“A Day in the Life” allows you to step into the shoes of a UAE resident to experience a typical 24 hours in their work and home life
Emirati chef Sultan Kayed doesn’t just know his way around Dubai’s kitchens – he’s grown up in them.
The owner of burger joint Goat opened his first pizza restaurant, Lit Pizzeria, in Dubai’s Al Khawaneej this month, after more than a decade of flexing his culinary muscles around the city.
After graduating from the International Centre of Culinary Arts in Dubai, Mr Kayed honed his craft in local restaurants, picking up recipes and cooking tips from seasoned professionals.
He went on to master the art of pizza-making during a stint in Italy, melding lobster and beef short rib variations with Italian classics for his inventive menu at Lit.
Today, as well as being a restaurateur, Mr Kayed, 26, is also a food blogger, offering local tips and recommendations.
Here, The National joins him on a typical day spinning pizzas, sampling burgers and rooting out the city’s most tantalising hidden gems.
9am: The morning grind
After answering emails and messages from staff and suppliers, Mr Kayed heads straight to Goat’s central kitchen to oversee production.
“We grind the meat and make all the sauce from scratch so I like to make sure everything is running smoothly,” says Mr Kayed.
“I like to be connected to every detail from ordering and quality checks to meeting with suppliers and tasting samples.”
For Mr Kayed, the kitchen is where he feels most at home, having spent much of his childhood pestering his mother in one.
“When I was a child, I loved to help with the family meals and I always wanted to travel the world and try different cuisines,” he says.
“I was obsessed with cooking shows like Fatafeat [made in the UAE, which celebrates Middle Eastern food] and Gordon Ramsey’s shows and I used to try to recreate their dishes for my friends when we were young.”
Noon: The undercover boss
One of Mr Kayed’s favourite duties is sampling the food in his three restaurants – often without prior announcement.
“I like to show up when they least expect me to taste the food and check that the kitchen is clean,” he says.
“Sometimes I’ll even arrive before opening or come straight from the airport to catch the staff off guard. I probably eat around 10 burgers and three pizzas a week.”
Mr Kayed also enlists the help of his friends to keep restaurant standards high.
“I often ask my friends to stop by and try a particular burger or pizza so I can get their feedback,” he says.
“One time during Covid, half of the staff were off, as they had tested positive, so I invited my friends to work in front of house and the kitchen, it was crazy.
“They were all dressed up in Goat uniforms taking orders and flipping burgers. Service was a little slower that day, but it was amazing to have all my friends pull together.”
7pm: Uncovering hidden gems
Once he’s finished scoping out his kitchens, Mr Kayed samples the menu of other chefs across Dubai, posting his findings on his Instagram page.
“Usually, I’ve had more than enough pizza and burgers for one day so I’ll go for sushi or some sort of Asian dish,” he says.
“I get a lot of my inspiration from other cuisines, and I’ve travelled around the world learning different techniques. Asian and European chefs are always really interested to learn about Emirati flavours, too.”
When opting for Emirati cuisine himself, Mr Kayed looks for Arabian hospitality and a traditional setting, often venturing to the Northern Emirates for an authentic experience.
“Kumo Cafe in Ras Al Khaimah does great tea and egg sandwiches. Al Sayadeem is amazing for Emirati food. I love every mouthful,” he says.
“In Dubai, I love the breakfast at Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi District. It’s amazing.”
10pm: Karak chai and Premier League football
Evenings are spent enjoying a karak chai in a cafe or majlis, though the peace can be disturbed by the tensions of a Premier League football match.
“I support Chelsea and relaxing in front of the match is where I am happiest,” he says. “Then I might have a walk around the park and think about new menu ideas.
“We recently brought out a pink burger at Goat for October [for Pinktober, the breast cancer awareness month] and we have an emoji menu at the moment, so I like to stay creative,” he says.
“I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities and this time in the next six to 12 months I hope to have another two restaurants. That’s the next challenge I’m setting myself.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Usain Bolt's World Championships record
2007 Osaka
200m Silver
4x100m relay Silver
2009 Berlin
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2011 Daegu
100m Disqualified in final for false start
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2013 Moscow
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2015 Beijing
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
HAJJAN
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Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
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- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
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