Opening in City Walk, Galvin Dubai, by chef brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, is a new licensed venue and the pair’s second Dubai-based restaurant. The Galvins, who have two Michelin-starred restaurants in London — Galvin at Windows and Galvin La Chapelle — opened Demoiselle by Galvin earlier this year, just a stone’s throw away from their latest project.
The culinary team will consist of executive chef Luigi Vespero, executive pastry chef Ryan Harris, restaurant manager Corrado Farinola, and general manager Eric Handtschowercker. Galvin Dubai will mark the first licensed Galvin venue in the city, with a drinks menu developed in collaboration with mixologist Giancarlo Mancino. With Jeff Galvin tending to commitments in London, Chris Galvin and Vespero sit down to talk about the new launch.
Galvin’s enthusiasm for this project is palpable, but it’s not just for Galvin Dubai; it’s the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded yet distinct concepts: “I was saying to the guys how excited I am about The Square, because London doesn’t have it. You’re pulling out a lot of firsts in Dubai now. We’ve made a point since the year dot to work with our neighbours and always being supportive. I think that’s what hospitality is all about — if someone goes a man down, if equipment goes down, if ice machines run out, we help out. It’s part of our DNA.”
After a sleepy summer, there are big plans for the major names that have taken up residence in the culinary enclave located off one of City Walk’s pedestrianised streets. Galvin says: “The brunch is going to be great for us in this little area. You can move around between the venues, so it’s going to be a kind of roving feast. We know the Lima guys well from London, they’ve got a great product. And then there’s Toro + Ko, which also complements Galvin Dubai. ”
The fourth, yet-to be named concept, will presumably also participate in this collaborative dining experience. Galvin has thoughts on what should occupy the vacant space: “I would like to see something really big from New York or London, and I would love to see young talent in Dubai given a chance to operate in a space. I was talking to a consultant who’s got a group of 20 spaces in an old meat market that young sous chefs can [rent] for GBP 2,000 (US $2,710) a month, to set up a restaurant. I think that would be fun.
“Dubai is so fast; it’s so exciting. Talent is growing, and home-grown talent is a pillar of gastronomy in Dubai. We’ve got to stop bringing everything in.”
According to Galvin, similarities between this concept and his UK-based restaurants start and end with the seasonally led and ingredient-driven menu, which is an innovative yet accessible take on British fare fused with Mediterranean flavours. Galvin describes the food as “cuisine of the sun”.
“It’s warm, and I love the description ‘Mediterranean basin’, because it frees us up from the French theme and allows us to delve into Italy, Spain, and Morocco.”
There may also be some North African influences on the menu, he adds: “Restaurants are all about evolution. We’ve talked to as many local people as we can about what they want, and what they would like to see more or less of, to give people what they want, but we have to keep the DNA of who we are and what we are, because otherwise it becomes a mish-mash.”
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