Our authentic and contemporary Italian cuisine makes us a ‘Dolce Vita’ venue

Roberto’s recently celebrated its ten year anniversary. How does the brand maintain a strong legacy and reputation?
Ten years of continuous and successful business in Dubai is an achievement that deserves celebration. I am a people-focused person, and I can say that the restaurant is where it is today, it is because of the people that work there. Our brand ambassador and co-founder, Mustafa Turgul, is a legend in the industry, he is one of the few true hospitality experts in the city. We have many colleagues in the venue that have been here since day one and continue to deliver the same service with passion and big smiles on their faces. Our commitment to delivering excellent service and a great atmosphere to our guests is what makes the brand strong and successful. The continuous improvement of the offering in the venue allows us to be always up to date with the market needs.

Roberto’s offers authentic Italian fine dining experience? Tell us about its growth, scale and revenue.
One of the most important ideologies for us is to not compromise on the product and people. This is especially important during these times when the increase in the prices of goods and the luck in finding the right-skilled people might push operators to cut costs and hire the right staff. We are working hard to make sure we do not change our culinary philosophy and to continue to invest in our people. We were one of the first lifestyle venues to open in DIFC, and we have had consistent and organic growth over the past 10 years. We had some downturn as well but we were able to recover and come back stronger than ever. The venue is continuously evolving, understanding the needs in the market and adapting to change without jeopardizing our DNA.

A new branch has recently opened in Jordan. Tell us more about it?
We are thrilled to begin our international expansion with The Ritz-Carlton Amman, the venue provides a truly multifaceted lifestyle experience accented by the incredible views of the city. The familiar yet impeccable service and genuine Italian cuisine make us the ‘Dolce Vita’ venue. This is the first step of our initial expansion in GCC with Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia openings within the next six months and afterwards, in the next two years, we will venture to Asia and other territories globally.

You comments on the trends and market size of the region’s highly competitive F&B industry?
I see competition growing especially in Dubai, and the new opening of high-end establishments is impressive. Some of the new restaurants offer great products and the service they offer is impeccable. My only concern is that many of these venues are missing the point of being a restaurant and just becoming a ‘business’. Hospitality is not only a profitable venture, but we should also welcome people to our venues and offer them genuine service with the intent of creating a memorable experience. We focus on delivering this promise every day and we see the majority of our guests coming back, becoming ambassadors of our brand.