Chef Bobby Kapoor and his family. Courtesy Bobby Kapoor
Chef Bobby Kapoor and his family. Courtesy Bobby Kapoor
Chef Bobby Kapoor and his family. Courtesy Bobby Kapoor
Chef Bobby Kapoor and his family. Courtesy Bobby Kapoor

Chef Bobby Kapoor's mission to feed 60,000 during Ramadan


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Bobby Kapoor isn't one for blowing his own trumpet but, during Ramadan each year, you'd be hard-pressed to find a harder working businessman. He's a chef, author, father and consultant, who has been a leading light in the catering industry for the past three decades. And his steadfast conviction that corporate social responsibility should be a cornerstone for all successful companies has resulted in tens of thousands of hungry people being offered nourishment and sustenance when they need it the most.

By the time Ramadan draws to an end this year, approximately 60,000 labourers will have had a hot meal, drink and dessert because of Classic Catering, Kapoor's business in Dubai. He doesn't want or expect praise – he'd much rather that was directed at the dozens of people who help out in the kitchen or with logistics.

“We started doing this in 2015,” Kapoor recalls, “and 1,500 people turned up at our chosen location to receive food [at iftar]. In 2016, we handed out meals to 17,000 people, and last year it was more than 30,000. So this year, I set my sights on 50,000, but it will have worked out more like 60,000 by the time we’ve finished,” he tells me.

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Read more:

Government explains rules for volunteering in Ramadan 

A month of giving: six UAE charity campaigns running during Ramadan

Ramadan volunteers bring food and good mood to Dubai construction site

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Kapoor explains that each meal costs Dh10, and is paid for by companies intent on doing their bit for good causes during the holy month. "Each day we're doing something different, but the meal packs always include something cold – like water, dates, a nutritious juice or laban. There is always a meat and rice dish, but the desserts change constantly – it is the part of the meal that always appeals to Muslims and Indian people. For the quantities we're preparing, by far the simplest and safest meat is chicken, and we cook everything together, so the packaging process is kept as streamlined as possible. The way everything works, means we're able to feed 2,000 people a day, but I'm constantly looking for ways to do more."

Bobby Kapoor and his family work alongside a team of volunteers to provide thousands of labourers with iftar meals every day during Ramadan. Courtesy Vahid Fotuhi
Bobby Kapoor and his family work alongside a team of volunteers to provide thousands of labourers with iftar meals every day during Ramadan. Courtesy Vahid Fotuhi

He says that working closely with the authorities allows teams to set up their distribution points with minimum disruption. Much of the activity takes place in Dubai Investment Park and various labour camps, with recipients often nominated by the companies that fund the meals.

Driven by a sense of gratitude, Kapoor says the experience can be overwhelming for him and the army of volunteers who join in, and come from across the region and beyond. "Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait – even the United States and Great Britain – people from so many places have been wanting to get involved; goodness just seems to come from everywhere," Kapoor reveals.

He says this selfless spirit of giving is manifested by big corporations, too. “A lady at Hertz [car rental] asked me just a few days ago about how we were transporting the meals to the serving areas and labour camps,” he recalls. “I explained that we have three or four vehicles, but that we were struggling to meet the demand with them. So the next thing I know, she’s offering the use of another vehicle, free of charge, which has been an enormous help for us to meet our targets.”

A team of volunteers help provide thousands of labourers with iftar meals during Ramadan. Courtesy Mohammed Bin Rashid University
A team of volunteers help provide thousands of labourers with iftar meals during Ramadan. Courtesy Mohammed Bin Rashid University

Kapoor himself is an Indian Hindu, and despite naysayers claiming he'd never make it as a chef due to him being left-handed, he went on to become a highly qualified catering expert. He lived and worked in the United Kingdom for many years, relocating to Dubai in 2010, where he founded his own businesses – he owns and runs Cartalyst Food Solutions, as well as Classic Catering, which supplies retail-ready food and meals to many of the region's most popular outlets.

Those samosas, sandwiches, salad dishes, pastries and other tasty treats offered at hypermarket deli counters around the country? There’s a high chance they’ve been made, prepared and delivered by Kapoor’s extensive team.

Students from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University hand out iftar meals. Courtesy Mohammed Bin Rashid University
Students from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University hand out iftar meals. Courtesy Mohammed Bin Rashid University

Cartalyst is a consultancy business, turned to by companies when they need help in streamlining operations, maximising profits, minimising losses, and overturning established methods and thinking. Kapoor counts big brands such as Tim Hortons, KFC, Subway, Lulu, Bakemart and many others as clients, but it's the Ramadan meals programme that evidently gets him most animated.

“I’m not Muslim,” he says, “but during Ramadan I often fast, out of respect for the people in the teams who are helping. It’s not easy working and standing in the heat, having prepared up to 600kg of meat a day, and nearly 400kg of rice, knowing that you won’t be able to have any until much later in the day. I usually don’t get a chance to eat until after 8pm, and you have to remember that it isn’t all over once these people have had their meals – we have to get back to base with all the equipment and make sure it’s cleaned and ready for the following day.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)

Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)

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Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)

Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)

Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Australia 2nd; Bahrain 3rd; China 4th; Azerbaijan 1st; Spain 1st; Monaco 3rd; Canada 5th; France 1st; Austria DNF; Britain 2nd; Germany 1st; Hungary 1st; Belgium 2nd; Italy 1st; Singapore 1st; Russia 1st; Japan 1st; United States 3rd; Mexico 4th

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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5

Kandahar%20
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ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance

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Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile Box

Company/date started: 2015

Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif

Based: Manama, Bahrain

Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation

Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads

Stage: 1 ($100,000)

Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

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Kalra's feat
  • Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
  • Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
  • Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
  • Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction