supply process from the fields to container, you can be sure that every fruit or vegetable that you need is in safe hands with these guys.
Before I left Dubai for Spain, I even managed to squeeze a day on “goods in” at the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel. Wow! That was a great insight into the what goes on at the coalface of the hotel kitchens.
The product is very stringently checked by the chef’s team to make sure they only get the best produce coming into the hotel. Very impressive. I had heard lots of horror stories about ‘goods in’ at hotels, but not here; it was a very slick and well-oiled operation.
I regularly talk to my other intern friends from the Academy and they are doing a variety of things, but nothing as exciting as this. I am learning so much, in such a short space of time. When I tell them what I have been up to, or show them the photographs, I think I make them very jealous!
In between all this it’s been my 19th birthday … but I spent that packing my case for another Spanish adventure. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to update you some more soon — as long as I get a new passport in time.
I’ve just lost mine! I need it as I am supposed to be on the same aircraft as a container of produce in a couple of weeks, so I can track it all the way to Dubai. Oh well, they said it would all be good experience.
Michael Oleynikov is a student at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality. His internship is sponsored by food service experts 4 Corners General Trading LLC and Spanish F&V producer Grupocatala for the six-month-long project.
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