Restaurant Secrets Inc. announces the opening of M1 Café & Lounge in Abu Dhabi
The UAE-based restaurant consultancy has revealed the launch of its latest turn-key project in the capital – M1 Café & Lounge UAE-based F&B firm Restaurant Secrets Inc. has announced the opening of M1 Café & Lounge, its latest turn-key project located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen area. The new, ultra-modern venue is now open to the public and presents visitors with three floors for varied dining experiences. M1’s café welcomes guests on level one of the outlet, while diners will find the main dining lounge on level two, and an exclusive private members’ social club on level three. All-day dining takes place at the café, where an approachable menu features casual bites, while M1’s dining lounge opens for lunch and dinner with a unique yet familiar menu inviting guests to lounge, graze and relax. At the private members’ social club on level three, exquisite food and drinks will be served along with a VIP individualized service. The luxurious facility features a lounge, meeting room, and two private dining rooms. Curated by the Director of Operations at Restaurant Secrets Inc., Brian Voelzing, the menu features highlights of braised short rib fettuccini, rosemary & garlic grilled prawns, varied maki rolls including the classic California roll, burrata & pesto pizza, whole roasted seabass, and more. “We aimed to create a menu that offers something for everyone by using the best ingredients available and taking inspiration from some of the most popular dishes found in the region. Guests will find the menu divided into sections where each item is cooked or prepared like the Josper Grill, Sushi Counter, or the Woodfire Oven, there’s also Handmade Pasta,” said Brian. Gabrielle F. Mather, CEO & Founder of Restaurant Secrets Inc. and Cornerstone 61 Consultancy said, “The team has worked very hard over the past twelve months to open this unique concept of café, lounge, restaurant, housed in a three-level villa in Abu Dhabi’s prestigious Bateen district. Our latest turn-key project, M1 has opened doors successfully to a full house, which reaffirms our faith in Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning F&B scene”. For more information about Restaurant Secrets Inc. call +971 56 216 1511, e-mail [email protected], visit restaurantsecretsinc.com or follow @restaurantsecretsinc on social media. For reservations at M1 visit @m1cafelounge on Instagram.
Five key trends to expect in the F&B industry this year
UAE Restaurant consultancy, Restaurant Secrets Inc. says Dubai will see the heightened openings of delivery-only brands, the launch of more community-driven outlets in new neighbourhoods and licensed restaurants in residential areas, as well as the continued export of homegrown brands to international markets and furthered demand for health-conscious concepts and plant-based products this year Looking at the year ahead UAE restaurant consultancy, Restaurant Secrets Inc.’s founder & CEO, Gabrielle F. Mather shares her outlook on 2022’s top trends in F&B and where the industry will witness substantial growth this year. Rise of delivery-only brands Delivery brands will find better representation and standardization of aggregator fees at negotiated industry standards this year, as we see the launch of more delivery-only concepts. As the landscape of how we dine at home and work changes positively, the delivery business is seeing a renaissance in the quality and variety of offerings available. We forecast the shift to a four-and-a-half-day work week and emphasis on life/work balance to be a game changer to how people invest their leisure hours. With more time and disposable income, couples, singles and families will order in more than ever. It’s the best time to launch high quality delivery brands. More non-licensed standalone brands in new neighbourhoods New neighbourhood locations will become prime options for non-licensed standalone brands in 2022 as the city expands and demand for suburban living rises, bringing with it an audience looking for accessibly-priced, family-friendly restaurants close to their homes. Further openings of licensed venues in residential areas More licensed restaurants in prime neighborhoods with licensed pavilions will emerge in 2022, as Dubai residents living in communities around the city seek to enjoy a quality F&B offering without having to travel too far from their place of residence. Continued international export of Dubai homegrown brands As more and more quality, original concepts are born and successfully operated in Dubai, we will witness the continued export of homegrown brands to international markets – particularly to KSA, London and other major destinations. A demand for health-driven concepts and plant-based products 2022 will bring a heightened look at health-driven dining experiences, with high demand for immunity booster juices, nutritious menu items, as well as plant-based products, as consumers become increasingly educated on what they are putting in their bodies, as well as being more mindful about food nutrition because of health risks from viruses like Covid-19. For more information about Restaurant Secrets Inc. call +971 56 216 1511, e-mail [email protected], visit restaurantsecretsinc.com or follow @restaurantsecretsinc on social media.
