Taking part…

• Crowne Plaza Dubai bars manager Karim Kahawaty
• Focus Brands brand ambassador Ulric Nijs
• LeftBank – Souk Al Bahar bar supervisor Afzal Kaba
• Cabana and Barca.Club outlet manager Angus McGregor


How do you feel UAE’s flair scene compares to the rest of the world, and why do you think this is?

Karim Kahawaty: we are behind but not too far; the talent is there but we need a trusty and effective association to follow up and develop, organize and motivate the bartenders here, as well the sport of flair itself.

Ulric Nijs: The key issue here is the duopoly in alcohol distribution. It hinders rather than helps develop the bartending scene.
In spite of Dubai’s massive public exposure, the bartending scene is still lagging seriously behind; I usually estimate anything from a three- to five-year delays compared to other international scenes such as Las Vegas, Sydney or London.
The other factor is that there is very little new blood coming into the market. Bartenders just move from one hotel to another, and the new comers are usually untrained due to cut-backs to hotel staffing budgets.

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Afzal Kaba: Flair is not that big a thing in UAE, primarily because of the lack of competitions to date.

Angus McGregor: I think the flair scene in Dubai, like the bar scene in general, has a long way to go before it gets on par with the rest of the world. It’s great though to see guys taking such an active interest in pushing it. Mastah (Dubai’s first officially-recognised bartenders association) has certainly stepped up to promote flair, which can only be a positive thing in the long term.
I really hope more brands get involved in its promotion too and that we see a link in between good flair and good mixology to encourage bartenders to develop all of their game, not just part of it.


What are the major challenges facing the flair industry in the UAE?

Kahawaty: It needs a proper image and maybe some kind of promotional demonstration for the region’s hotel management, so they can understand the concept and then submit the idea to their properties to consider how it might be implemented.

Nijs: As well as the problems we have just mentioned, there is also a lack of understanding from the consumers’ side. Having said that, while there is quite an anti-flair movement in the rest of the world, Dubai and Eastern Europe seem to be the only place I have visited recently that still pay attention to this craft.