Before Caterer meets John Gillespie and Giorgio Vallesi we are told that their relationship can be summed up as follows: Gillespie likes to spend the money, while Vallesi — a former accountant — likes to control it.
It seems the businessmen are polar opposites in terms of personality, but both very much on the same page when it comes to hospitality.
Having worked in the hospitality industry for more than a decade, and together at MMI in Dubai for several years, both felt confident that Dubai was in need of a ‘breath of normality’ — a venue that would favour a guest- centric approach and casual affordability.
Discussing how this philosophy has materialised in the form of Dubai-based restaurant and bar Cocktail Kitchen, Vallesi says: “Normality means different things — one is the fact that the owners are actually heavily involved in the venue. We are not sitting in a head office somewhere, looking at a large franchise.
"I’m more operational, whereas John is more [into] marketing and PR. He’s here often and very involved with customers and in our events. Secondly, there is a need for ‘normality’ in a sense of a place where the product is of a good quality and the price tag is not linked to a luxury set-up.”
He refers to the fact Dubai has a lot of five-star hotels with obvious “luxury elements” that mean the F&B offering does not come cheap. “I think Dubai is growing into more of a mature city, however, and people have an income that is more relatable to other parts of the world,” he notes.
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“We feel that there is a demographic that needs a day-to-day place where they don’t need to spend a lot of money. Also [normality comes from] the fact that we are very casual — we don’t have a dress code or a booking policy, unless you are a party of six and above. People can spontaneously come here, wait at the bar for their friends and then make a plan for the evening.”
Remaining casual and affordable while offering a high-end guest experience is a tall order in a city like Dubai. However, Dubai has shown itself to be adaptable to trends and in this year especially the city has seen more concepts that pay attention to keeping their offering affordable springing up.
Growing awareness of what else is on offer, for less money perhaps, is also a factor, as Gillespie explains: “Consumers today are more conscious due to social media and awareness of what’s happening around you — everyone has an incentive or an offer to try to entice people through their doors.
“When we looked at our price position, we wanted to give back to the people who made it sustainable for us because there’s not going to be 10 Cocktail Kitchens; there is only one and we have a 10-year lease. So, what we try to do is look at everyday consumers — the demographic of people who cannot afford fine-dining and are looking for something that’s in their neighbourhood, and that’s casual.
"And I think with us, with the offers from the aperitivo through to the business lunch for AED59, we are trying to cater to that everyday customer, and make [going out] more affordable.
“For us to do that, you know, we have been here for 10 years in the city working together, so everything is done based on ourselves and what we feel is right for the business. It is trial and error as well, and we have to listen to our customers — if they become regulars and we don’t ask questions [about what they are looking for], then we can’t prove our business model.”
Signing a 10-year lease is a daunting prospect but one that excites the duo. Having made Dubai their home several years ago, Gillespie and Vallesi are playing the long game with Cocktail Kitchen.
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