Hoteliers in the UAE are intent on delivering "quality over quantity" as Covid-19 safety restrictions mean grand iftar meals will give way to more intimate affairs.
Iftar and suhoor buffets served in elaborate tents, so often a staple of Ramadan prior to the pandemic, were cancelled by authorities for a second year in an effort to prevent large gatherings.
Before Ramadan, a-la-carte dishes had already replaced the lavish breakfast spreads and brunches.
One of Dubai’s leading hotel groups is putting the emphasis on table service rather than opulent feasts.
“The health and hygiene requirements for Covid-19 mean we can’t offer the huge buffet type service we used to,” said Adam Tracey, executive chef for Radisson Blu, Dubai Waterfront and Dubai Canal View.
“There is an acceptance among people this is the way it’s going to be this year but it just means the onus is on hotels to provide quality over quantity.
“There are still traditions we have to observe like making sure the food prepared for iftar is plentiful but the emphasis is definitely on a la carte this year.”
A raft of restrictions was announced by authorities in the UAE last month, ahead of Ramadan, to help reduce the risks posed by the virus.
In previous years it was not uncommon for hotels to set up tents to accommodate those who wanted to have iftar or suhoor.
However, Dubai’s Islamic authority announced Ramadan tents were not permitted in the emirate this year in an attempt to prevent large gatherings.
Officials in Abu Dhabi also announced Ramadan tents would not be permitted.
Mr Tracey said the restrictions could help tackle the amount of food waste and predicted properties would consider adopting the new practices permanently.
“I would say the future will be something of a halfway house,” he said.
“Some restaurants will no doubt want to go back to the way it was two years ago before the pandemic.
“But others will take a step back and see the value there is from having an a la carte offering instead of a buffet.
“What you get at the start of a buffet can be very different than what is on offer a few hours later in terms of quality.”
The issue of food waste has often been a thorn in the side of the hospitality sector and environmentalists in the UAE.
It is estimated that just under 40 per cent of the food prepared in the UAE is wasted, with that figure jumping to 60 per cent during Ramadan, according to Dubai Carbon.
The UAE discards food worth close to Dh13 billion each year, with the country estimated to generate between 1.9kg and 2.5kg of waste per person each day.
Another hotel chain going down the a la carte route this Ramadan is Hilton.
“We are putting the emphasis on personalised service during the holy month, with many of our restaurants serving food a la carte at the table, as well as offering assisted buffets,” said Christian Gradnitzer, Hilton's senior director of food and beverage development, openings and operations.
Ramadan in the UAE:
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People visit the Ramadan Reflection room at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The room is filled with hanging lamps and mirrors. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Men attend Friday prayers during the second Friday of Ramadan in Dubai. EPA -
Ramadan decoration at The Dubai Mall in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
A Sri Lankan community group distributes 300 meals to workers at the Fakhruddin Camp in Sonapur, Dubai, with the help of Al Watani volunteers and the CDA. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Masjid Rawda Al Abrar is seen with the Burj Khalifa in the distance just before sunset in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National. -
The cannon firing in front of Qasr Al Hosn, in Abu Dhabi, marks the end of day's fasting. Victor Besa/The National -
Customers buy delicacies hours before breaking their Ramadan fast in Dubai. Getty Images -
An abra driver prepares an Iftar meal, in Dubai. Getty Images -
Ramadan decorations at Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
A minaret stands among the skyscrapers in Barsha Heights, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Flowers outside a mosque in Jumeirah, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
The crescent moon appears above the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque at Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Visitors look at a display of Ramadan lanterns in the main lobby of Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Ramadan decorations at Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
Nancy Safy, an artist in Dubai and founder of To Infinity & Beyond, a business known for hand-painted art, gives a demonstration during iftar at Marriott Hotel Al Jaddaf. Pawan Singh / The National -
Men pray at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai during Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty -
People visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah on the second day of Ramadan, the month of fasting. AFP -
A man prays at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as Muslims across the world observe Ramadan. Getty -
A view of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, on the first evening of Ramadan. Victor Besa / The National -
A view of the Omar Ali bin Haider Mosque in Deira, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
The interior of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah. AFP -
Worshippers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai as the faithful mark Ramadan, a month-long celebration of self-purification and restraint. Getty -
A worshipper at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Getty Images -
Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah is lit up on the second day of Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ramadan decorations on City Walk in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Ramadan cannon at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah signals the end of fasting. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Masjid Bani Hashim in Dubai after sunrise on the third day of Ramadan. The mosque was built as a replica of Palestine’s Dome of the Rock. Victor Besa / The National
