Caterer to US president to open Dubai venture

A chef who has catered for former US president George W Bush and Hollywood celebrities is part of a new shopping and dining concept opening in Dubai.

Maybury is set to make its debut in Dubai Marina later this month, with plans to expand into Abu Dhabi and Sharjah next year.

The retail project which also includes a Deli Café and Cooking Studio, has already recruited 60 staff and says it will offer its customers the chance to suggest specific products or brands to stock the shelves.

The interactive Cooking Studio will see in-house chef and Maybury's culinary director R Allen Smith sharing his knowledge of food products and cooking techniques with shoppers, it added.

Allen, who will also create menus for the Deli Café, came to Dubai in 2012 after being a full time instructor at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York.

Allen has spent many years working as a professional chef catering for a host of VIPs including George and Laura Bush as well as celebrities including Jane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine.

Smith said: "Whilst there is a full spectrum of grocery stores available in the UAE, we really felt that there was a gap in the market when it came to having a friendly neighbourhood store.

"Having lived in New York, everyone I knew had their special store just around the corner, where they could buy their daily essentials and fresh deli products with the staff always greeting them with a smile.

"This is what Maybury is aiming to create in the communities of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah."

The Dubai Marina store will be open from 6am to 11pm daily.