Restaurant Secrets Inc. announces three new turn-key restaurant projects set for Abu Dhabi
UAE-based restaurant consultancy Restaurant Secrets Inc. has revealed the capital will soon see the opening of three new restaurants – M1, Oii and Tazal Leading F&B firm Restaurant Secrets Inc. has revealed three of its latest turn-key restaurant projects, which are set to open in Abu Dhabi in the coming months. Scheduled to open doors by year-end is M1 Café & Lounge, an ultra-modern venue located in Al Bateen. Comprising three floors, M1 welcomes guests to its café on level one, a main dining lounge on level two, and an exclusive private members’ social club on level three. All-day dining takes place at the café, where an approachable menu features casual bites, while M1’s dining lounge opens for lunch and dinner with a unique yet familiar menu inviting guests to lounge, graze and relax. At the private members’ social club on level three, exquisite food and drinks will be served along with a VIP individualized service. The luxurious facility features a lounge, meeting room, and two private dining rooms. Soon to follow in Abu Dhabi’s newest destination, Al Qana is a Southern European-inspired restaurant and café called Oii, which will present the food, ambiance and service styles found in Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy. Oii, meaning ‘Hey’ in Portuguese, is a place that instantly welcomes and relaxes its guests – offering Mediterranean charm, friendly conversations and tables laden with lots of great food to share. The third concept set for opening early next year in Al Qana is Tazal, a place dedicated to cultivating culture and relationships through coffee and food. Driven by a passion to revive and reassert Arabic heritage, Tazal’s offering will be narrated through the proud origin of coffee and the warmth of baking from the heart, brought together in an urban, modern venue. Gabrielle F. Mather, CEO & Founder of Restaurant Secrets Inc. and Cornerstone 61 Consultancy said, “We are delighted to announce these three new projects, each of which will bring its own individuality and uniqueness to the Abu Dhabi dining scene. Abu Dhabi is seeing a renaissance in its F&B journey and we are privileged to be part of this in such a tremendous way. All three turn-key projects are a testimony to the resilience and grit of F&B entrepreneurs and the nation’s support to businesses. It’s a great way to wrap up 2021 and welcome in 2022 with a newer and more exciting era of dining post-pandemic.” For more information about Restaurant Secrets Inc. call +971 56 216 1511, e-mail [email protected], visit restaurantsecretsinc.com or follow @restaurantsecretsinc on social media.
Are you an aspiring female Emirati restauranteur? Here’s the chance to make your dream a reality
For Emirati women dreaming of opening their own restaurant, leading UAE-based restaurant consultancy Restaurant Secrets Inc., will be offering one winning applicant up to half a million dirhams worth of restaurant consultancy services to launch their vision this Emirati Women’s Day. In celebration of Emirati Women’s Day on August 28, woman-owned restaurant consultancy firm, Restaurant Secrets Inc. (RSI) has announced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one aspiring female Emirati restaurant entrepreneur. RSI will be offering AED 500,000 worth of restaurant consultancy support services to help the winning applicant launch their own restaurant in the UAE. RSI is calling for visionary Emirati women with the dream of owning and running their own restaurant to apply for the opportunity from August 28 – September 27. Those interested can apply directly via restaurantsecretsinc.com, or find the link to apply via RSI’s Instagram page @restaurantsecretsinc, where an application pack can be downloaded from the link in bio. What’s on offer? The opportunity to learn how to create and operate a successful and sustainable restaurant business model and launch it with the support of RSI. The consultancy will help with everything from conceptualization and feasibility studies, to recruitment, pre-opening support and restaurant launch. Depending on the type of restaurant, this pro bono service is valued at up to half a million dirhams. “The UAE has been my home for 25 years, and during this time I’ve had the pleasure of working with many Emirati women, building long-lasting relationships, while helping them establish successful, thriving businesses. I am constantly inspired by these women every day, their creativity, resilience and spirit of entrepreneurship. I call UAE home and I am privileged to lead a consultancy that has been such an integral part of UAE’s F&B landscape. RSI is looking forward to once again being part of someone’s journey of success, this time by pledging our professional support to the women of the UAE. We are looking for visionary and bold women with a dream to channel their creativity and passion into building a sustainable and successful restaurant business.” said Gabrielle F. Mather, CEO & Founder, Restaurant Secrets Inc. As a woman-run organization, RSI is dedicated to supporting female entrepreneurs and has a client list of which more than 40% comprises of women. A large percentage of these are Emirati women who have launched restaurants such as Mitts & Trays, Montauk Boutique Café, Jolie Café, Utopia Bakery, That Café, and Duchess Café, to name a few. To enter, candidates must be female, UAE nationals. They must be able to provide a simple business plan detailing why they want to open a restaurant, explain their USPs and express their vision statement. Applicants must also be able to show record of their entrepreneurial spirit in F&B or another field, or provide proof of a business degree or experience in running a small business. “I believe in the ‘why’ to the ‘what’ and that will be the winning question that the applying candidates would need to answer best. Our goal is to showcase the talents of our national women by supporting them in building sustainability, leadership and commercial value to their entrepreneurial spirit,” added Mather. All applications will be reviewed by a panel, comprising RSI’s senior management along with one of RSI’s former Emirati female clients, who too have taken the journey to open their own restaurant. Entry for applications will open on Emirati Women’s Day, August 28 and close on September 27, 2021. To enter, please visit restaurantsecretsinc.com and click on the Emirati Women’s Day tab or @restaurantsecretsinc on Instagram to download the application pack (T&Cs apply and can be found in the pack). For more information or support, WhatsApp +971 56 216 1511 or e-mail [email protected].
