The Christmas Special Podcast 🎄

Get your baubles out

James and I could not just leave you without a little something special to see out 2023 and just in time for Christmas! Settle into the dulcet tones of two guys chopping up the Dubai and international food scene.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or WATCH US on YouTube!

What’s On The Menu?

A dense fruit cake of tasty morsels on this roll-up podcast. Here’s what was on our menu!

🍗 James and I are both getting Christmas dinner delivered. I am ordering a delicious-looking menu from Moreish by K’s Christmas Menu.

👍🏼 2023’s Highlights

♥️ DUBAI HOSPITALITY SHOWS ITS HEART

• Syria/Turkey fundraising dinners;

• Gather for Gaza fundraising dinners.

• BOCA’s 12-hands dinner

👨🏼‍🍳 OUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS IN THE UAE THIS YEAR

• At the high-end, Tresind Studio and Ossiano

• At the casual end, Lila Taqueria, Duo Gastrobar (two restaurants to watch), Reif Kushiyaki, 21grams, Pitfire Pizza, Kata Dubai Mall and Marmellata Bakery in Abu Dhabi!

🍽️ NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS

• South Africa: Faber and Le Petite Colombe.

• Denmark: Juju’s, Noma, Geranium and Alchemist.

• Bahrain: Fusions by Tala.

👎🏼 2023’s Lowlights

• Dubai’s wild pricing trend💰

• Same old, same old (we’ve maxed out on Asian dining) 🍣

📈 2023’s Trends

• Dinner and a show 🙄

• More restaurants are opening in our neighbourhoods vs DIFC etc 📍

• Supper Clubs find industry acceptance 🥘

• Smaller, more intimate dining venues (Dubai and abroad) 🤏🏽

• Sustainability and shout out, especially to Omar Shihab and BOCA 💚

🥇 The Awards

• A GREAT YEAR for MENA representation internationally, the best yet! ✈️

• Year 2 of Michelin, MENA 50 Best and Gault & Millau 🏆

• Why do these accolades lean toward fine dining, and can we see more local, casual dining celebrated in these awards? 🤨

• Michelin Guide Abu Dhabi, a bit limp? 🤔

2024: Predictions and What We Would Like to See

• More original voices in the UAE culinary scene (again, we’ve maxed out on sashimi). 🙌🏽

• Showcase more culinary stories in Deira, Karama, Satwa and more. 📍

• “Revenge of the International Chef” with some huge international chefs not only returning to Dubai but coming to the region for the first time. 👩🏻‍🍳

• Regional 1sts like Side Hustle Brewery opening the region’s first brewery in the UAE! THIS IS BIG. 🍻

• More food halls coming with the much-anticipated opening of Timbuktu. 🕺🏼

• The rise of Emirati talent with Gerbou, a new opening coming from Atelier Hospitality. 🇦🇪

• More focus on mental health support in the industry (congrats to Dubai Chef’s Collective on its MENTL award in 2023) 🧘🏼‍♀️

Massive thanks to James Knight Paccheco as always for hosting and being the engine behind the Chef JKP Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or WATCH US on YouTube! If you liked this episode, please do tell a friend, subscribe and share. It really helps make the podcast even bigger and even better!