Dubai Restaurants Adapt to Alcohol-Free Menus: Chefs Embrace Creative Alternatives

Dubai Municipality issued a reaffirmation of the law existing since 2010, banning the use of alcohol in food preparation. This has made restaurants review their Alcohol-free menus item, especially those with alcohol-infused flavors. Many chefs welcome this as a good opportunity to be innovative in one of the world’s most dynamic culinary scenes, Dubai.

It was a little bit of a challenge, but achievable,” Eid said. Ramzy Eid, sous chef at CARO Steakhouse, said his team ran into some challenges adjusting the recipes-things like their classic sauces-which normally are built with wine. But the use of no-alcohol alternatives allowed them to keep the same flavor profiles in place.

Other chefs have looked for creative ways around the problem. Hussein Hadla, Brand General Manager for Asil Restaurant, said to use high-acid ingredients like apple cider vinegar and yuzu to simulate the body that alcohol affords. According to Aniket Chatterjee, Chef de Cuisine at Atrangi, “this ban gives me the opportunity to familiarize myself with techniques like fermentation and homemade tinctures and add layers to dishes in a completely new way.”.

What the customers feel is that it is not a big deal. According to Eid, quality ingredients would still be used, and customers would never feel much of a difference. “The approach is still about delivering quality food,” he stressed. Hadla shares the same view as she said that alcohol was never really an ingredient but an enhancer; its absence is unlikely to affect customer satisfaction.

Industry players predict that in the future, this would be the chance to make Dubai stand out in the world of international dining. To do so, it would have to adhere to alcohol-free menus-a good opportunity for Dubai to satisfy demand for health-conscious yet culturally diverse diners to enter a new niche in culinary tourism.