Jun 01 2009 |
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Opening of Qatar's first signature Bice Restaurante positions The Pearl-Qatar as top dining destination
The Pearl-Qatar to open 200 top-tier F&B eateries by 2010
Doha, Qatar - 01 June 2009: The first Bice Restaurante in the country opened last week at The Pearl-Qatar .
The world-renown Italian bistro group is only the first in a series of first-class restaurants that will be opening on the Island, marking the beginning of a vast array of fine dining opportunities for the new Pearl-Qatar residents to soon be enjoying - and all just a few steps from their front doors.
Featuring authentic Italian cuisine, Bice at The Pearl-Qatar is part of the legendary Bice Group which was established in 1926 when its founder Beatrice "Bice" Ruggeri opened her first trattoria in Milan.
Today, Madame Beatrice's son, Roberto Ruggeri, is already well on his way to extending Bice's vision and unique passion for food across the world, having established Bice as one of the most recognised global brands in Italian cuisine.
"It was the unique location at The Pearl-Qatar ," said Mr Ruggeri, CEO and Founder of BICE international, "that took my breath away. I have never seen anything like it!"
The restaurant is located on the first parcel of Porto Arabia, with a broad terrace that provides stunning marina and island views, and an architectural setting inspired by Tuscan, Moroccan, Italianate and Andalusian designs which, when taken together, create the wonderfully appealing ambiance of the Italian Riviera right here in Doha.
And, what's more, beginning on June 1st, special performers will be entertaining on the boardwalk each evening, to make life for the lucky residents of The Pearl-Qatar a fun experience, as well as a luxurious one. On the same day, valet parking will also be introduced for residents.
Mr. Walid Maalouf, the General Manager of Hospitality Development Company (the hospitality arm of United Development Company, the owner/ developer of The Pearl-Qatar], said "We at The Pearl-Qatar are absolutely delighted by the fact that legendary Bice Restaurante is the first international standard eatery to open here at The Pearl-Qatar .
"This opening marks just the beginning of a series of nearly 200 of the world most outstanding Food & Beverage restaurants," he added, "that will open on this amazing island here in Qatar."
Among the marvelous new restaurants opening along the curving 2.5 km waterfront promenade and the 700-berth marina, will include Burj el Hamam (serving Lebanese cuisine), and Pampano (offering the finest of modern Mexican cuisine, in partnership with Placido Domingo and noted chef Richard Sandoval). Also soon to arrive at The Pearl-Qatar will be Allison Nelson's Chocolate Bar New York City (a trendy chocolate bar-cum-coffee shop); Liza (a trendy, modern Lebanese cuisine); Tse Yang (an elegant restaurant and lounge bar offering top of the line Chinese cuisine); MEGU (a high-end Manhattan-meets the Ginza Japanese lifestyle restaurant) as well as La Tabkha (a cozy Lebanese restaurant offering the best of home-style comfort foods).
Mr. Basel Shammout, Chief Operating Officer of Consult Overseas, BICE partners and hospitality management company, said: " The Pearl-Qatar and Bice complement each other perfectly. They bring together the intimacy, privacy and exclusivity of The Pearl-Qatar , plus the unique Italian hospitality and cuisine that only Bice can offer."
To celebrate and unveil the spectacular view of Doha's skyline from the restaurant's patio, Bice at The Pearl-Qatar held a VIP party for some 200 special guests, where they were able to sample some of the superb introductory meals prepared by chef Rivetti.
-Ends-
About The Pearl-Qatar
UDC's flagship project, and one of the largest urban developments in Qatar,
The Pearl-Qatar
is achieving international recognition as the Middle East's most prestigious and glamorous location, renowned for excellence in design and construction. With an area of 4 million square metres and a 32 km coastline, this reclaimed island has been developed with funds in excess of QR 50 billion (US$14 billion). It is at once a residential destination and luxury resort, shaped by the vision to create an asset and a way of life with lasting quality and value: a jewel at the heart of the Gulf.
The first development in Qatar to offer freehold and residential rights to the international community, The Pearl-Qatar continues to attract unprecedented interest from buyers and investors in more than 52 countries. On completion in 2012, it will accommodate more than 41,000 residents in approximately 15,000 dwellings divided between 10 distinctive precincts. In and around them, exquisitely landscaped parks, state-of-the-art marinas and pristine beaches vie with a captivating world of upscale shopping, dining and leisure opportunities to bring each unique neighbourhood to vibrant life.
The Pearl-Qatar is implementing the most advanced urban technologies to maintain the highest quality of life across its array of secluded villa retreats, world-class hotels and brilliantly designed shops and apartments in its bustling metropolitan hubs. Ground breaking central cooling and waste disposal systems provide an environment that is perfected for human comfort while reducing The Pearl-Qatar 's wider ecological impact to a sustainable minimum. Designed with the future in mind, the island's IT infrastructure not only offers complete connectivity, but a host of home automation capabilities to enhance convenience and security for all residents.
