• New Sharjah restaurant Spice Grill has hired over 17 staff, all of whom were made redundant elsewhere in 2020 due to the pandemic. Leslie Pableo for The National
    New Sharjah restaurant Spice Grill has hired over 17 staff, all of whom were made redundant elsewhere in 2020 due to the pandemic. Leslie Pableo for The National
  • Cristine Caringal-Melad and Lourds Adalia-Evertse, owners of Spice Grill, made a conscious decision to prioritise those who needed work over those who were looking for a career move. Leslie Pableo for The National
    Cristine Caringal-Melad and Lourds Adalia-Evertse, owners of Spice Grill, made a conscious decision to prioritise those who needed work over those who were looking for a career move. Leslie Pableo for The National
  • Spice Grill follows the 'boodle fight' style of eating which eschews cutlery in favour of eating with hands. Courtesy Spice Grill
    Spice Grill follows the 'boodle fight' style of eating which eschews cutlery in favour of eating with hands. Courtesy Spice Grill
  • Cheesy mussels. Courtesy Spice Grill
    Cheesy mussels. Courtesy Spice Grill
  • It also serves meat. Seen here is the surf n turf platter. Courtesy Spice Grill
    It also serves meat. Seen here is the surf n turf platter. Courtesy Spice Grill
  • The restaurant is located at Al Majaz waterfront in Sharjah. Leslie Pableo for The National
    The restaurant is located at Al Majaz waterfront in Sharjah. Leslie Pableo for The National
  • The interiors of the restaurant were designed to feel like home. Leslie Pableo for The National
    The interiors of the restaurant were designed to feel like home. Leslie Pableo for The National
  • The restaurant can seat up to 300 with indoor and outdoor seating options, and has water views. Leslie Pableo for The National
    The restaurant can seat up to 300 with indoor and outdoor seating options, and has water views. Leslie Pableo for The National

Sharjah restaurant Spice Grill hires only staff made redundant by Covid-19: 'We wanted to make a difference'


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

2020 has been a tough year for the food and beverage industry. But while there have been difficult moments, with beloved restaurants shutting shop, it's also been the year that the UAE food community has really banded together – be it through "support local" hashtags or the launch of commission-free digital delivery platforms.

Meanwhile, one new Sharjah restaurant has found an ingenious way to help. Spice Grill, which is set to launch at Al Majaz Waterfront complex on Saturday, October 24, has only hired staff who have been made redundant over the year due to Covid-19. This includes everyone from waiters to chefs.

Filipina restaurateurs Cristine Caringal-Melad, 35, and Lourds Adalia-Evertse, 34, made the decision while they were hiring in July and August.

“We’ve all been affected by the pandemic in one way or another. For us, it was setting up a business which was constantly pushed back,” says Adalia-Evertse.

“We were wondering how we could make a difference in our community, add value to the economy. The food and beverage industry, in particular, was hard hit and we were interviewing many candidates who had lost their jobs and were slowly losing hope. After hearing their stories, we decided that we wanted to make a difference. We made the conscious decision to prioritise those candidates that really needed help with employment rather than those who are looking to make a career progression,” she says.

The stories are emotional indeed. Adalia-Evertse lists a former hotel staff member who had experience as a cook in his home country, but had taken a job in another sector in the UAE to pay the bills. When he was let go from that line of work, he had lost hope of finding his way back to the restaurant business before he chanced upon the position with Spice Grill.

Cristine Caringal-Melad (right) and Lourds Adalia-Evertse, owners of Spice Grill. Leslie Pableo for The National
Cristine Caringal-Melad (right) and Lourds Adalia-Evertse, owners of Spice Grill. Leslie Pableo for The National

Another staff member with 12 years of hotel experience had been unemployed since March and had no choice but to leave the country. She was hired by the restaurant after a round of interviews. While in her training process, she got an offer from a big hotel which she declined. “She wanted to stay with us because we took her in when she needed help,” Adalia-Evertse explains.

“When hiring, we had this principle that the person had to be passionate about the work they do and have good character. It wasn’t just about skills – after all, skills can be learnt from experience as you go along. But we are really happy since we managed to find incredible skilled people with a great attitude. These are people who have stood strong throughout this pandemic and we will surely stand by them,” adds Caringal-Melad.

The restaurant, located at Al Majaz Waterfront, features plenty of pops of colour. Leslie Pableo for The National
The restaurant, located at Al Majaz Waterfront, features plenty of pops of colour. Leslie Pableo for The National

The restaurant has currently hired 17 such candidates with another six on a short list. If things were to get busy at Spice Grill, which can seat 300 with indoor and outdoor seating, then they plan on hiring more staff.

With the cooler months coming and its outdoor seating area offering scenic water views, there is definitely scope for some busy evenings. The duo says it took them almost eight months to find the right location. "We finally decided on Al Majaz Waterfront because what could be better than eating fresh seafood while facing the water?" says Adalia-Evertse.

“We’ve made a lot of careful decisions when it comes to choosing the interiors,” adds Caringal-Melad. “It’s colourful, but with a lot of wooden elements. A high ceiling, lots of space. We want it to feel like home.”

Feeling like home is important since its food is all about the boodle fight concept – the Filipino culinary experience that does away with knives and forks, and encourages people to grab gloves and eat with their hands instead.

“It’s a Filipino terminology with origins from the military wherein food was laid out on the table and soldiers had to 'fight' to eat. But it has been since developed into a family concept. Now, it’s about sharing, connecting and communicating with your family and loved ones over a meal,” explains Adalia-Evertse.

Guests can dine on fresh seafood and meat with water views. Courtesy of Spice Grill
Guests can dine on fresh seafood and meat with water views. Courtesy of Spice Grill

The menu is short but simple. Fresh seafood, marinated in signature sauces developed by Caringal-Melad and the chefs, filled with spice (hence the name) and served with rice. Unlike most boodle fight concepts, it also serves meat. Guests can expect dishes such as the cheesy mussels, seafest in Cajun sauce and the surf n turf platter.

All this made and served by a team that feels like family, says Adalia-Evertse. “We feel the camaraderie and like to see them all working together as a team. It’s all about out core values. When the people in your team are happy, so are the customers.”

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times

If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.

A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.

The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.

In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.

The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.

Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.

Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.

“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.

The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.

“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.

“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”

Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A

Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)

Nancy Ajram

(In2Musica)

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

The biog

Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children

She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career

She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence

Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken

Company%20profile
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)

Saturday

Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)

Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)

Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)

Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)

Sunday

Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)

SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20(2022)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Profile of Whizkey

Date founded: 04 November 2017

Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani

Based: Dubai, UAE

Number of employees: 10

Sector: AI, software

Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million  

Funding stage: Series A

Results

Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent

Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent

Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent

Wonka
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Paul%20King%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ETimothee%20Chalamet%2C%20Olivia%20Colman%2C%20Hugh%20Grant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Section 375

Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat

Director: Ajay Bahl

Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL

Rating: 3.5/5