Tuesday, Jun 14, 2016

Dubai: The sumptuous spread of iftar buffets at Dubai’s five-star hotels are not just savoured by the emirate’s elite. Workers and the needy living in the bylanes of Al Quoz and Al Muhaisnah are also relishing the taste of multi-cuisine gourmet meals.

As part of the Heafz Al Na’amah (which suggests ‘preserving the bounty that God gave’) initiative of Dubai Municipality, surplus food from hotels is collected and chanelled into iftar redistribution for the needy by approved charity groups.

Dubai Municipality’s Senior Food Health Inspection Officer Meitha Thani Al Merri enabled Gulf News to have a first-hand experience of the iftar redistribution drive.

How it works

It was past 6pm on Thursday. The Al Multaqua Ballroom in Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) was readying to welcome visitors for the day’s iftar and dinner.

Dining tables spread across the ballroom’s 1,000 square metres were all dressed and waiting. The hall has a capacity for 420 but on that day, it was booked for only 350 guests.

Chafing dishes and warming trays held a sumptuous buffet of Arabian, Indian and Mediterranean dishes and platters of dates, fruits, and tall containers of juices provided additional relish.

The host of the day, Dr. K.P. Hussain, chairman of Fathima Healthcare Group, and his family, welcomed guests who filled the ballroom by 7pm as well as the four members of the Royati Family Society, a charity group that would help in the iftar food redistribution.

Following the ending of the fast, Dr Hussain informed his guests about the iftar food redistribution drive and urged them to do their part in making the initiative a success.

The repacking

Post-dinner, Ravi Arul, hygiene and food safety manager at DWTC, invited Gulf News to the kitchens. The Royati team was already present, hair nets and gloves in place and the Gulf News team of reporter, photographer and videographer were also asked to wear the hair nets before entering the kitchen.

Arul explained the two types of food that are usually left over in the kitchens. “One is the food that is not taken for the buffet. It is not touched. It is completely packed and stored in hot holding cabinets as it is coming from the kitchen. The second lot [of food] comes from the buffet, which is also not touched. Whatever is in good condition, we repack.”

It is a standard practice of the hospitality industry to prepare 10 per cent extra food for buffets, said Arul. “Today, we had around 50 guests less than expected. So, that much of food is also leftover,” Arul said.

“It is safe to donate both these foods,” he said. “We only send out the hot holding food. It is kept constantly at high temperatures to prevent bacterial growth. We don’t donate cold food items because they are high-risk.” Salads and cold desserts, therefore, do not form a part of the food redistribution.

The DWTC chefs, assisted by the Royati team repack the food in aluminium containers — mutton biryani, mixed grill, Iranian rice, chicken and spinach cannelloni, vegetable kadai, umm ali and hot mezze — to be loaded into Royati’s vans.

The charity’s staff said they had been trained by the municipality in personal hygiene practices and safe handling of food. “They wash their hands the moment they come in. They wear hair nets and gloves,” said Arul.

“Once [the food] is packed, it goes to the warmers so it stays hot until it is picked up by [charity workers] and moved to the distribution van. The hot chain is continuously maintained till we hand over the food,” Arul explained. To prove his point, he plunges a thermometer into a hot platter of mutton biryani and it registers 60 degrees Celsius and above.

A disclaimer is signed by Royati team’s leader Ramzan Gulam Fareed that among other things, the DWTC is not responsible for any food poisoning complaints caused by items given as charity.

“Once it is handed over to them, it is their responsibility to ensure that the temperature is controlled and the food is given in good condition,” said Arul.

Setting off to workers’ camp

Gulf News followed Fareed and team to Al Quoz Industrial Area, a few lanes behind Oasis Centre, near a labour accommodation. As the van rolled in, many heads turned in its direction.

As news of the food distribution van’s arrival made the rounds, a steady stream of workers emerged from the accommodation and lined up calmly. One by one, they received the aluminium containers. In five minutes, the redistribution was complete.

“Each aluminium packet holds food [sufficient] for two to three people,” said Fareed. “Today’s distribution has covered around 150 people,” he said.

Saleh Mohammad, a plumber from Pakistan, who collected a food packet, said thousands of workers live in the labour accommodation complexes in the area.

“We don’t know from where the food is coming or how they are bringing it. But it is a good thing that people here have the good heart to send food for poor people like us.”

This Ramadan, three other charities such as Royati have partnered with Dubai Municipality and the hospitality sector to make sure thousands of people like Mohammad are fed with surplus food from iftar events.

“We get a great sense of satisfaction from this food donation,” said Fareed. “We feel happy to see the happy faces of workers [when they receive the food]. Instead of wasting food, it is great that we can feed the needy.”

by Sajila Saseendran Senior Reporter

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.