september 2019
Roundtable
can’t close ourselves off to a market segment that’s continually growing. Ruggiero: From the kitchen perspective, we can’t lose our identity. In Europe, if you’d like a certain food, you would go to where it’s their speciality, but that’s not the case here. However, restaurant staff always need to explain things to guests in terms of what we can and can’t do, otherwise I would tell them: “you can have my jacket if you want it.” Saadi: Once you open a restaurant, you must have done your research beforehand – you must believe in in what you’re offering. While you can’t impose anything on the customer, you also can’t change your menu as it will mess up both the brand and operations, in addition to the revenue stream. I’m sure introducing a vegan menu in a non-vegan restaurant isn’t the way forward. Susa: We’ve spoiled customers in Dubai. In Europe, you go to certain restaurants for certain reasons. I believe that plant-based eating is more of a trend, but I do also believe that we need to monitor our suppliers for any harmful practices. If we keep adapting, the concept will eventually change – which isn’t something we would want. Vande Velde: In Dubai, we have a lot of demand to change certain dishes. The consumer is very spoiled here, yet I do believe that venues should always try to adapt to the market. However, always stay true to your brand values and pillars. Yaacoub: Veganism is on the rise, it’s a lifestyle. Vegans can also certainly enjoy at Black Tap. We have three to four recipes now which are purely vegan, even though it’s even more costly to get the buns, for example, even more so than with all-American burgers. We’re even developing a vegan crazy shake! Hotel & Catering NEWS ME
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