Monday, Nov 07, 2011
Dubai Ryan Hattingh likes his steak medium rare and he is hoping there are plenty of people out there with similar tastes. If that does prove the case, it will be a job well done as the first Gaucho restaurant opened at the Dubai International Financial Centre yesterday.
Hattingh heads the international operations at the chain, which specialises in South American cuisine, especially Argentine steaks. A privately-owned business that came into being in Holland in the late 1970s, Gaucho cut its teeth in the UK market and now believes the time is opportune to acquire a more global exposure.
But why hone in on the Middle East when the brand is unrepresented in prime European markets? “The brand is very niche and we don’t do the massive rollouts — we do one or two a year,” said Hattingh.
Mature market
“In the UK, we are covered with 12 locations, but Europe is quite a mature market and a much tougher environment. As for the US, they don’t allow imports of Argentine beef — which is what we use exclusively — because the cattle are vaccinated.
“For us, the Middle East expansion is more of a tangential expansion and it was four years ago that we decided to get in.” The first outlet opened in Lebanon last November, and now Dubai joins the network, with both locations owned by Gaucho UK.
“DIFC is a free zone and the environment has a lot of ties with the City of London where our brand has a recognisable face,” said Hattingh. “Yes, there were a couple of other locations we did look at, but if you look at the better restaurants in DIFC, they are doing good business.
Quality
“People make them a destination because of the quality. DIFC at the moment is one of the most happening places and has almost got a City of London feel to it. If you deliver on the promise of what people expect, you stand a good chance.”
By Manoj Nair?Associate Editor
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
