Should a visiting celebrity feel a little peckish, or be in need of a quick pre-red-carpet pick-me-up, they need look no further than the Candelite stand in the VIP suite, which displays an assortment of unusual products, many of them low calorie, organic or all natural. Sweets lovers can happily munch away on Chimes Ginger Chews without feeling guilty; the individually wrapped pieces of java ginger are blended with various different flavours to create an additive and preservative-free candy.
Rather than tucking into a bag of crisps, those in need of a carb-based energy hit can instead snack on a packet of low-sodium, transfat-free Nutorious nuts instead. These feature a blend of walnuts, almonds, pecans and dried cranberries, flavoured with orange, cherry vanilla and chipotle (not all at once, thankfully). Breath can be freshened (a must for all those media interviews) by a couple of vegan, sugar and caffeine-free Green Tea Mints, which not only clean the palate but are thought to have the same health benefits as a cup of green tea.
Thirsts, meanwhile, can be quenched the sustainable way, thanks to tabl’eau, the company behind a water-dispensing system which filters tap water on site, rendering it not only safe to drink but also very palatable. The tabl’eau initiative is already in place in a number of restaurants in Canada and the founder Deb Belinsky hopes to spread the word in the UAE. The water – still or sparkling – is served in distinctive icy blue glass bottles, which being reusable, are also eco-friendly.