Abu Dhabi became home to a “super-kitchen” this month. What used to be the Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel and is now Erth has unveiled a 9,000-square-metre catering facility with 150 chefs from 25 countries and a capacity to produce up to 100,000 meals per day.
Emirati hospitality and heritage lies at the heart of this state-of-the-art “central processing unit”, says Alain Verhoeven, Erth Catering’s facility director.
“We are inspired by the UAE’s traditions surrounding food, which is reflected in our recipes. With our chefs' respect for culinary legacy, an understanding of the history and skills behind each dish, and access to the finest ingredients, we can produce high-quality food in various styles and flavours.”
Fusion menu
The tasting menu of appetisers, desserts and other small bites The National sampled features fusion foods drawing inspiration from Emirati, Indian, Japanese and European cuisines.
From the local mushroom duxelle and black garlic cream, to the intriguing prawn luqaimat with a seaweed fried onion garnish, to desserts such as mini key lime pies, date and Arabic coffee panna cotta, and coconut sago with Arabic cotton candy, Erth’s recipes playfully assert a unique style, mixing tradition and creativity. Each dish is complemented by uniquely Emirati flavours, whether through a pairing of cardamom and chocolate in a trifle, or dates and cream in a tiramisu.
The software provides the recipes to staff in the different kitchen areas, and outlines the actions needed as per a schedule, with the cut ingredients used at the required time
Alain Verhoeven,
facility director, Erth Catering
Foodies can sample these and more through Erth Catering’s services or at the resort’s restaurants. The brand will also have a presence at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
State-of-the-art kitchen
A peek inside the CPU – the hourly output of which is 2,400 portions of chicken, 3,000 portions of rice, and 3,900 portions each of beef and fish – reveals a suitably expansive kitchen. Made up of separate sections for cutting, cooking and packaging meals, the facility is held together by software with a database of more than 17,000 recipes, and that streamlines the production process, from acquiring raw ingredients to delivery.
“The Enterprise Resource Planning software calculates the time each item spends in the commissary [cleaning, sanitising, cutting] area,” explains Verhoeven. “Next, the system provides all the necessary recipes to staff in the different kitchen areas, and outlines the actions needed throughout the cold and hot sections as per a schedule, with the cut ingredients used at the required time. All cut ingredients will become cooked dishes.
“Finally, the system brings all the different dishes together in the packaging area to be dispatched via our logistics platform and delivered on time.” It is, Erth says, “the pinnacle of professional modern cooking science”.
Sheikha Al Kaabi, chief executive, Erth Abu Dhabi, says: “Catering is about understanding emotions and requirements, and tailoring our offerings to provide bespoke experiences … the quality and reliability of our services and the spirit of innovation remain a constant endeavour of our development.”
Currently open to diners are the outlets Beetza and Al Rimal, a Neapolitan pizzeria and an Emirati restaurant. Completion of the resort’s facilities and additional dining options is slated for 2022, leaving plenty of time to work up an appetite.
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Racecard
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
9.30pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Race card
4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m
5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections:
4pm Zabardast
4.35pm Ibn Malik
5.10pm Space Blues
5.45pm Kimbear
6.20pm Barney Roy
6.55pm Matterhorn
7.30pm Defoe
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
DUBAI CARNIVAL RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Dubai Future, Harry Bentley (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Dubai Love, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Equilateral, James Doyle, Charles Hills.
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
Winner Laser Show, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Glorious Journey, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
