The only place that can match Dubai in its concentration of fun and good food is Las Vegas, according to former Jumeirah Chef Michael Ellis.
Ellis, the former international director of the Michelin Guide, said that Dubai has “one of the most dynamic and exciting restaurant scenes” in the world.
Speaking at the Hotel Show Dubai 2021, Ellis said that in his opinion it is still “only a matter of time” before the Michelin Guide comes to town and highlights the success of some of its restaurants.
He said, “We have some of the top-selling restaurants in the world here. Places like Zuma, Nammos, Gaia, Nusret … There are so many restaurants that gross 10 to 15 to 20 to 30 million dollars each year, numbers that you just don’t see in many places. It’s a statement that people come to Dubai to enjoy themselves. ”
Ellis, who left Jumeirah earlier this year to work with a number of tech startups in the food space, believes the need to segregate restaurants that people go to to buy “which is Michelin’s definition -Fuhrer is “. and those who visit customers for an overall experience.
He said, “If you only have good food and let customers down on the other fronts, then you don’t have a successful restaurant. My wife refuses to take me to restaurants where she won’t have a good time and Dubai delivers that more than any other place I’ve seen. The only place that offers this concentration of fun and good food is probably Las Vegas. ”
As countries around the world begin to get out of lockdowns and Dubai recently eased its restrictions on restaurants, we can expect a wave of euphoria across the world for what Ellis called “revenge spending” as consumers who have been locked up for over Try to pack a year of fun into a month.
But in the medium term, Ellis believes that customers will place higher demands on their culinary experience. “You’re not going to want a one size fits all, but a much more curated experience,” he said.
The impact of the coronavirus on travel has also shown the importance of serving your local audience, Ellis said.
“We have learned that we are in a fragile world and nothing is stopping something like last year from happening again, and when it does we need a strong local customer base to keep our facilities running, and that’s what we have in Dubai.”
Overall, Ellis was impressed with the level of gastronomy he has in Dubai, citing DIFC restaurants such as Avli, Boca and Roberto’s as examples of consistently great dining experiences.
