In November, Four Seasons Hotels will open its first location in the UAE, in Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. The hotel is gearing up to be an ideal spot to bring in a wide mix of clientele, from socialites to executives. One way the hotel hopes to set itself apart is with its restaurants. To give it a running start, it has brought in the executive chef Gilles Arzur - who comes from the historic Beverly Wilshire (a Four Seasons property) in Beverly Hills, California.
The Beverly Wilshire has iconic status in Hollywood as a place to see and be seen for A-listers and up-and-coming celebrities alike since 1928. Arzur was the Wilshire's executive chef for five years. He says: "I met many celebrities. It's glamorous. It's a very busy place because there's always something going on."
That experience should serve him well as he leads his team through the opening of the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. He's been cooking for more than 30 years, though he doesn't look old enough to have been working that long (he doesn't reveal his age). He grew up in Brittany in the north-west corner of France. "My family is part fisherman, part sailors and part butchers," says Arzur, "I've always been around food or not too far from it."
He got his first restaurant job cleaning dishes as a teenager. It was the head chef at that restaurant who would inspire him to pursue a career as a chef. He says: "What I still remember the most are the smells in the kitchen. The smell of the fennel cooking, the steamed-fish preparation, the marinade on the fish, the broth."
Arzur, who is also a trained pastry chef, loves the classics and that's what you'll find at the five restaurants he'll oversee at the Four Seasons Dubai (the hotel will also have five independently run restaurants).
"I like bold flavour," he says. "I like dishes that, when you eat a fish or a vegetable, you recognise the taste of it. I don't put too much frou-frou on it. I make lighter, more modern versions of the classics."
Arzur says Dubai's food and beverage scene is a competitive one that excites him.
So how will he set himself - and his restaurants - apart in a city that already has more than 5,000 eateries?
"For me, it's all about service," says Arzur. The front of the house is as important to me as the back of the house. I'm going through the hiring process and I'm very, very particular on who I want to join the team."
The hotel's signature restaurant will be Sea Fu, with a beachfront location and a menu full of seafood with an Asian and Mediterranean flair. Arzur will also oversee the other restaurants there - Suq, Shai Salon, Hendricks Bar and Mercury Lounge.
. Four Seasons is scheduled to open on November 1. www.fourseasons.com/dubaijb
sjohnson@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
SPECS
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The five pillars of Islam
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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Racecard
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.