By Muna Al Sumaiti, Consulting Editor- Lifestyle, Travel, Fashion & Beauty, EmiratesReporter.com
Dubai, UAE- As Dubai moves into the cooler months, the city begins to change rhythm. Terraces return to life, evenings become longer, and residents start looking beyond air-conditioned spaces for food, entertainment and experiences that feel worth leaving home for.
Behind many of those experiences are people whose work is rarely as simple as it appears. For Chef Benoit Dutreige, Group Pastry Chef, creating a dessert is not simply about producing something beautiful for the table. It is about understanding what people remember after the last bite.
His career has taken him through kitchens in Paris, Lyon, New York, London, the French Riviera and now Dubai, giving him an international perspective while keeping the discipline and precision of French pastry at the centre of his work.
Speaking to EmiratesReporter.com, Dutreige reflected on a profession that has evolved considerably during his career. Today’s pastry chef is expected to balance creativity with consistency, understand different audiences and, increasingly, create desserts that have their own identity.
That philosophy can sometimes be seen most clearly in something relatively simple. One of the creations associated with his work, the Gelato Pistacchio at Gigi Rigolatto, became particularly popular, with around 40,000 portions served — a reminder that guests do not necessarily remember the most complicated creation. Sometimes, they remember the one they simply want to order again.
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For Dutreige, working in Dubai also means creating for one of the world’s most diverse dining audiences. A single restaurant can welcome guests from the UAE, Europe, Asia and elsewhere on the same evening, making the city an interesting testing ground for chefs.
And that diversity is increasingly reflected across Dubai’s wider dining scene.
A Little Paris in Dubai
French-inspired experiences are appearing across the city this season, but not only through what is served on the plate.
At Le Piaf, French Night brings together dinner, music and a distinctly Parisian atmosphere, while Chez Wam’s “A Night in Paris” takes a similarly social approach to dining.
It reflects a wider change in the way Dubai residents choose where to spend an evening. Food remains important, but atmosphere, music and the people around the table increasingly form part of the decision.
There is also a contrasting movement towards ingredients grown closer to home.
At Eugène Eugène, a six-dish UAE Farm-to-Table menu puts locally sourced produce at the centre of the experience. In a city known for importing flavours and culinary talent from around the world, the growing attention given to UAE produce adds another interesting dimension to Dubai’s food story.
It also shows that the city’s dining identity does not have to choose between international influence and local sourcing. Increasingly, the two can exist together.
When Dinner Is Only the Beginning
The seasonal shift is not limited to restaurants.
Comedy is also becoming part of Dubai’s lifestyle calendar. Pepperoni Comedy Club marks its first anniversary with a larger show at the Dubai Opera Main Auditorium on October 17, featuring French comedian Redouane Bougheraba, alongside Kris Fade, Nino Arial, Abz Ali and Noha Bashir.
Moving comedy into one of the city’s major cultural venues says something about Dubai’s changing entertainment landscape. Residents now have an increasingly broad choice for an evening out — from restaurants and concerts to theatre, comedy and cultural events.
That variety becomes particularly noticeable as the weather improves.
After months when much of life happens indoors, October traditionally brings a different energy to Dubai. People linger over dinner, meet friends later in the evening and begin rediscovering the city rather than simply moving from one air-conditioned space to another.
Perhaps this is what makes the coming season interesting.
It is not one new restaurant, one chef or one event defining Dubai’s lifestyle scene. It is the combination of people, food, music, comedy and culture — and the ability to experience several different sides of the city in a single weekend.
For chefs such as Benoit Dutreige, the challenge is to keep creating something people will remember in a city where there is always something new competing for their attention.
And for the rest of us, the cooler weather provides a good excuse to step outside again and see what Dubai has been preparing while we were indoors.
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ABOUT MUNA AL SUMAITI: With more than 14 years of experience in the UAE media industry, Our Consulting Editor, Muna Al Sumaiti, has worked closely with some of the country’s most recognized media brands, including Dubai TV, Sama Dubai, Dubai One, Al Bayan, Emarat Al Youm, Dubai Radio, Noor Dubai, Emirates 24/7, and Dubai Post. Her extensive background in media, marketing, partnerships, audience engagement, and brand development has made her a respected name in the industry. She is also the Founder of RSV Communications, a UAE-based consultancy specializing in strategic communications, reputation management, and brand growth.
