Hotelier: Before we sign off, can you share what one trend you think will rise in the market in the next 12-24 months?

Elias: In this market, there will be a big focus on food waste, and restaurants and hotels are going to start promoting that like they do sustainability.

Niki: On the same vein, provenance is always going to be a key thing in restaurants. We have a horrific carbon footprint in the Middle East. There is a credible community movement with the farmers market. I think we have a corporate social responsibility to start using them more and not holding them to these horrific price hikes that supermarkets do. Price: we’re going to have to move on it. Because what’s happening is, where we’re sitting, it’s presenting ever more an expensive option to come to Dubai. One of the big things that’s going to kill tourists when they get here is F&B. That’s something that we’re all going to have to look at.

Mikael: The restaurant scene is exploding, but it doesn’t have necessarily the culture in the city. It doesn’t have the big food markets you can engage in. The trend is going to be to try and diversify on that. Have that type of restaurant type environment within a market setting.

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Gianluca: The way I see it, Dubai is still a fledgling market in food and beverage. They have a lot of brands here, but they’ve imported a lot. Dubai will transfer from bringing in to creating. Look at New York or London, and slowly Dubai will catch up to that. There’s more focus on establishing Dubai as a gastronomic capital. Over a period of time, finding clean product to bring into this city to use — sourcing coffee, knowing the coffee supplier. Globally everyone is in tune with what they’re eating and where it comes on. Provenance, farm to table, whatever you want to call it, it’s not going anytime soon.

Marc: Dubai is already a big food destination, maybe not worldwide but definitely in Middle East and Africa. The main trend we’re following is ‘less is more’, and focusing on quality over quantity. From pricing to sourcing to waste, to sometimes mono-product, to reviewing what we’re doing overall, and challenging ourselves.

Niki: We need a respected guide here as well. It’s about time, and you’ve got enough players here who could actually compete.

Marc: There is also more to be done in the supply chain and logistics point of view, to make sure we get a wide range of product that will allow us to develop our [F&B] offer. The market has opened up a lot but there’s still some way to go in terms of sourcing of products.

Adam: Our buzzword for 2016 is local —supply chain, customers, staff, ideas, and network. It stems from the idea that if your restaurant or bar in the hotel is attracting local customers, then you will by default retain your hotel guests. ‘Go local’ is a bit of a cliché but it does manage to encapsulate the idea.