REVEALED: Caterer ME Power 50 2013 (40-31)
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 — we have included 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 40 to 31.
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.
Article continued on next page...
40. Mohamad ‘Oliver’ Zeitoun - Founder, Maki restaurant Group
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 6
Size of team: 150
Number of years in the F&B industry: 12
Number of years in the Middle East: 25
Nationality: Canadian-Lebanese
Mohamad Zeitoun is known among his peers as ‘Oliver’ — Zeitoun translates to ‘olive’ in English.
In 2002, Zeitoun founded Maki Concept in Kuwait in 2002 and brought a brand of Japanese cuisine that wasn’t very widespread in the country at the time.
In the last year, Zeitoun has established two more F&B brands, and is currently working on expanding his portfolio of restaurants outside the Middle East.
He currently owns and operates four Maki restaurants (contemporary Japanese fusion), one upscale burger restaurant, and one contemporary Asian restaurant in Bahrain and Kuwait, called Oliversan.
Zeitoun also brought locally acceptable ingredients into his outlets. By introducing quirky items such as extra virgin olive oil, foie gras, and balsamic vinegar, Zeitoun’s brainchild, Maki, has gained acceptance and popularity.
Article continued on next page...
39. Nick Alvis - Chef Patron, Table 9 (until Nov ’13)
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 19
Number of years in the Middle East: 4
Nationality: British
In spite of being relatively young, Nick Alvis has had a thorough and dynamic culinary career with roles such as chef de partie, sous chef and chef patron at a range of diverse eateries. He came to Dubai in 2010 to assist with the re-launch of Verre by Gordon Ramsay.
Nearly two years after moving to Dubai, Nick Alvis and Scott Price decided to design and launch a completely new concept and restaurant brand called Table 9 by nick and scott, where he was instrumental to the restaurant’s image, concept and menus. The restaurant won Team of the Year — Hotel Outlet, at the Caterer Middle East Awards 2013.
Alvis is now moving to the Albwardy Investment Group with Price in January 2014.
Article continued on next page...
38. Scott Price - Executive Chef, Hilton Dubai Creek (until Nov ’13)
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 20
Number of years in the Middle East: 4
Nationality: British
Scott Price is one half of the managing team behind award-winning home grown brand Table 9 by nick & scott at Hilton Dubai Creek, which he set up with his long-time friend Nick Alvis.
2014 will mark the next step for the Price and Alvis, who will join Dubai-based Albwardy Investment Group, where he will help develop a chain of casual dining restaurants. Price doesn’t tell us much and only explains the concept as “Casual dining, relaxed deli-style. Really nice ingredients, done simply. Top quality stuff in an interesting way. And it won’t be in the supermarket!”
He reached the national finals of the Gordon Ramsay annual chef’s scholarship in 2003, and was then asked to join the team at Gordon Ramsay at Claridges. In 2010, Ramsay asked him to help re-launch Verre by Gordon Ramsay at the Hilton Dubai Creek — now table9.
Article continued on next page...
37. Nicolas Budzynski - Director of Restaurant Operations, International Hotels Establishment
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 2
Number of years in the F&B industry: 8
Number of years in the Middle East: 8
Nationality: French
Nicolas Budzynski plans and organises the restaurant division of International Hotels Establishment, overseeing the operations of Bushido and Trader Vic’s in Bahrain while developing new projects.
Working with 108 members at Bushido and 155 at Trader Vic’s, in the last year Budzynski has captained Bushido through accolades and awards with TripAdvisor, Caterer Middle East, and Fact magazine, along with Trader Vic’s being voted Best International Restaurant by Time Out Bahrain.
Budzynski is passionate about the presence of F&B in Bahrain and constantly campaigns for its regional recognition through his work.
This French national is also a self-admitted perfectionist and believes firmly that employees are the main asset of a company.
Article continued on next page...
36. Ahmed Khalid Al Bader - Founder, Epicure Group
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 2
Size of team: 1000
Number of years in the F&B industry: 13
Number of years in the Middle East: 36
Nationality: Kuwaiti
Kuwaiti national Ahmed Khalid Al Bader’s aim was to offer upscale dining concepts that he felt Kuwait lacked, and launched Epicure Group in 2009. The Group is the culinary division of The Sultan Group in Kuwait.
Al Bader says his proudest achievements in the last year were the opening of two restaurants, Pintxos and Pickles, the launch of retail offering Waistline Home kitchen, and Wasabi Go.
In the next year, he wants to focus on franchising in-house concepts.
Epicure now owns, operates and is designing a variety of brands, including, Prime and Toast, Pizzetta, Butcher’s Den, Pickles and Pintxos.
Al Bader says: “I don’t limit myself to being the master of just one style of cooking, but take pride on bringing out the best flavour possible in whatever I decide to serve.”
