Urban Bistro is inviting you to hijack its kitchen. Based in Dubai Media City, the restaurant launched the concept in October, where a member of the public takes over to create a one-night-only, unique dining experience.
The host is required to come up with all aspects for the evening – from the theme and decor to the food and service – which is perfect for people who are passionate about food and, maybe, hope to have their own restaurant in the future. Previous hosts have all been local personalities, but anyone is eligible – as long as they have a clear vision for the night and are confident they can bring in enough guests.
Omar Kadrie, director of Skelmore Group, the company behind Urban Bistro, says: “I thought it would be really interesting to give people who want to host a big dinner party a place to do this. We have the restaurant and we have a kitchen team. It helps them experience what it’s like to run a restaurant: cooking for many people, the challenges. What people think it’s like and what it’s actually like are often very different.”
Once the host has decided on the theme, they sit down with the Urban Bistro team to discuss the idea. Kadrie says: “They let us know what their vision is. Whether it’s based on grandma’s recipes, a type of cooking style or something they’ve achieved, each dinner has a slightly different story.”
Urban Bistro staff execute every element of the plan, which allows the host to relax and enjoy the event. The host comes up with a menu and often supplies recipes for the chefs. Once the chefs know what they’re cooking, they do a practice run and invite the host in for a tasting to approve it or make changes.
Anna Roberts, a radio personality from Dubai Eye, was the first Hijack Our Kitchen host. The theme she chose was a Kiwi-style family Sunday roast dinner.
“It was brilliant,” says Roberts. “From my initial ideas to the execution of the dessert on the night – New Zealand’s hokey pokey ice cream – my thoughts were supported by the team and I was able to creatively go wild.”
Roberts says she’s not keen on opening her own restaurant but she’s always loved entertaining with food.
“Food and mealtime was always a central part of growing up in the Roberts household, with mum and dad insisting on eating together as a family and sharing stories,” says Roberts. “The art of entertaining and inviting friends and family to share food and conversation was instilled in me from a young age. It was great to do that on a bigger scale.”
Anyone can buy a ticket to attend a Hijack dinner, which usually serves between 45 and 65 people. A portion of the proceeds are donated to a charity of the host’s choosing.
“It’s a good social night in Dubai in a relaxed environment,” says Kadrie. “It’s been overwhelmingly positive feedback. It’s a way for us to connect with the community.”
sjohnson@thenational.ae
