Dubai Restaurants Group, which was first revealed in an announcement in July, has now officially launched and is operational.

Working under the direct patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, it aims to be the premier representative body of the F&B industry in the city.

Chairman of Dubai Restaurants Group Mubarak Bin Fahad said: “It is time the restaurant industry in Dubai had a unified voice and a forum to share experiences, skills and resources.

“I’m proud to be one of the founders of the group and, along with my colleagues, look forward to helping further enhance the F&B industry in the city. Dubai is the leading food destination in the world and the advent of Dubai Restaurants Group can only go towards cementing that position.”

As well as providing a platform and forum for different members of the F&B community to bring up issues and share best practices, it will provide its members with practical advice and resources alongside a direct link between businesses and the Dubai government.

Getting the latest up to date information from government sources has been an issue that has been brought up regularly during the coronavirus pandemic, with the hospitality industry particularly affected by new regulations, and Mubarak highlighted the important part the group will play in sharing updates and advice.

He said: “Dubai has been decisive in its dealing with the pandemic this year, which is why restaurants around the city were able to open up again so quickly with the correct precautions in place.

“The group has already fostered a strong working relationship with the Government’s Precautionary Committee to ensure that updates and the latest advice regarding social distancing and Covid-19 regulations are discussed, communicated and adhered to. It is important that the venues still work within the social distancing and safety regulations laid out by the government, so as an F&B community we can continue to grow.”

Speaking at this year’s Global Restaurant Investment Forum at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference, Dubai Restaurants Group board member Kunal Lahori revealed that the body wants to create a job marketplace for chefs, waiters, and other industry professionals to find vacancies, as well as introducing a training program for them.

A restaurant star rating system is another of the proposals being considered by the group.

Membership starts from AED6,000 per year for one restaurant, with further tiers at AED16,000 per year for five to 10 restaurants and AED36,000 per year for more than 10 venues.

Source: https://www.caterermiddleeast.com/outlets/restaurants/85764-dubai-restaurants-group-officially-launches