James Soo Yong Kim, CEO of White Hospitality, is set to redefine the F&B industry in Abu Dhabi this year with the launch of six brand-new concepts that offer immersive dining experiences.
White Hospitality’s ambitious 2023 strategy includes the launch of five flagship fine-dining outlets — Dangereux (Mamsha, Saadiyat), White Izakaya (Yas Mall), White Smoke Steakhouse (Al Seef Walk), Day and Nite (Al Seef Walk) and Provador (Reem Island) — each of which offers diners a unique experience centered on the love of food and the joy of sharing, and inspired by Soo Yong Kim’s passion for international flavors.
Soo Yong Kim commented: “We dreamed of being able to replicate in Abu Dhabi our favorite restaurants from New York, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul and Austin, Texas. We want to serve guests food that we harvested from Abu Dhabi’s soil, with the ambition to bring the pulse of a true food capital into the heart of Abu Dhabi.”
Joining White Hospitality as co-chef of Les Dangereux is Michelin star chef Llorenc Sagarra, who is set to bring his expertise to the soon-to-launch concept alongside Soo Yong Kim.
With partner Mohamed Juma Al Bawardi of Al Bawardi Enterprises / EMDAD, Soo Yong Kim is on a mission to forge a new standard in the GCC food and beverage industry by fusing commerce and sustainability. With the establishment of White Farms — a 52-greenhouse organic farm in Al Ain — White Hospitality is adding the true farm-to-table capability to its dining concepts.
There are obvious benefits to attaching an entire farm to a hospitality group’s catalog of restaurants, but Soo Yong Kim and Juma Al Bawardi’s focus goes beyond anything to do with cost savings or practicality.
“Our goal is to raise awareness of the tremendous benefit of serving locally sourced, morning-harvested fruit to be served that evening. By doing this, we hope to start the necessary journey toward sustainability, which will be the primary emphasis of White Hospitality starting in 2024,” said Soo Yong Kim.
Soo Yong Kim plans to harness his diverse F&B experience and knowledge of fine dining to elevate Abu Dhabi’s culinary scene by creating a more sustainable and immersive experience that shuns the rituals of fine dining and concentrates purely on the sensory stimulation of gastronomy.
misterrocketman
