CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE OF ‘MADE IN THE UAE’
For freshness, reduced environmental impact and supporting local economies, nothing works better than consuming locally produced foods. Calling himself a ‘big advocate of sourcing locally’, Saradhi Dakara, executive chef at The Maine Oyster Bar & Grill, Dubai, was one of the first chefs in the region to introduce Dibba Bay oysters from Fujairah on their menu.
‘The dream of any chef is to visit markets early in the morning and select their own produce,’ he says. ‘By sourcing locally, you get to develop relationships with farmers and producers, and reconnect guests with where their food comes from.’
Although the percentage of local produce used in his restaurant is only 10 per cent, ‘we are constantly working on improving this number,’ says Chef Saradhi.
With growing consumer awareness of the sustainability of the food they are eating, ‘there is a trend towards eating locally grown food as is evident from the increasing numbers of farmers’ markets that are popping up,’ he says.
‘We source our produce primarily from Ripe Market in Dubai, and Emirates Bio Farm and Junior in Al Ain,’ he adds. ‘I’ve recently started buying Candy tomatoes from Pure Harvest and lettuce and watercress from Badia farms.’
SUSTAINABLE DATE PRODUCTION
With an array of exciting new date-based products, The Date Room, launched in November 2018, is an Emirati luxury dates brand championing the cause of local dates production. It was when founder Ahmed Mohammed Bin Salem noticed that the majority of dates sold in stores across the UAE were imported that he set about developing this homegrown brand, says Tony Al Saiegh, executive director, The Date Room.
‘The UAE is blessed with quality dates that rival those from any other region,’ he says, ‘and our venture supports local farms in Al Ain where about 40 different kinds of dates are grown. The most popular varieties are: Bumaan, Fard, Khadrawi, Kholas, Lulu and Razaiz.’
The Date Room is also committed to bettering the environment, he adds, ‘and we are making farming sustainable through reducing waste and using natural fertilisers.’