Arabian Tea House<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n The story of the man behind the Arabian Tea House is no less intriguing than the place itself. Emirati Ali Al Rais established the brand after travelling for 20 years around the world. \u2018The idea behind setting up the tea house was to relive the past. It was the perfect way to showcase my city to people from all over the world,\u2019 he said. First opened in 1997, Arabian Tea House remains an oasis of peace and calm where tourists and locals come to enjoy the local Emirati cuisines that take them on a journey back to the city\u2019s past.<\/p>\n Mitts & Trays<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s a reason you feel instantly at home at Mitts & Trays. Founded by Emirati Amna Al Hashemi, a baking enthusiast, the brand conjures up memories of unforgettable meals, carefully conceived and always with a personal touch.<\/p>\n The Espresso Lab<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n As a child, Ibrahim H. Al Mallouhi would sit beside his grandmother while she roasted coffee and then help serve guests the freshly-prepared brew. Years later, Ibrahim pursued an education in sourcing, producing and selling speciality coffee and travelling to work with coffee farmers. A vision for a caf\u00e9 of his own took shape and in 2012, The Espresso Lab was born.<\/p>\n Project Chaiwala<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n It started when two entrepreneurs, Ahmed Kazim and Justin Joseph, noticed a gap in the market for the most consumed hot beverage in the region, \u201cKarak Chai\u201d. They travelled to the tea estates in Darjeeling, India and the streets of Kolkata to understand what makes the perfect cup of Chai. After hundreds of cups of Chai at the street vendors, known as \u201cchaiwalas\u201d they returned to reintroduce tea drinking culture to Dubai, and Project Chaiwala was born.<\/p>\n Destination Dining<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n The MAINE Oyster Bar & Grill<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Founder & Managing Partner Montreal Gastropreneur, Joey Ghazal, founded The MAINE Oyster Bar & Grill in 2015, Dubai\u2019s first homegrown New England seaside brasserie. Inspired by the summers he spent vacationing on the East Coast, Joey transformed an undesirable garage location at the edge of Dubai’s coastline into a city hot spot, which has since won multiple awards and accolades.<\/p>\n folly by Nick & Scott<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n In the ten years that they have spent in Dubai, longtime friends and colleagues Nick Alvis and Scott Price have played a pivotal role in shaping and developing the region\u2019s dining scene. Following the launch of two successful prior restaurant ventures, the duo created and launched Folly from scratch in 2017, and have since garnered widespread praise and a raft of awards.<\/p>\n Bait Maryam<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Owned and created by Jordanian chef Salam Dakkak, Bait Maryam prides itself in delivering authentic homestyle Levantine cuisine based on her mother Maryam\u2019s recipes from the divine lands of \u2018Belad Al Sham\u2019 to the modern and cosmopolitan city of Dubai.<\/p>\n Akiba Dori<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Serial entrepreneur Samer S. Hamadeh opened anime-inspired haunt Akiba Dori in the wake of other successful dining concepts in the city, from Stereo Arcade to Couqley. Having launched music, film and entertainment ventures, his current focus on all things culinary means he is set to expand Akiba Dori across the UAE and internationally.<\/p>\n Casual Bites<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n PUBLIC<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n After opening her first restaurant Switch in 2008, Deem AlBassam developed a passion for creating dishes that were both delicious and visually appealing. She joined forces with her friend Amal Al Marri in 2013 and launched SALT, a pop-up burger van that catapulted them into the limelight. Since then, the duo has launched successful ventures including Parker\u2019s, Grind, Public and Somewhere \u2013 and they\u2019re not done yet!<\/p>\n Pitfire Pizza Dubai<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Husband and wife team Bill and Michele Johnson turned their backs on corporate careers to follow a passion for pizza. Since their arrival in Dubai in 2007, the pair have craved an authentic taste of their New York home \u2013 a slice of pie. They started testing dough techniques in their garage in 2010, and inspired by their early experiments, launched Pitfire Pizza four years later.<\/p>\n The Mattar Farm<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Hattem Mattar is the world\u2019s first Arab pit master and founder of Dubai\u2019s only artisanal smokehouse, The Mattar Farm. The famous chef and his live fire menus have popped up all over the country and has even represented the UAE at The Smithsonian and at the world\u2019s largest BBQ festival in Brazil. Quite rightly, for a project that started on a farm, Mattar puts the spotlight on local produce and livestock, and lauds third culture cuisine.<\/p>\n Pickl<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n He may be only 34, but Steve Flawith has seen Pickl mushroom with seven outlets opening in quick succession since its launch in 2019. A self-confessed burger lover, the Brit wanted to lead the resurgence of simple cooking, executed flawlessly. As a home-grown Dubai brand, the hospitality pro believes the community plays a pivotal role in shaping Pickl\u2019s unfolding narrative.<\/p>\n Fusion Flavours<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n BOCA<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Omar Shihab, the Dubai-born-and-bred Jordanian visionary behind BOCA, was keen to represent the UAE\u2019s rich biological habitats, farm produce and ocean bounty in the restaurant\u2019s concept. He wanted to erase the notion that we live in a \u2018barren\u2019 land while reiterating the country\u2019s abundance.<\/p>\n REIF Japanese Kushiyaki<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n Reif Othman is a Dubai-based Singaporean chef whose clever twists on Far Eastern dishes \u2013 with a nod to French and Italian cuisine fundamentals \u2013 have garnered many awards. In 2019, he launched his first homegrown outlet Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, and a second restaurant, Kushi by Reif was opened in June 2020, making him one of the few restaurateurs to expand operations during the pandemic.<\/p>\n Note:<\/strong> All dining experiences, events and activations during DFF will follow prevailing safety protocols and social distancing guidelines to ensure a safe experience for all.<\/p>\n
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