How do you feel about spending the night with your customers?
To me, hosting the guests for The Gachetronomer’s Night is not so different from inviting a group of friends over to my place for dinner. As the dine-around experience takes place once a month and requires an advance reservation, it gives me and my team plenty of time to prepare and get as much information as possible about the guests’ preferences and interests. We will be spending quite some time together throughout the three-course meal and, though food itself makes for a great conversation topic of course, it always helps to know what makes your guests tick to customise the experience around things that they are passionate about.
Do the staff scrub the kitchen any harder than usual?
While it’s tempting to think that being a special guest of the executive chef means you will be treading the red carpet as you navigate the kitchen and every pot and pan will be given an extra polish before your arrival, in reality, back areas don’t get any special treatment before the dine-around, as our kitchens (all six of them) are always kept in sparkling condition – Gachetronomer’s Night or not.
What do you think a Gachetronomer would find most surprising about going behind the scenes?
After trying their hand at noodle pulling in the Asian restaurant and sampling the dim sum, I take the guests on a tour of the steak-house kitchen. Spending five to 10 minutes there changes the dynamic of the night; you no longer feel like a visitor but rather as part of the Ritz-Carlton culinary team as you enter the restaurant through the service door with a new-found knowledge of what a complex mechanism a five-star kitchen is. It’s this discovery that surprises the Gachetronomer the most, I believe.
What’s the best way to take advantage of the opportunity?
In a nutshell, The Gachetronomer’s Night is a dine-around experience, giving the guests an opportunity to try four distinctive dining venues in one night without breaking the bank while getting to know the executive chef up close and personal. To make the most of this experience, I would recommend outlining your expectations at the time of booking. If you are a foodie and your idea of the perfect day off is trying out a new recipe, this is your opportunity to get into the thick of things in a professional kitchen, grill the chef about cooking secrets or get your hands dirty by making noodles from scratch. For a group of friends or a family who would rather stay on the sidelines while enjoying great food and ambience, The Gachetronomer’s Night has plenty to offer as well.
The Gachetronomer’s Night will be held this Saturday and every first Saturday of the month; group sizes can vary. The evening commences with snacks at Sorso bar, followed by dim sum and noodle pulling at Li Jiang, steak grilling and eating at The Forge, topped with an array of desserts from the Dolce cafe. The evening is priced from Dh450, with drink pairings offered at Dh650. To book, call The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal at 02 818 8282 or email restaurant.reservations@ritzcarlton.com
amcqueen@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%20Profile
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scoreline:
Al Wahda 2
Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'
Al Nassr 3
Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Company%20profile
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rob%20Marshall%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHalle%20Bailey%2C%20Jonah%20Hauer-King%2C%20Melissa%20McCarthy%2C%20Javier%20Bardem%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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The%20specs
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SPECS
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