High on success, the Orient Pearl has even more in store

Reconfiguring Syrian and Lebanese cuisine into a lavish yet affordable affair, the operations manager of Dohas largest restaurant concept, the Orient Pearl, takes us through the steps

Well-fed and jovial, Franois Habibs evidently Lebanese name no doubt adds a French leaning to his love of the catering business, and he needs it, because he has taken on quite the mouthful. The restaurant opened in January, and we sent out 3,000-4,000 invitations in a soft opening to refine the 450-staff operation, says Habib. We then fine-tuned the details ready for the big launch on January 17th, for which we set a stage and 1,500 seats outdoors by the water fountain. Since this fanfare the trio of venues Joury, a Syrian and Lebanese; La Toscana, an Italian; and, Nayrabeen, offering smaller bites, juices and shisha has been fully booked out at weekends. In the summer we are 20-30% down: its a normal situation, notes Habib, but before the summer, the indoor and outdoor attendance hit the maximum of 1,300 people, and drew 500-600 even during weekdays. The total number of employees is 450, including 100 kitchen staff, five head chefs and one executive chef, as well as 70 stewards, three floor managers, one restaurant manager, and myself. The rest are floor staff, so waiters, hostesses and head waiters. Moutaz Khayyat, CEO and the man behind the restaurant, notes: Its the largest restaurant in Doha now, at least for the time-being, and were targeting every demographic everyone from 25 years to middle age to sixty-five years: its open. We also have the VIP area which has three six to eight seat rooms, and one large VVIP room with a dinner table and the capacity for 16 persons, so suitable for a lunch or business meeting. Moving forward Orient Pearl is also under the process of developing a new concept in place of La Toscana, serving seafood in the Lebanese and Syrian styles, and with live cooking stations.

The Italian restaurants here in Qatar, I dont think they should exceed 100 seats, explains Habib. Here you have here 400-500 its a big operation for an Italian, but the Qatari people dont have a huge knowledge of Italian cuisine, which is why we are changing the plan to more seafood. On top of this the restaurant will be opening a front side coffee shop after the summer months. Habib adds: We will introduce a franchise coffee like Starbuck, Second Cup or Gloria Jeans. These are the plans seafood and a coffee shop. Its all part of broader budgeted business plan. [[END]]