Emirati sets up home-grown restaurant group

UAE-based restaurant group Silver Spoon Investments hopes to rival international franchises by focusing on the creation, development and management of home-grown concepts with the potential to franchise them across the GCC.

Founded by UAE businessman Salem Khalifa bin Dasmal, Silver Spoon Investments is currently working on three concepts, and will open its first restaurant in May 2014.

Dasmal, who has liived in the US for 12 years, also worked on the development of Tatweer/Dubai Holding’s leisure and hospitality businesses. During this time, he said, he has had "extensive exposure to the restaurant business and developed strong opinions on what works and doesn't from a consumer's perspective".

He said: "In the last few years I have witnessed a phenomenal transformation of the restaurant business in Dubai. We have amazing local talent now, in everything from design and operations to supply chain and logistics, and due to increased connectivity you can now practically bring anything and anyone from anywhere at a reasonable cost.

"In addition, we have high disposable incomes in the region and the consumer spend in the hospitality and leisure industry continues to grow.”

Dasmal added: “Given this transformation, we believe this is the perfect time for Silver Spoon to launch and to contribute to the success of home grown restaurants concepts in the region. There are great examples of locally created concepts that have already proven that this can be done, when done right.”

The group’s first restaurant will open in Jumeirah in May this year and will be a Japanese ‘back-alley’ style venue. Two additional brands will open in Dubai before the end of the year.

The Silver Spoon team is devoting a lot of time to the development of menus that are authentic to the cuisine and concept of the restaurants, and is looking to create an interactive and friendly service culture for its brands. In addition, the company is focused on impressionable and functional interior design, sustainability focused initiatives and innovative technology for its restaurant brands.