"This is scary. I don't know what's about to happen tomorrow," says Mohamad Orfali, one-third of the trio behind Dubai's Orfali Bros Bistro, moments after topping the Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Mohamad, alongside his brothers Wassim and Omar, received the accolade to thunderous applause at the ceremony, which took place at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
Although the restaurant, which is known for its fusion cooking, had already gained traction after being ranked sixth on the inaugural list, rising to the top this year still seemed to fluster the trio.
"So many restaurants lost their businesses, their teams, because of the pandemic. Our aim was just to protect ourselves and keep going," Mohamad, the eldest of the three, says.
"Even from last year, we never thought that we would be included in a World's 50 Best list," he adds.
He revealed his immediate thoughts were: "Do we deserve this?"
"We are a small concept, a bistro, with marble tables, you know, very casual dining."
The Jumeirah restaurant, which describes itself as a "neighbourhood eatery", beat a host of fine-dining venues in Dubai, including Michelin-starred spots Ossiano at Atlantis, The Palm, which came fourth, and Tresind Studio, which came second.
"When they announced us and Tresind Studio as the top two, I wished for them to be first, because they just deserve it," says Mohamad, with a quaint humility and a joyous sigh.
'We are a family'
Mohamad believes it's the team that makes them stand out from the rest. "They are my colleagues, my friends, my family and we always believe in everyone."
The familial bond does not end with the three brothers, it extends to other staff members, he says. They ensure a "happiness culture" that translates to the service as well as the food, he says.
"Our food is very emotional," Mohamad says while explaining "nafas", an Arabic term referring to an energy that some chefs and home cooks utilise to try and make their meals exceptional. He says it alludes to their passionate relationship with food and cooking.
"We put nafas in our food, and the customers return the energy to us," he adds. "You feel it. Maybe it's the music, the service, or just the food, I don't know."
The award impact
Although Mohamad says they "don't work for awards", he recognises their benefits to the business.
"After our recognition last year, we started seeing different clients from different places, real food lovers, who would travel all the way from Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico to the US and the UK and across the Middle East," he says.
"We started seeing more sophisticated guests. We were hosting chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, which honestly made our lives even more challenging," he adds with a chuckle. "When these people visit, I always feel like I'm in an episode of Masterchef or Top Chef."
This has allowed them to further reflect on their cuisine, which has been described as "fusion" or "borderless". For Mohamad, Orafali Bros Bistro is a representation of the community.
"We make the food that we love to eat." He says their criteria for food is simple: "Ingredients, then taste, taste and taste."
He's adamant that this year's feat will not change any of the core values of the Orfali brothers, be it their focus on flavours or their nafas-infused service. "We will keep the same the spirit, the same soul."
Scroll through the gallery below to see all of the restaurants on the Mena's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 list
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