5 things to consider before opening a restaurant in Dubai
Gabrielle F. Mather, CEO & Founder of leading UAE-based restaurant firm Restaurant Secrets Inc., looks at five often overlooked aspects of opening a new restaurant in Dubai. 1) Consistent menu engineering is a must for any successful restaurant. Dubai is an extremely trend conscious market, which means restaurant menus must be re-engineered every three to six months to stay relevant. The market is always evolving, drawing inspiration from all major leading food capitals around the world. It’s important to ensure restaurant owners either have the right talent on board in-house or use F&B consultants to develop head-turning signature menus and to manage these unavoidable updates regularly, effectively and creatively. 2) Budgets should be allocated for staff training and experiences. A downfall in many restaurants is the high turnover of staff. Losing employees is costly for restaurant owners when accounting for UAE hiring costs such as visas, healthcare, accommodation, etc. High staff turnover is a real financial loss to any business. Considering that an average employee needs six months to be fully productive and thoroughly understand the business, losing them frequently means you are constantly fighting with a rookie team instead of retaining your strong people, who you’ve invested trainings and operational synergy in, just when they are finally becoming an asset to you. It’s important for businesses to include training and incentive budgets into their P&L. Employees who feel taken care of and valued will always put more into making success of a restaurant – or any business for that matter. 3) Waste management must be taken seriously. Too many restaurants don’t have waste management systems in place, which results in too much stock on shelves and in fridges that goes in the bin. Owners should implement a strong POS system as well as kitchen management systems for inventory control that ensures they sell what they buy. A JIT system is perfect for the current market scenario of unpredictable sales and can help minimize stock levels and rotating products so that they don’t go off. Food wastage is a massive global issue, and costs restaurant owners thousands every year. 4) Investing in Instagram marketing is a must. Instagram marketing in this part of the world is more effective and crucial to a brand’s positioning and communication than anywhere else globally. Have a budget for social media marketing, and also for hiring the right candidate with the relevant skills. High quality imagery is a must, so don’t skimp on photography. Building great content through lifestyle and professional imagery and videos is the way to go in the UAE. We’re living in an age where so many consumers choose where to dine through feed scrolling. Restaurants need to make their grid count. 5) Select your kitchen and build contractors carefully – very carefully. Restaurant owners should be prepared to pay a premium price if they want to open on time and produce a quality venue. While it may seem attractive to go with the lower priced contractor to start, this will ultimately result in spending more in the long run. Delayed openings and poor delivery are commonplace for low-cost contractors in Dubai. Tender out your build contracts and ask for references. Check out if the contactor has done restaurants before because the fit out of F&B units is very different from usual contracting. For more information about Restaurant Secrets Inc. call +971 56 216 1511 or e-mail [email protected] for a free one-hour consultation. Visit restaurantsecretsinc.com or follow @restaurantsecretsinc on social media for further background.
Brian Voelzing appointed as Director of Operations at Restaurant Secrets Inc.
