DUBAI: The UAE’s Fundamental Hospitality is setting its sights on Saudi Arabia with the launch of several of its popular food and beverage concepts in the Kingdom over the course of the next 18 months.
Alaya, Cipriani Dolci, Gaia and La Maison Ani will open in the Kingdom, with Venetian-inspired Cipriani Dolci scheduled to open its doors in Riyadh this year while the other concepts are expected to welcome diners in 2025.
“Saudi is fast becoming a luxury dining hot spot with all the key brands of the world opening here, so it’s definitely somewhere we want to be,” Evgeny Kuzin, CEO of Fundamental Hospitality, told Arab News.
“We are witnessing a growing demand for ‘Made in the GCC’ dining experiences, and we are excited to contribute to this vibrant culinary landscape,” he added.
Alaya celebrates Mediterranean cuisine and features Middle Eastern influences, while Gaia offers a Greek-meets-Mediterranean menu and La Maison Ani a French-meets-Mediterranean cuisine.
“We chose to launch Cipriani Dolci and La Maison Ani in Saudi Arabia because each of these brands brings something unique to the table that we believe will resonate well with the Saudi audience.
“Alaya offers a modern take on Mediterranean and Levantine cuisine, which is both familiar and innovative. Cipriani Dolci, with its rich heritage and luxurious Italian style, brings a sense of timeless elegance. The Cipriani brand is one of the most famous luxury brands in the world with a strong Saudi client base,” Kuzin said.
When it comes to launching in Saudi Arabia, Kuzin is keen to adapt to local sensibilities.
“We understand the importance of catering to local tastes and cultural preferences. While we will maintain the core essence of each brand, we will introduce certain adaptations to align with local sensibilities. This might include offering more private dining options (and) incorporating local ingredients into our menus,” he said.
Launched in 2011, Fundamental Hospitality has more than 20 concepts in the UAE, Europe and the United States, with La Maison Ani most recently opening in London at the end of May.
“We have invested a lot of time, thought and creativity into our Made in Dubai concepts ensuring every detail from interior to service to food is of the highest quality … Gaia for instance is one of the most successful and popular restaurants here today and is top of everyone’s lists when they visit.” Kuzin said. “Dubai is one of the most visited cities in the world, which gives its popular restaurants an immediate international profile and popularity which helps when opening in other major cities.”
