Following a recent trip to Dubai to open his latest venture “Row on 45” at the Grosvenor House, celebrity chef Jason Atherton sat down with Arabian Business Traveller Editor, Lisa Amnegard, on the AB Majlis podcast. In a candid interview he shares the inside scoop on what it truly takes to achieve sustainable success.
“In our business, you’re ‘only as good as your last meal’, it is a cliché, but it’s true. If you don’t continue to keep going, then you’ll be very infamous very quickly,” Atherton remarks.
Over the past two decades, Atherton has successfully opened 17 restaurants globally spanning across London, Dubai, Shanghai, and Saudi Arabia. However, building his culinary empire was no easy feat.
The Metamorphosis of Dubai’s Fine Dining Landscape
When starting out in Dubai 20 years ago at Gordon Ramsey’s Verre restaurant, Atherton recalls the dining scene left much to be desired. “You were getting vegetables that had been in storage for two weeks and tasted of nothing,” he says. Thankfully, Dubai’s cuisine has since transformed dramatically.
With major international restaurant guidebooks such as Gault & Millau now firmly established in Dubai, chef Atherton believes it will propel the city to become one of the top four culinary destinations globally within the next five years.
“Is it important to me that we do well in the Gault & Millau? Absolutely, of course it is. And it’s not about ego. It’s about being benchmarked” he says.
The latest 2023 edition of the influential Gault & Millau guide saw 134 Emirati restaurants listed, with two establishments receiving the highest accolade of four toques for the first time. Atherton observes that such recognition further elevates the UAE’s culinary scene, drawing an increasing number of international chefs who view the region as an opportunity to showcase their culinary skills on a more sophisticated stage.
“We’re moving away from the hotel formula of having an Arabic, Italian, and all-day dining restaurant” Atherton remarks. Hotels are reinventing their dining scene and attracting more sophisticated diners. “Now it’s about the location, clientele, and bringing in quality chefs” Atherton adds.
Saudi Arabia: A Nascent Epicurean Frontier
Beyond Dubai, Atherton is also excited about the potential of Saudi Arabia’s emerging dining sector. As one of the first international chefs to open a restaurant in the Kingdom with Maraya Social, he is optimistic about the kingdom’s future.
“Saudi Arabia is following the same path as Dubai but 20 years later. The primary challenge will be sourcing quality produce … then comes staff training, discipline [and] hard work. They’re making massive strides, and I’m excited to be part of it,” Atherton shared.
Whether Saudi’s rapid growth will outpace Dubai’s culinary scene? Atherton doesn’t believe so.
“I don’t see it as a threat at all. Dubai has been a culinary leader” Atherton shares.
“Other Gulf countries growing their scenes will only serve to enhance the whole region… Competition breeds excellence, so it’s great for the entire Middle East.”
Building Successful Dining Concepts
In the challenging terrain of the hospitality industry, celebrated British chef Jason Atherton shares his wisdom for success: relentless hard work, a high-calibre team, and to identify where you have market share.
Atherton emphasizes, “you need to be ahead of the pack. It’s a 6 AM until midnight [job]. And if you’re not prepared to do that with your concept, it’s not going to succeed. There’s too much failure to the ratio of success in our industry”
“you’ve got to prepare to outwork people, outthink people… and [be] determined to make your concept stand out.” Atherton adds.
To navigate this high-risk landscape, Atherton subscribes to a strategy he calls “the four 25’s”. Before 2020, Atherton had successfully launched 21 restaurants but has scaled down since the pandemic.
“Post-COVID, we evaluated why we were building the business and focused on our strongest five concepts that we’re truly passionate about and have strong market share in. The dream is to expand those globally now,” Atherton revealed.
Despite the challenges ahead, Atherton remains optimistic about the future of the culinary scene in the Middle East. His journey offers valuable insights and lessons for aspiring restaurateurs braving the volatile, yet potentially rewarding, world of hospitality.
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