As UDC's flagship project, The Pearl-Qatar has been a catalyst for an array of unique business development opportunities, and many of UDC's recent partnerships and enterprises have grown out of a desire to ensure that The Pearl-Qatar 's world class standards are maintained throughout the Island.
At the end of 2008, the first phase of The Pearl-Qatar 's development at Porto Arabia was completed, marked by a visit from their highnesses Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, their excellencies the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Municipal Affairs, along with presidents, prime ministers and dignitaries from all over the world. Already a must-see attraction for international visitors, interest in acquiring property on The Pearl-Qatar continues to exceed all expectations: in every respect the hallmark of a world-class development, a jewel recognised for its consummate imagination and flawless reality.
About United Development Company
United Development Company (UDC) was established with the vision to become an international benchmark for project delivery and value creation, and the first choice partner for private sector joint ventures in Qatar, the Gulf Region and beyond. To deliver against this vision, UDC continues to identify, create and operate a diverse portfolio of substantial businesses that contribute to the growth of Qatar and provide lasting shareholder value.
Founded in 1999, UDC has been listed on the Doha Securities Market since June 2003. It is one of Qatar's leading public shareholding companies, with an authorized share capital of QR 1.0725 billion (US $294 million), a market capitalization of US $1.039 million and total assets of US $2.034 billion at 31st December 2008.
Since its launch, UDC has continued to grow from a core of detailed project research into active investment and operations. The Company targets a growing range of sectors for development, including hydrocarbons and energy, infrastructure and utilities, maritime and environmental related businesses, urban development, property management, information technology, hospitality and leisure, fashion and marketing services.
Having entered a joint venture with Qatar Fertilizer Company and a number of local partners in the Gulf Formaldehyde Company, a key hydrocarbon business, UDC went on to initiate a flagship project with global impact in April 2003: the development of The Pearl-Qatar . This is a 100% owned multi-billion dollar urban development project that by 2012 will provide upscale housing for more than 41,000 people on a meticulously designed, award winning 4 million square metre reclaimed island. It is the first urban development in the State of Qatar to allow international freehold ownership.
With characteristic foresight, UDC has established further joint ventures in district cooling (Qatar Cool, with the UAE's Tabreed); dredging, reclamation and marine logistics (MEDCO, with the State of Qatar and Belgium's Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering NV); and concrete production (United Ready-Mix, with BESIX / Six Construct of Belgium). While some of these businesses fulfil an important role serving the needs of The Pearl-Qatar , they were founded in the context of UDC's wider strategic goals. Through their own merits and the profound local knowledge and experience of the UDC Board, these companies are profiting from the widespread opportunities for their skills in Qatar and throughout the Middle East and North Africa. In a further strategic alliance, in 2004 UDC partnered (with Qatar Petroleum) in SEEF Ltd., a petrochemical joint venture for the production of linear alkyl benzene, a detergent precursor.
With these companies, UDC has shown an ability to attract and partner with the highest quality of international talent, bringing outside expertise to bear on significant developments in Qatar and beyond. It has also demonstrated a successful model for synergistic growth, creating businesses that can leverage off one another to generate additional revenue streams in new markets. As a result, UDC has established enterprises in marina development and management (Ronáutica Middle East, with Spain's Ronáutica SA); hospitality (the fully-owned Hospitality Development Company); fashion and retail (the fully-owned United Fashion Company); property management (fully-owned Medina Centrale and Abraj Quartier, and, with UAE's ASTECO, ASTECO Qatar); marketing services (the fully-owned SCOOP); information technology (the fully-owned PRAGMATECH); and a comprehensive urban facilities management company, including a cashless payment and security card system, are presently in development.
UDC's established track record in investment, joint venture and enterprise creation forms a solid foundation for future growth and diversification. The ability to research and identify opportunities both locally and internationally is central to the Company's strategic expansion. The Chairman and Board of Directors, who are among Qatar's most successful investors and businessmen, actively facilitate this process. Widely respected in commercial, governmental and diplomatic circles, they are able to align interests at a high level to ensure that UDC projects can be efficiently resourced and promptly initiated. To run its enterprises, UDC attracts and retains the services of a growing team of talented managers, who, with their staff, contribute the expertise and diligence that generate ongoing operational success.
To maintain integrity across the breadth of its business interests, UDC applies a set of consistent strategic values. Each subsidiary or partnership applies industry best practice to deliver the best quality results; it deploys innovative products and processes to maximise the benefits of technology; it practises transparent good governance, and actively promotes an environmental and social profile that offers tangible benefits to the community; and it creates sustainable competitive advantage, expressed in successful financial performance.
For more information about
The Pearl-Qatar
:
Hala Nasreddine
Corporate Communications Manager
T (+974) 40 98 535
F (+974) 40 98 537
Email: hala.nasreddine@udcqatar.com
Mira El-Baphe
Senior Public & Media Relations Officer
T (+974) 40 98 540
M (+974) 5970 433
Email: mira@udcqatar.com
© Press Release 2009
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