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Revealed: ‘Experiential dining' the new fad among foodies in Dubai as celebrity chefs promote new concepts to chart own paths

Dubai's food and beverage (f&b) sector is seeing a paradigm shift with the 'experiential dining' segment – offering casual dining, exotic venues and chef-led unique concepts – fast gaining traction with foodies, industry experts and players said. The surging popularity of the new trend is also attracting leading international brands and celebrity chefs to the city, while pioneers and existing players are actively exploring new investments and partnerships to diversify revenue streams. Experiential dining in Dubai Chef Mohamad Orfali of Orfali Bros, a prominent figure in Dubai's culinary scene renowned for his innovative approach to Middle Eastern cuisine, continues to push boundaries with two new concepts on the horizon, Chef Akmal Anaur, popular from Dubai to New York for his culinary expertise, is shifting gears to Italian with Funkoolio and launching a new concept called Harumanis and the finance broker-turned award-winning Chef Reif Othman, who redefined Japanese gastronomic artistry, is delivering excellence with Tero by Reif – triggering a new craze for 'experiential' dining in Dubai – a melting pot of multiculturalism. There's also growing anticipation among the connoisseurs of the new dining culture for the French-born, CFA-graduated Chef Gregoire's next venture post-Ossiano, and also about Chef Gonzalo's new twists to the 'fire'-based concepts at Fiya. Beyond these big names, hidden gems are also making waves in the fast-becoming popular outdoor dining trend – a five-seater secret omakase experience offering the most authentic Japanese sushi outside Tokyo being among them! 'It's ['experiential' dining] no longer just a trend, but a demand and preference among patrons [in Dubai],' Ola El Jaroudi, Founder of Cucina Del Sul, the Dubai-based culinary content and experiences platform, told Arabian Business. 'Many talented cooks – who are often the backbone of successful F&B concepts – are stepping into the spotlight to build personal brands, gain recognition, and carve out their own paths, taking the concept to an all-together new level in Dubai,' he said. El Jaroudi said Dubai boasts of every fine dining restaurant you could dream of at your fingertips, but the most exciting growth is now in the experiential dining segment. Segment seeing a rise in amateur cooks entering the industry Industry players in the new segment said dishes are now inspired by personal experiences and regional nuances, requiring creativity, experimentation, and the freedom to innovate – often at odds with the economic constraints of running lean establishments. The segment is also seeing a rise in amateur cooks entering the industry, aspiring to make it big and earn a name for themselves. El Jaroudi said passionate home cooks, supper club hosts, and foodies are honing their skills through small-scale dining experiences before scaling up to catering, pop-ups, or restaurants. He said the new breed of chefs is also increasingly paying homage to the land, the ecosystem, and locally sourced produce to add to the 'experiential' touch. The Cucina Del Sul founder said their platform is uniquely positioned to incubate and accelerate homegrown talent, leveraging its ecosystem and resources to propel the industry forward. He also said the segment is currently witnessing an increasing number of new entrants, coming up with notable concepts. As for the business model, the Cucina Del Sul founder said though events, sponsorships, and curation services remain the core revenue streams, concurrently, industry players are activating other pillars by exploring new investments and partnerships to diversify revenue streams. Identifying market gaps, partnering with emerging culinary talents to scale businesses El Jaroudi said they are proactively identifying market gaps and partnering with emerging culinary talents to create new concepts and scale existing ones. 'Through our global network, including the World Food Championships, we're also exploring opportunities to export concepts to international markets and establish cross-country collaborations,' he revealed. 'This aligns with Dubai's vision in two key ways – by contributing to Dubai's global brand by representing the city on the global food sports stage, and driving innovation by seeding and kickstarting high-potential F&B concepts,' El Jaroudi said. He also revealed plans for further elevating Cucina Del Sul's community culinary adventurer event in 2025 with exciting new offerings. 'Guests can look forward to diverse events in unique destinations, including themes like Meats & Mountains, Tails & Trails, and BBQ on the Bay. 'For those seeking experiences closer to home, we are planning more accessible events that maintain the same spirit of adventure,' he said. Additionally, a new culinary destination overlooking the canal is also on the horizon, El Jaroudi said, adding that 'while we can't share all the details just yet, it promises to be a memorable addition to our lineup.' 'Meats & Mountains', the flagship live-fire event of Cucina Del Sul at Jebel Hafit Desert Park, is currently into its third year. It attracts over 600 guests to enjoy an outdoor culinary adventure in a unique destination, with accommodation options ranging from camping to glamping to hotel stays. 'This event serves as a blueprint for what is possible with the right setting and partners,' El Jaroudi said. 'Our vision is to bring these large-scale food festivals into the city, similar to what we achieved at Al Serkal with the 'Big Backyard BBQ' last year. 'Exciting venues are on our radar, and we hope to activate them soon. Imagine hosting such events in AlUla, Petra, or Sahel!,' he revealed. 'While we can scale up events, we intentionally limit ticket numbers to preserve the quality of the experience for attendees,' El Jaroudi said.