When you can't stand the heat… take a holiday

30 July 2003 by
When you can't stand the heat… take a holiday

I am writing this from a cloudy, grey Cornish village on my first break from Dubai in two years - it's taken me that long to feel able to leave for a couple of weeks.

The pace at which Dubai is developing its hospitality industry is astounding. Despite the recent setbacks to tourism, it hasn't lost sight of its ambition to be one of the best holiday destinations in the world. One thing's for certain: the chances of a chilly, overcast day are slim.

Actually, we're heading into our quiet period in Dubai - the summer months - but occupancies are surprisingly high. There are still plenty of those mad Europeans who like to lie out in the sun at midday when the temperature is 50°C. Personally, give me air conditioning. I stay indoors and rush from one building to the next.

The Burj al Arab won an outstanding 52 medals in a recent international salon culinaire - we've built a great team here. I like to give young people the opportunity to work in this place, as it's something I would've killed for when I was a commis or chef de partie.

The big hospitality companies are still opening outlets in Dubai - most recently, the new Grand Hyatt, a great F&B-led operation - and Shangri-La is nearing completion of its newest hotel.

I was told recently by a building contractor that you only need to count the number of cranes to learn how much development is going on in a city, but I've given up counting, because there are hundreds in Dubai. There's even a builder here called "Bin Laden Construction Company" - a bit alarming for tourists when they arrive.

At the Burj, customer expectations of the cuisine are understandably high - when the establishment is billed as the only seven-star hotel in the world, the food has to be pretty good.

One of the most difficult aspects of working in the Middle East is the amount of business taken at short notice. It's not unusual to get a phone call in the afternoon for a wedding that has just confirmed for 300 the next day, or functions that change from 100 to 300 covers two hours before the event starts.

Being able to cope with demands of this sort comes down to having the right people in key positions. After two years, I feel we are finally equipped to deal with almost anything that is thrown at us, and the competence and organisational skills of my team are the reason I am now on holiday.

  • John Wood is executive chef of the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai
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