The case in favour of meals on wheels

Mobile food vendors are being hampered by strict laws, to the detriment of those who dine alfresco

Ghaf Kitchen has restored a 1962 Citroen as a food truck but Dubai laws prevent it from selling food from it.

Street food – whether it is a gourmet treats created by skilled chefs operating out of roadside vans or something as humble as a hot dog sold for the equivalent of a few dirhams from a cart – is a familiar sight for most of the UAE’s expatriate population. Many of those must wonder why this country, which is well known for adopting the best aspects of other cultures, has no similar tradition.

As The National reported yesterday, that is beginning to change. However the introduction of two high-quality mobile food operators in Dubai has also served to illustrate the regulatory hurdles that have hindered the development of this part of the food industry.

Nathen Furlong, owner of ice cream van company Desert Chill, explained that the law in Dubai prevents someone from simply setting up on the side of the road and selling food. As a six-year veteran of the mobile food scene in the UAE, he said he still finds his market under threat from situations like the one that developed last month, when property developer Emaar banned vendors from operating in its gated communities, such as The Springs and The Meadows.

The new entrants into the food market, Salt hamburgers and party catering company Ghaf Kitchen, note that the demand is there for high-quality street food but not the regulatory path for it to prosper.

The authorities such as Dubai Municipality are right to maintain oversight of the food industry for reasons that include ensuring hygiene standards are maintained and to prevent traffic problems caused by roadside food vendors. But in a country with a climate like the UAE’s, where eating outside is a pleasure for most of the year, there ought to be an allowance made to let this kind of food industry develop.

As expatriates and well-travelled Emiratis can attest, other countries have been able to strike a balance where street food has been able to prosper while still maintaining proper oversight. Now that temperatures are moderating in the UAE, the appeal of spontaneously going to a beach or park and being able to eat well is obvious.