REVEALED: Caterer ME Power 50 2013 (50-41)
Welcome to the Caterer Middle East Power 50 2013. In the first edition, the list is entirely dedicated to those based in the Middle East region — including chefs, general managers, F&B directors, executive chefs, and restaurateurs.
Over the course of this week, (beginning December 9) HotelierMiddleEast.com will reveal the countdown of the region's top 50 most influential food and beverage professionals in the Middle East. In this first instalment of a five-part series, we will be announcing those names that did enough to make it onto this year’s list ranking in positions 50 to 41.
They have been judged on weighted categories, including: the size and scale of their operations, their level of innovation, their reputation and respect within the industry, and their longevity — how long they have been around and how much of their work will stand the test of time.
However, the rankings in the Caterer Middle East Power 50 are subjective and the opinion of the editorial team. Decisions are made on the merits noted above, and special weighting is given to those who work on ‘homegrown’ concepts and make sure the Middle East is counted on the global F&B map.
Caterer Middle East relies upon the information provided to us by these individuals and restaurant groups, and the data presented is accurate as of December 2013 to the best of our knowledge. Join us in celebrating the first batch of Caterer’s Power 50, each of whom deserves his/her place on the list.
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50. Yasser Jad - President and Founder, Saudi Arabian Chefs Association
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 25
Nationality: Saudi Arabian
Chef Yasser Jad has had an extensive career with the in-flight catering unit of King Abdul Aziz International Airport.
From 2011 until today, Jad has worked with the product management and marketing division of Saudi Arabian Airlines in Jeddah. From 1988 to 2010, he held positions of food quality control manager to senior manager of productions.
He established the Saudi Arabian Chefs Association (SARCA) in 2009 as an official membership of World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) in a bid to showcase the range of Saudi Arabian cuisine, represented SARCA at the 35th WACS Word Congress in 2012 in Korea, and established and organised the yearly salon culinary competitions for the SARCA.
He is also an active participant as an international judge in Salon Culinary competitions in Egypt, Sri Lanka and Dubai.
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49. Enrico Clementi - Managing Partner, Tribe Creators
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 24
Number of years in the Middle East: 12
Nationality: Italian
Enrico Clementi started working with Tribe Creators this year, and says he wants to continue expanding the core advisory function to hotels, malls, retail centres, and contribute to the regional F&B scene with new concepts and brands.
Current projects include celebrity chef restaurants opening and set up, F&B mix advisory for retail environments and hotels as well as restaurant design projects.
Recounting an experience this year, he says: “In the same day I received a call from two separate Michelin-star chefs asking us to help set up restaurants in the Middle East. It was great to hear!”
His priority for the next year is to elevate the Tribe brand and its market recognition.
He was involved in the setup of Ginza Restaurants where he brought Vogue Café’ to life at the Dubai Mall and paved the way for the recently opened Serafina at Souk Al Bahar.
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48. Orestes Lopez - Operations Manager, Ginza Restaurants
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 3
Size of team: 200+
Number of years in the F&B industry: 18
Number of years in the Middle East: 7
Nationality: Spanish
Ginza Restaurants operation manager Orestes Lopez has had a busy year with the opening of three brands under the F&B division of Ginza — Vogue Café, Brandi Pizzeria in Dubai Mall, and Serafina in Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai.
He is currently working on the group’s latest opening — Miskeh Levant Kitchen — with five more concepts slotted in for 2014.
Based in the Middle East for seven years, Lopez works with over 200 colleagues and is proud of his team’s ability to adapt quickly to the local and regional market. Lopez counts the successful launch of Serafina Dubai in a short time, and having it run smoothly and efficiently, as a major pride point.
In 2014, he wants Ginza to continue “the momentum of launching successful restaurants that will have people all over the world talking”.
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47. Francisco Araya - Programme Director, SCAFA
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 17
Number of years in the Middle East: 1
Nationality: Chilean
While Chilean chef Francisco Araya has been in the Middle East for only one year, his work with the School of Culinary and Finishing Arts (SCAFA) has made him a recognised figure when it comes to training and education in the industry.
SCAFA celebrated its first anniversary in September, and offers classes for professionals, enthusiasts and amateurs. Araya hopes for SCAFA to become the best culinary school in the Middle East.
Some of SCAFA’s ex-students have been placed in top hotels and restaurants across Dubai, and its students also gain experience running SCAFÉ, the school’s student-run restaurant — something Araya is proud of.
He has previously spoken about the need for proper training in F&B in the Middle East, and his past qualifications include being director of the culinary arts program at IP Duoc UC Valparaiso, Chile.
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46. Cedric Le Rest - General Manager, Yas Marina
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 7
Number of years in the Middle East: 15
Number of yachts berthed at Yas Marina during F1: 200
Nationality: French
Cedric Le Rest joined Yas Marina in 2009 and has overseen its development into a five-star international yachting facility. In his role, Le Rest is responsible for the overall management and operations of the marina, including all the F&B decisions for the area — opening original concepts and international franchises.
