Hisham Abou Khodor, operations manager of The Guild Dubai, shares his vision, the importance of innovation and how to create memorable dining experiences.
What is the vision behind bringing The Guild to Dubai’s culinary landscape?
I’ve been in Dubai for the past 11 years, working exclusively in F&B. In a city like Dubai, with its mix of cultures, it is essential to train our team and help them understand this diversity. This training ensures we not only meet guest expectations throughout their visit but also exceed them. As I always say, the ultimate goal for us here at The Guild is to maintain consistency in our product and service.
Throughout my career, I have always highlighted the importance of consistency. In the current saturated F&B landscape in Dubai, excelling at the basics and fundamentals of the business is crucial. This includes tasks from answering the phone to greeting and seating guests, as well as engaging emotionally when taking orders and until their departure. Many people tend to neglect the importance of the guest’s departure experience. It is really important to offer to validate their parking or organize a taxi ride for them when they are leaving. I believe these small interactions make you stand out against your competitors. Therefore, this sets us apart in Dubai’s vibrant culinary landscape.
What unique aspects of The Guild do you believe resonate with the residents of Dubai and international visitors?
I believe The Guild’s ability to offer diverse experiences under one roof sets us apart. We stand out among our competitors by incorporating several aspects of a business into a single venue. For example, we start with the Nurseries, where guests can come for an afternoon aperitivo. Toward the end of the night, the Nurseries transforms into a nightlife setting with up-tempo music. This makes it ideal for either a pre-dinner or post-dinner experience.
Then, we move into the Rockpool. This is an experience in itself, as it’s rare to dine next to a Rockpool and a lobster aquarium. The lobster aquarium reflects the freshness of our seafood, which arrives daily.
Additionally, our main dining room, The Salon, is truly magical. Indeed, I was inspired from the very first time I visited as a guest. Being able to have your dinner while watching the chefs meticulously preparing their dishes is unique. For me, this defines the uniqueness of The Guild.
I always emphasize that for guests celebrating any occasion — be it a birthday, anniversary or business dinner — we want to leave a positive impression, ensuring they always remember the uniqueness and passion presented at The Guild.
What are the biggest challenges you face with managing The Guild in Dubai?
The F&B industry in Dubai is continuously evolving, with many new restaurants opening daily. Hundreds open each season, presenting ongoing challenges that demand constant vigilance and adaptation.
When I started working in Dubai back in 2013, a businessman having dinner with his colleagues told me: “Hisham, one piece of advice; in Dubai, you snooze, you lose.” This advice has never been more relevant. Keeping the team motivated and fostering collaboration across all departments is critical. Therefore, it’s important for me to continuously create coherence, synergy and harmony between the departments. We have over 100 people working under one venue, under one roof. It’s essential to maintain good collaboration between all departments for the benefit of the guests.
We are committed to navigating these challenges by staying proactive and responsive to the ever-changing market dynamics.
Are there any upcoming plans or developments at The Guild that you can share with us?
Oh definitely! In any establishment in Dubai’s F&B industry, there will always be ongoing plans and developments. At The Guild, we’re fortunate to have experienced characters and visionaries from all over the world. The vision of our shareholders and owners is to keep evolving and developing. For instance, our culinary team is currently developing new dishes to adapt to the seasonal changes. Meanwhile, our beverage team engages in ongoing workshops to refine our offerings.
Additionally, we’re excited about unique collaborations with our suppliers to bring exclusive workshops and experiences to our guests. These collaborations are a great way to give back to both our regular and new guests. Moreover, we’re working on developing a nightlife scene in the venue, which is the most anticipated element here. We’re all very excited about it and truly believe it will enhance our guests’ experience. So, I advise everyone to stay tuned!
