2019 – A Year in Perspective

Naim Maadad, Chief Executive and Founder, Gates Hospitality

Season’s Greetings and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Prosperous New Year 2020…

As another year comes to an eventful climax – it is once again time to look over the shoulder behind at the moments gone by and to sincerely thank each of our well-wishers, clients, stakeholders, our #LocalHeroes and our industry colleagues from the bottom of my heart for standing with us through thick and thin, in the year gone by.

It indeed has been a very exciting and memorable path undertaken for me personally - guiding Gates Hospitality, the owning company of well-known home-grown brands such as; Ultra Brasserie, the internationally acclaimed concept; Reform Social & Grill Dubai, The Lion by Nick & Scott, Bistro Des Arts, Folly by Nick & Scott, Publique, Stoke House, Verve bar and brasserie, as well as Six Senses Zighy Bay.

The year also witnessed our brands win many accolades and awards once again. REFORM SOCIAL & GRILL Team won the Highly Commended Award in the Best Family Restaurant / Café category at the Time Out Dubai Kids Awards 2019and FOLLY BY NICK & SCOTT Team won Highly Commended Award in the Best European Restaurant category at the Time Out Dubai Awards 2019.  At the Leaders in F&B Awards 2019 event, ULTRA BRASSERIE Team won the Leading Healthy Restaurant category and I personally with gratitude accepted the F&B Heavyweight of the Year second time around. 

The year ended on a high when Gates Hospitality won 2 out of the top 50 rankings of the year at the Caterer Middle East’s Power 50 List 2019; I was ranked #7 under “Independent F&B Entrepreneurs”, and Chef Nick Alvis and Chef Scott ranked #2 under Chef’s Power 50 List. Folly by Nick & Scott also ranked high in the 50 Best Discovery – a prestigious rating for the global restaurants and bars.

At our sister property, the Six Senses Zighy Bay, the resort has undergone a major renovation of the kitchen and heart of house areas, as well as the Spice Market restaurant has been completely redesigned into a new theme concept.

The year ahead indeed looks very exciting… The special focus would be on humous and quirkiness, emotional hospitality, sustainability & traceability, and our brand pillars of | Innovate | Belong |              | Enrich | Engage | deeply embedded into whatever we do. We do hope that 2020 would be a better year in terms of market environment and economic reality of the times, as well as look ahead to actively partake in the Expo 2020 global event being hosted by Dubai from October 20 next year till April 10, 2021. 

These are just some of the ways in which we are helping to address the issues that affect all of our futures. We feel a responsibility to lead by example, and to demonstrate that the hospitality business has an important role to play in addressing the industry challenges. We will continue to take our knowledge and experience and apply it every single day to Building a better culinary world and a responsible hospitality brand in times to come.

Thank you and Season’s Greetings once again.