Article continued on next page...
35. Naim Maadad - CEO, Gates Hospitality
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 28
Number of years in the Middle East: 12
Nationality: Australian
The Australian CEO of Gates Hospitality, Naim Maadad, has had a good year. The company has recently launched the local branch of London’s Reform Social & Grill, billed as Dubai’s “premier gastro pub”, and has also created and launched Ultra Brasserie as a concept.
Maadad’s hands are full with Reform, two branches of Ultra Brasserie and the entire F&B of Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman.
Maadad has also revealed that two more branches of Ultra will open in the UAE, and two new lifestyle F&B brands will be launched.
Maadad has previously assisted with bringing Gordon Ramsay to the Hilton Dubai Creek as well as Bice to Hilton Jumeirah, served as senior consultant for Roberto's DIFC’s pre-opening and initial operations, and finalised the Asia De Cuba contractual agreement with St Regis Abu Dhabi.
Article continued on next page...
34. Yasmine Attieh - F&B Director, Pragma Group
Bite-sized facts:
Restaurants under remit: 5
Number of years in the F&B industry: 13
Number of years in the Middle East: 18
Nationality: Lebanese
As F&B director of Dubai-based Pragma Group, Yasmine Attieh has developed some of the most well-known nightlife and F&B venues in the region, including Cavalli Club, Cirque Le Soir, and Bo House Cafe in Dubai, as well as Lina’s Cafe and Le Talleyrand in Beirut, Lebanon.
Over the past year, Attieh has concentrated on strengthening Cavalli Club’s presence as a nightlife destination, with the restaurant and club winning several industry awards.
The group has also hinted at launching a new concept in the luxury hospitality industry but has remained tight-lipped about details, with Attieh only saying,
“Our latest development, which is soon to be announced, is going to be a leader in the luxury hospitality industry.
“The concept is very unique, the first of its kind, and it is another achievement we are proud to call our own.”
Article continued on next page...
33. Andrea Strim - EAM — F&B, Jumeirah Emirates Towers
Bite-sized facts:
Size of team: 180
Restaurants under his remit: 14
Number of years in the F&B industry: 23
Number of years in the Middle East: 9
Nationality: Italian
Andrea Strim handles 14 restaurants, bars and lounges along with C&E operations at Jumeirah Emirates Towers. He works with 180 colleagues including outlet managers, assistant managers, F&B managers, sommeliers and junior colleagues.
Strim has seen a lot of change over the last 12 months. One of the largest achievements is the restructuring the hotel F&B scene into stand-alone brand concepts, along with re-branding and launching a new Italian restaurant on level 50 — Alta Badia, within eight weeks.
His outlets have also been recognised among the world’s elite with The Rib Room being one of two restaurants in the GCC listed in The Daily Meal’s ‘Best101 Hotel Restaurants in the World’ for two consecutive years.
Strim is now focused on three new F&B developments in the pipeline for 2014.
Article continued on next page...
32. Dr Edward Saad - Founder and chairman, Shakespeare and Co.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 15
Number of years in the Middle East: 32
Nationality: Lebanese-American
In the F&B industry for 15 years, Dr Edward Saad is the founder and chairman of avant-garde and kitsch cafe Shakespeare and Co.
In November 2013, the group, under his leadership, achieved a coup with a strategic partnership with NBK Capital which acquired a 49% stake in the brand.
This was a step forward for the company to accelerate its expansion regionally and internationally.
His vision for the company is to open more locations in the current franchised territories and to open new franchises in the countries that have yet to be franchised in.
Dr Saad is also pushing forward with the goal of having 35-40 company-owned restaurants in the UAE and six company-owned stores in the USA by 2017.
The first branch of Shakespeare and Co. opened in Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road and has since exploded in popularity.
Article continued on next page...
31. Izu Ani - Head Chef, La Serre Boulangerie & Bistro
Bite-sized facts:
Size of his team: 140
Number of years in the F&B industry: 22
Number of years in the Middle East: 3.5
Nationality: British-Nigerian
British-Nigerian Izu Ani is a chef who has turned suppliers away for not providing him with high quality produce, such is the power he commands.
In 2012, he was offered the chance to take a new site in Downtown Dubai to create his own restaurant with Emaar Hospitality, and his year-long journey to create a two-floor boulangerie and bistro, La Serre, which would combine his favourite aspects of dining and culture from France and the Mediterranean culminated in the opening at the Vida Downtown Dubai.
While he is working on improving the offering at La Serre over the next year, he has not ruled out consulting with Emaar Hospitality on its other projects in the future.
Ani is well-known for launching the successful La Petite Maison in DIFC, and the outlet made it into The World’s 100 Best Restaurants less than two years after opening.