• Ronda Locatelli at Atlantis, The Palm was a vast venue that opened in Dubai in 2008. Photo: Atlantis, The Palm
    Ronda Locatelli at Atlantis, The Palm was a vast venue that opened in Dubai in 2008. Photo: Atlantis, The Palm
  • Giorgio Locatelli poses for a photo at Ronda Locatelli restaurant in Dubai. Jaime Puebla / The National
    Giorgio Locatelli poses for a photo at Ronda Locatelli restaurant in Dubai. Jaime Puebla / The National
  • Vegan sfera di cioccolato at Ronda Locatelli. The restaurant was well-known for its vegan items. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
    Vegan sfera di cioccolato at Ronda Locatelli. The restaurant was well-known for its vegan items. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
  • Gnocchi Sorrentina, mozzarella foam and basil oil. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
    Gnocchi Sorrentina, mozzarella foam and basil oil. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
  • Margherita pizza with vegan cheese. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
    Margherita pizza with vegan cheese. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
  • Bread meatballs by Salvo Sardo, chef de cuisine. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
    Bread meatballs by Salvo Sardo, chef de cuisine. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
  • Panzanella bread salad. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
    Panzanella bread salad. Photo: Ronda Locatelli
  • Ronda Locatelli has been in Dubai for 14 years. Amy Leang / The National
    Ronda Locatelli has been in Dubai for 14 years. Amy Leang / The National
  • Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli was behind the restaurant. Atlantis, The Palm
    Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli was behind the restaurant. Atlantis, The Palm
  • Giorgio Locatelli does a cooking demonstration at Ronda Locatelli in 2010. Jaime Puebla / The National
    Giorgio Locatelli does a cooking demonstration at Ronda Locatelli in 2010. Jaime Puebla / The National

Ronda Locatelli at Atlantis, The Palm has closed after 14 years


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

As of Sunday, popular Italian spot Ronda Locatelli has closed its doors in Dubai.

The restaurant located at Atlantis, The Palm will be replaced with a South American venue, which is set to open in October, encompassing fine dining, live music and entertainment with influence from Peru to Rio De Janeiro. More details are yet to be announced.

"As part of our continued efforts to enhance Atlantis, The Palm as the culinary destination in the region, we will begin a comprehensive renovation of Ronda Locatelli from 1st May," read a post on the venue's Instagram account on Sunday.

"With this in mind, from 1st May, we are unfortunately unable to take any reservations for Ronda Locatelli. We look forward to sharing exciting updates and news in the coming months."

Giorgio Locatelli at Ronda Locatelli restaurant in Atlantis, The Palm. Jaime Puebla / The National
Giorgio Locatelli at Ronda Locatelli restaurant in Atlantis, The Palm. Jaime Puebla / The National

The restaurant was part of Michelin-lauded chef Giorgio Locatelli's international empire, and was particularly known for its vegan items and for using sustainable produce.

“It is proved that we cannot carry on eating the way we are eating," Locatelli told The National in 2019 after he launched a 40-dish vegan menu. "Consumption of meat needs to be capped, and chefs are the best instruments to convince people to do that."

Ronda Locatelli, which opened in Dubai in 2008, was part of an eclectic selection of dining outlets at the well-known hotel, including Gordan Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen, Nobu and Wavehouse, all of which are operated by Solutions Leisure, which will also be behind the new venue.

"Our objective is to continue to break boundaries in the culinary and entertainment realm globally as we progress with the opening of an additional 18 restaurants and bars across Atlantis in line with the launch of Atlantis The Royal in Q4, 2022," said Timothy Kelly, executive vice president and managing director, Atlantis Resorts and Residences.

The opening of Atlantis, The Royal has been much delayed and anticipated. It is a behemoth of a hotel spanning 63 hectares and housing 795 rooms and suites, countless hospitality venues and 90 swimming pools, including a 90-metre infinity pool stretching out 96 metres above Palm Jumeirah.

Dining is expected to be world-class, with celebrity restaurants from chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres.

World’s 38 most-anticipated luxury hotels still to open in 2022 — in pictures:

  • 1. The Standard, Ibiza, Spain is one of many luxury hotels to open in 2022. Photo: The Standard Hotels
    1. The Standard, Ibiza, Spain is one of many luxury hotels to open in 2022. Photo: The Standard Hotels
  • 2. Marufukuro, Kyoto, Japan. Photo: Marufukuro
    2. Marufukuro, Kyoto, Japan. Photo: Marufukuro
  • 3. SLS Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo: SLS Hotels
    3. SLS Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Photo: SLS Hotels
  • 4. Esca Nest & Nature — Inman Valley, Australia. Photo: Nest & Nature
    4. Esca Nest & Nature — Inman Valley, Australia. Photo: Nest & Nature
  • 5. The Madrid Edition, Spain. Photo: Marriott
    5. The Madrid Edition, Spain. Photo: Marriott
  • 6. Lolebezi, Zambia. Photo: African Bush Camps
    6. Lolebezi, Zambia. Photo: African Bush Camps
  • 7. The Ritz-Carlton, Amman, Jordan. Photo: Marriott
    7. The Ritz-Carlton, Amman, Jordan. Photo: Marriott
  • 8. Gleneagles Townhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: Gleneagles Townhouse
    8. Gleneagles Townhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: Gleneagles Townhouse
  • 9. Botanika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton, Costa Rica.
    9. Botanika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton, Costa Rica.
  • 10. The Chedi El Gouna, Egypt. Photo GHM
    10. The Chedi El Gouna, Egypt. Photo GHM
  • 11. Nobu Hotel Santorini, Greece. Photo: Nobu Hotels
    11. Nobu Hotel Santorini, Greece. Photo: Nobu Hotels
  • 12. The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, US. Photo: Ritz-Carlton
    12. The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, US. Photo: Ritz-Carlton
  • 13. Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo: NH Hotels
    13. Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo: NH Hotels
  • 14. Aman New York, US. Photo: Aman Hotels
    14. Aman New York, US. Photo: Aman Hotels
  • 15. Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Banyan Tree
    15. Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape, Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Banyan Tree
  • 16. Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy. Photo: comoanditslake.com
    16. Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy. Photo: comoanditslake.com
  • 17. Fortune Park Hoshiarpur, India. Photo: ITC hotels
    17. Fortune Park Hoshiarpur, India. Photo: ITC hotels
  • 18. The Homestead, South Africa. Photo: Omni Hotels & Resorts
    18. The Homestead, South Africa. Photo: Omni Hotels & Resorts
  • 19. Hotel La Palma, Capri, Italy. Photo: Oetker
    19. Hotel La Palma, Capri, Italy. Photo: Oetker
  • 20. Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, Ecuador. Photo: Hilton
    20. Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, Ecuador. Photo: Hilton
  • 21. Kimpton Aysla Mallorca, Spain.
    21. Kimpton Aysla Mallorca, Spain.
  • 22. Virgin Hotels Glasgow, Scotland. Photo: Virgin Hotels
    22. Virgin Hotels Glasgow, Scotland. Photo: Virgin Hotels
  • 23. Habitas Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Photo: Habitas
    23. Habitas Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. Photo: Habitas
  • 24. W Costa Navarino, Greece. Photo: W Hotels
    24. W Costa Navarino, Greece. Photo: W Hotels
  • 25. Hilton Maldives Amingiri. Photo: Hilton
    25. Hilton Maldives Amingiri. Photo: Hilton
  • 26. Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, US. Photo: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
    26. Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, US. Photo: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
  • 27. Virgin Hotels New­ York City, US. Photo: Virgin Hotels
    27. Virgin Hotels New­ York City, US. Photo: Virgin Hotels
  • 28. Cap Karoso, Sumba, Indonesia.
    28. Cap Karoso, Sumba, Indonesia.
  • 29. Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, France. Photos: Anantara
    29. Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, France. Photos: Anantara
  • 30. Maison Delano Paris, France. Photo: Accor
    30. Maison Delano Paris, France. Photo: Accor
  • 31. Nolinski Venezia by EVOK, Italy. Photo: Evok
    31. Nolinski Venezia by EVOK, Italy. Photo: Evok
  • 32. Six Senses Rome, Italy. Photo: Six Senses
    32. Six Senses Rome, Italy. Photo: Six Senses
  • 33. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Hotel, London, UK. Photo: Mandarin Oriental
    33. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair Hotel, London, UK. Photo: Mandarin Oriental
  • 34. Nobu Hotel Marrakech, Morocco. Photo: Nobu Hotels
    34. Nobu Hotel Marrakech, Morocco. Photo: Nobu Hotels
  • 35. The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, US.
    35. The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, US.
  • 36. One&Only Aesthesis, Greece. Photo: Kerzner
    36. One&Only Aesthesis, Greece. Photo: Kerzner
  • 37. W Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: St James Quarter / Facebook
    37. W Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: St James Quarter / Facebook
  • 38. Raffles London at The OWO, UK. Photo: Raffles
    38. Raffles London at The OWO, UK. Photo: Raffles
The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Healthy tips to remember

Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:

Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast

Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits

Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day

Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet

The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008

Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900

Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km

JAPAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayvn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Flinos%2C%20Ahmed%20Ismail%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efinancial%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2044%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseries%20B%20in%20the%20second%20half%20of%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHilbert%20Capital%2C%20Red%20Acre%20Ventures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Asia%20Cup%202022
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAsia%20Cup%20final%3A%20Sri%20Lanka%20v%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhen%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESunday%2C%20September%2011%2C%20from%206pm%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhere%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EDubai%20International%20Stadium%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHow%20to%20watch%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ECatch%20the%20live%20action%20on%20Starzplay%20across%20Mena%20region.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

Updated: May 01, 2022, 1:07 PM