While 2020 was a hard year for most in the food and drinks industry, Michelin-lauded chef David Myers decided to put his excess free time to good use.
Myers, who previously spent as many as 50 weeks in a year travelling, earning him the moniker Gypsy Chef, suddenly found himself grounded in his Los Angeles home for the first time in more than a decade – far away from his restaurants, colleagues and friends. As he puts it, it was a “shock to the system”. But “after a few weeks of binge-watching”, Myers decided to roll up his sleeves and put his time to good use – creating Adrift Burger Bar.
“It was a long-term dream project, based around a signature burger that has followed me around the world, making appearances on menus at all my restaurants. Adrift Burger Bar was the perfect recipe for a pop-up that could be launched mid-pandemic. It was a simple formula of great-tasting burgers and epic shakes in a predominantly takeaway format.”
From start to finish, Adrift Burger Bar was created in a mere month, something the team even captured in a YouTube series called How to build a burger bar in 30 days. This included gathering friends and colleagues who were “as eager as I was to get the LA dining scene back on its feet," says Myers, and finding a location right on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. The result is a takeout window with a 20-seater patio, featuring a menu with Californian roots that still pays tribute to his many travels.
When the chef got the opportunity to bring his hit concept to Dubai, launching in partnership with Naim Maadad’s Gates Hospitality company, he jumped at it. Myers is no stranger to Dubai’s food scene, having opened three venues in the emirate in 2017. He will now be bringing Adrift Burger Bar to Expo 2020 Dubai as a six-month-long pop-up.
“I can’t think of a better place to launch the second incarnation of Adrift Burger Bar,” he says. “After most of us spending a lot less time travelling over the past 18 months, I know many people are eager to engage with the rest of the world and get back to exploring different countries and cultures. Expo 2020 is an exhilarating world stage that is set to bring people and cultures together through food, and I am ecstatic to be a part of it with Adrift Burger Bar. Together with local operator Gates Hospitality, we will be bringing a slice of Venice Beach fused with a Tokyo vibe to all the visitors at Expo 2020.”
The Dubai venue will keep most of the Venice Beach menu intact, so guests can expect dishes such as the Adrift burger, the Earth burger and the Good Morning burger, as well as the famous DM burger (a must-try, says Myers). Other intriguing dishes include curry leaf fries and chocolate miso caramel milkshake.
Myers has also taken local tastes into mind and added two dishes to the menu: roasted cauliflower with dukkah, and cucumber, tomato and whipped feta salad. For those with a sweet tooth, two new desserts – baked cheesecake, and chocolate and caramel popcorn sundae – will accompany the myriad milkshakes that are available in regular and “grown-up” sizes.
Unlike the original Adrift Burger Bar in LA, the sister venue at Expo 2020 Dubai will feature both indoor and outdoor seating, and table service. Visitors can also expect floor-to-ceiling windows, an open ceiling, wood effects that follow the ancient Japanese architectural technique of shou sugi ban, which preserves wood by charring its surface, and an antique oak communal table.
“I had always envisioned for Adrift Burger Bar to grow into a fully fledged licensed restaurant with space for people to come and enjoy breakfast, lunch or a great night out with friends,” says Myers about the concept's expansion.
Dubai truly does love its burger venues, and there’s also no dearth of creative restaurants that serve the American staple in the city. But Myers believes Adrift stands out in part because of his travels.
“When I create a new concept or a new dish, I draw upon my own encounters with different food cultures and indigenous ingredients around the globe. These encounters also play into the design and aesthetic of each venue, adding to the overall experience. With each concept, my goal is to give guests a taste of travel and hopefully even inspire them to hop on a plane to explore a destination.
“What I hope to bring with Adrift Burger Bar is both a slice of my home town, Venice Beach, with its effortless vibe and fun-loving spirit, as well as a window into my love for travel, in particular to Tokyo,” he says.
Adrift Burger Bar may only be here for six months as part of Expo 2020 Dubai, but Myers says there are “absolute” plans to make it a permanent fixture in the UAE. “I love spending time in Dubai and being a part of the city’s vibrant dining scene.”
There are also plenty of other regional plans for Adrift. “The Middle East continues to be in focus for Adrift as you’ll see us team up with Le Royal Meridien by the luxurious Place Vendome in Doha to launch two signature concepts early next year. This will be closely followed by the opening of another exciting Adrift concept in New Delhi.”
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Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
DUBAI CARNIVAL RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Dubai Future, Harry Bentley (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Dubai Love, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Equilateral, James Doyle, Charles Hills.
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
Winner Laser Show, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Glorious Journey, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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