The new outlets are: sunset lounge Iris, Spanish tapas bar and restaurant Diablito Food & Music, French-German bakery Café d’Alsace, Lebanese restaurant Rozanah, and Seafood restaurant Aquarium. These are joined by existing outlets Stars ‘N Bars, an American style sports bar, and a new-look Cipriani, the marina’s Italian fine dining restaurant.
In the new year, Le Rest will increase and promote Yas Marina’s seven licensed restaurants’ activities and create events and promotions for the local community.
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45. Ian Ohan - GCC Area Developer / Owner, N_K_D Pizza
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 5
Size of team: 220
Number of years in the middle east: 15
Nationality: Canadian
After years of tired pizza brands available to the masses, Ian Ohan saw a gap in the market and started the local franchise of the US brand Naked Pizza as N_K_D Pizza — rebranded for Middle East sentiments — in January 2011. Since then he’s never looked back.
Using social media like Twitter and Facebook to engage with the socially active adults in the region, the brand’s motorbikes can be seen zipping all over the city.
In the last 12 months, he has worked with his 220 staff to grow and develop the brand. In addition, Ohan toiled on the development of an NKD Pizza product that is now on board Emirates Airlines.
Ohan’s career in hospitality started with a hospitality degree during which he worked with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts for four years.
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44. Wouter Lap - Managing Partner, Intelligent Foods
Bite-sized facts:
Size of his team: 50
Number of years in the F&B industry: 30
Number of years in the Middle East: 20
Nationality: Dutch
Wouter Lap set up Intelligent Foods in 1999, a bakery with his wife, Marijke, to offer a healthy alternative to school children in the city. Intelligent Foods currently supplies to over 100 hotels and restaurants across the UAE, Oman and Qatar.
The firm is also the sister company of More Cafe and Little More and prepares products for the franchises as well as for More outlets.
In the last year, Lap set up and opened a production facility in Cairo and launched the Little More concept. He says: “This facility is three times the size of what we have in Dubai.”
He adds: “We will be assisting our franchisees with the roll out of More and Little More throughout the region, with scheduled openings in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat and Cairo early next year.”
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43. Cladys Magagna - Executive Chef, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 7
Size of team: 100
Number of years in the F&B industry: 15
Number of years in the Middle East: 1
Nationality: Italian
Cladys Magagna is responsible for the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr’s entire culinary operation, from seven restaurants and lounges, including the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse & Grill, Frankie’s Italian Restaurant & Bar, the Friday brunch epicurean experience at CuiScene, and the banqueting operation for 30,000 square feet of meeting space.
When asked what his proudest achievement over the last year was, he says: “This might sound a bit odd and not very glamorous, but it was taking over the staff cafeteria for the entire hotel, which was previously managed by an outside catering company, serving more than 1500 meals a day. It gives me a great joy to see our colleagues satisfied when they are coming back from their break, with wholesome meals that take into account the preferences of our multi cultural team.”
Magagna began his career at Botticella Restaurant in northern Italy.
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42. Michel Jost - Executive Chef, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 7
Size of team: 160
Number of years in the F&B industry: 30
Number of years in the Middle East: 6
Nationality: Swiss
Michel Jost has always dreamed of working at an iconic hotel over his 30 years in the F&B industry. While at the helm of the Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, Jost oversees 11 F&B outlets with 110 chefs and 50 stewards on his team.
The hotel is home ground for one of the biggest events in the country, the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but Jost is up to the task. In the last 12 months, in addition to successfully delivering F1 and the World Economic Forum, Jost has seen the reduction of kitchen staff turnover by almost half.
Jost’s team has also achieved 17 medals in culinary competitions during SIAL Middle East, compared to five the previous year and had 28 entries for the 2013 edition.
Jost completed his apprenticeship at the Culinary School of Geneva, with his first full kitchen position being at the InterContinental Hotel Geneva.
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41. Marco Torasso - Executive Chef, Grosvenor House Dubai
Bite-sized facts:
Size of team: 340
Number of years in the F&B industry: 22
Number of years in the Middle East: 7
Nationality: Italian
As executive chef for Grosvenor House Dubai, Marco Torasso commands eight restaurants, two bars, one tea lounge and one deli, two lobby lounges and room service across two properties. He also heads up banqueting for up to 400 guests and staff meals for up to 2,500 employees on a daily basis.
Torasso is ambitious for his outlets and says his vision is to be the number one F&B operator in terms of volume/revenue, guest satisfaction and restaurant awards.
He says that in the last year, the biggest achievement is winning the GM appreciation award at the Grosvenor House Grammies. “This is an internal hotel award; it was a huge honour. I’m also very proud that my restaurants have received several Time Out awards and that I was part of the team that won more than 20 medals at the Salon Culinaire Awards in February 2013, hosted at the Dubai World Trade Centre.”