When Scott Price first moved to the UAE in 2010, he didn't expect to still be here a decade later. The chef had been working for Gordon Ramsay in London for about six years when he was offered the chance to relaunch Verre by Gordon Ramsay, located at the Hilton Dubai Creek.
"I came [to Dubai] for a few days to take a look and really enjoyed it. I'd always wanted to work abroad and it was a good opportunity. I never thought it would last this long," he tells The National.
Fast-forward 11 years and Price has made a notable dent in the UAE's food scene. His first venture with friend and fellow chef Nick Alvis, Table 9, was widely acclaimed, followed by the launch of folly by Nick & Scott in 2017, at a time when home-grown fine-dining restaurants were something of a scarcity. Most recently, the duo have expanded with the opening of folly Workshop at Time Out Market Dubai.
It is career highlights such as these that make Price's departure from the UAE a bittersweet experience. On Monday, the chef announced he will be moving back to the UK, leaving Alvis to spearhead folly and folly Workshop.
Price is still “trying to wrap his head around” the move, he says. “At the moment I’m still in denial,” he says with a laugh. “It’s going to be strange getting on a plane and not coming back. The hardest part is saying goodbye to the team and restaurant.”
What's next for Scott Price?
But, the chef believes it’s the right next step for his family. Price will be moving to the Scottish countryside, where he and his wife are planning their next venture: Moorside Farmhouse, a self-contained bed and breakfast with bespoke dining experiences.
“It’s a couple of miles from where I grew up,” he says. “There’s going to be a lot of work to do, from farming to rearing animals, but I’m looking forward to it. We’re going to offer a luxury and bespoke guesthouse experience, one wherein I can cook for guests if they wish, look after them as if they were in the restaurant. We want to redefine the bed-and-breakfast concept.”
He says the idea stemmed from a desire to spend more time with his young children, aged 3 and 1, and be closer to family in the UK.
“Especially with Covid-19 and not being able to fly, you realise how important it is to live near family when you have young children.”
But he’s not ready to say goodbye to Dubai just yet. Price and his wife are also in the process of setting up consultancy company Centre Stage Hospitality, which aims to help people in the UAE launch their own brand.
“Nick and I have been given good opportunities in Dubai. We have gathered a lot of experience and I’d like to now support other young talent that have an idea but don’t know how to get to that end-stage or pitch to an investor,” he says.
“I’ve always enjoyed bringing out the best in people and birthing new careers.”
On the evolving food and beverage landscape
Dubai may very well be the best place for launching such a career. Price moved to the UAE aged 28, overseeing different restaurants at the Hilton Dubai Creek. When there was an opening, he brought in Alvis, who he had previously met in 2005 when they were both working for Ramsay.
When their contracts ended, the pair decided to team up and launch Table 9, their first joint concept.
“I’d worked with more than 1,000 chefs throughout my career, but for some reason, Nick and I just got on very well,” Price recalls. “We’re big mates. You can’t run a business together unless you have a good relationship – it’s simply not going to work.”
Even so, starting a new venture together was scary. “The first night Table 9 was open, I remember standing at the restaurant thinking ‘what have we done'?” Price says. “But it really kicked off. It was amazing – it wasn’t about marketing or branding either, just two guys wanting to run a restaurant and cook good food.”
Is that the secret to running a successful restaurant in Dubai?
“You need to be honest about what you’re doing,” says Price. “It’s all about fundamentals. People want good food, value for money, to be looked after, a consistent product. There are a lot of places that are all smoke and mirrors and they don’t always work.”
These are some of the lessons they brought with them when they launched folly, a fine-dining venue with Burj Al Arab views and a creative menu (think crispy hen’s egg with pancetta and maple syrup, and lamb saddle with whipped pine nuts and salsa).
The restaurant has won a string of accolades since opening, which Price says was a sign that the UAE was ready for more home-grown venues.
“At the time, there weren’t a lot of home-grown, fine-dining concepts and a lot of investors were nervous. But in a year, we had more customers than the Gordon Ramsay restaurant we worked at," he says.
"It’s amazing to see how much the market has matured, and the demand for local restaurants. People are realising that it is an experience you can’t find anywhere else in the world – as opposed to a concept that’s imported from the UK or US.”
Despite 2020 being a hard year for the industry, Price believes the UAE is on the right trajectory.
“The market is only getting bigger. The future is looking good,” he says.
For those thinking of setting up their own business, Price's advice is to “go for it".
"I’m the kind of person who would rather know than have regrets about something not happening.
“Dubai is very supportive. People are realising that it’s up to you, what you do in this city. If you have an idea, you can make it happen.”