Overseeing the concept creation and development of new restaurants across the Middle East, Brian will manage all culinary operations in his new role at RSI Leading Dubai-based F&B firm, Restaurant Secrets Inc. (RSI) has announced the appointment of Brian Voelzing as director of operations at the consultancy. Leveraging his wealth of international restaurant experience as a chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu, Brian will now be responsible for overseeing all culinary operations at RSI, as well as conceptualising and creating new restaurants across the GCC region. In his new leadership role, Brian’s responsibilities include concept development, feasibility studies, menu engineering, staff training, implementing marketing & sales strategies, auditing & reporting, procurement, design & build supervision, kitchen & production design, and client consulting & relations. Commenting on his appointment, Brian said: “I’m thrilled to be joining RSI and look forward to working closely with the team and our clients to create world-class concepts and menus. Stepping into a role that allows me to be creative every day and bring restaurant visions to life is an extremely exciting step for me as I’m incredibly passionate about food and creating superbly-curated restaurant experiences.” Gabrielle F. Mather, the founder and CEO of RSI said: “Brian is an asset to our team at RSI and we’re delighted to have him on board. For the past two years, Brian has worked with us as our group executive chef in an overarching role with RSI and our sister company, Lincoln Hospitality, so it was a natural progression that he grew into this full-time position of responsibility at RSI. With his recognised qualifications, global experience and passion for F&B, I am confident in his ability to deliver second-to-none concepts and projects for our clients. I have no doubt that he is the right person for this role.” Brian found his passion and flair for culinary and restaurants at a young age, hosting BBQs for family in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada. While kick-starting his career as a chef at Hy’s Steakhouse, Brian attended the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu to complete his culinary degree. Strengthening his skills in the kitchen, Brian spent time working in Toronto at acclaimed Scaramouche Restaurant before journeying to Sydney, Australia to further his experience. He then ventured to London, UK to work at sought-after eateries including the four AA Rosette restaurant, Chapter One as chef de partie, and sous chef at the Royal Albert Hall, where he cooked for members of the Royal family and guests of BBC proms. Stepping into the role of head chef, Brian moved to the UAE to open and run The Hide Meatery, located within one of Dubai’s most luxurious hotels, Al Qasr Jumeirah. Wishing to further his management experience, Brian joined Majid Al Futtaim as executive sous chef to oversee the ThEATre by Rhodes VIP experience across the GCC region, before taking on the role of group executive chef for Lincoln Hospitality and RSI, where he was responsible for iconic Dubai-based outlets including Japanese restaurant TAIKUN, sophisticated French eatery La Serre Bistro & Boulangerie, world-class fine dining outlet The Loft at Dubai Opera, and casual eatery Distillery Gastropub. Brian is now full-time at RSI. During his time in Dubai, Brian has been awarded accolades including a spot on Caterer Middle East’s Power 50 list for two consecutive years, as well as The Pro Chef Middle East’s ‘Meat Chef of the Year’ Award, and Hozpitality’s Excellence Award for ‘Executive Chef of the Year’.
Insight: Restauranteurs show increased interest in new openings, reports Restaurant Secrets Inc.
Leading restaurant consultants, Restaurant Secrets Inc. reveal that business remains flush for F&B concept development in the UAE, despite the pandemic, as they deliver 15 projects since 2021 start Restauranteurs in the Middle East are showing no signs of slowing down, Dubai-based F&B firm Restaurant Secrets Inc. (RSI) has reported. Since the start of this year, RSI has worked with 15 individual restaurants on full turnkey solutions, menu development, auditing, and brand management, in addition to a further four brand new venues that are set to open this month and next. “Despite being in the midst of a pandemic, business in the restaurant development world has remained steadfast. People still want to open restaurants and we are observing this firsthand with our current clients and incoming daily enquires,” said Gabrielle F. Mather, CEO & Founder, Restaurant Secrets Inc. “We’re also witnessing a rise in restauranteurs using our services to fine tune their offering, whether that be through key menu enhancement, new layouts & interior design, talent requisition, franchise development or other, as business owners become ever more resilient to strengthen their business models. It’s refreshing to see a return to detail, and I think the pandemic is a driving force behind this,” she added. Of the projects successfully delivered so far this year, RSI has worked with venues including Greek pita street food eatery Pita Greek and artisanal pizzeria, Pizzart in Dubai on a full turnkey solution, as well as Montauk Boutique Café, Tapas, Medi Terra, Fresh & Light, Cut Pizza, Urban Wok and That Café in Abu Dhabi, Skeet, Utopia Bakery and Gulf Bakery in Ras al Khaimah, Street Carbs in Oman, and Else in Saudi Arabia on menu development, brand management and auditing. Current projects that are soon-to-open include a two-storey modern café and lounge in Abu Dhabi called M1, a contemporary shisha lounge serving grilled meats and small plates in Dubai called Sage, as well as Amazigh, a North African Restaurant with focus on Moroccan cuisine, and Vanilla Rose in Sharjah, a pastry-focused café that has a flower shop within the restaurant. “Since the pandemic began, many clients have come to RSI for headhunting, auditing and operational support, as well as SOPs and personal management services. Restauranteurs are paying closer attention to the details than they were before, which is a very encouraging. We’re also receiving many enquires for assistance with feasibility studies in-line with the increasing interest in new openings. It’s positive to see that things are not slowing down,” Gabrielle concluded. For more information about Restaurant Secrets Inc., call +971 56 216 1511, e-mail [email protected], visit restaurantsecretsinc.com or follow @restaurantsecretsinc on social media.