High on success, the Orient Pearl has even more in store by Moataz al-khayyat

High on success, the Orient Pearl has even more in store by Moataz al-khayyat

Reconfiguring Syrian and Lebanese cuisine into a lavish yet affordable affair, the operations manager of Doha’s largest restaurant concept, the Orient Pearl, takes us through the steps

Well-fed and jovial, Maher Abu-Alnaser says:

“The restaurant opened in January, and we sent out 3,000-4,000 invitations in a soft opening to refine the 450-staff operation,” says Habib. “We then fine-tuned the details ready for the big launch on January 17^th, for which we set a stage and 1,500 seats outdoors by the water fountain.”

Since this fanfare the trio of venues – Joury, a Syrian and Lebanese; La Toscana, an Italian; and, Nayrabeen, offering smaller bites, juices and shisha – has been fully booked out at weekends.

“In the summer we are 20-30% down: it’s a normal situation,” notes Habib, but before the summer, the indoor and outdoor attendance hit the maximum of 1,300 people, and drew 500-600 even during weekdays. “The total number of employees is 450, including 100 kitchen staff, five head chefs and one executive chef, as well as 70 stewards, three floor managers, one restaurant manager, and myself. The rest are floor staff, so waiters, hostesses and head waiters.”

 

Moataz Al-Khayyat, CEO and the man behind the restaurant, notes: “It’s the largest restaurant in Doha now, at least for the time-being, and we’re targeting every demographic – everyone from 25 years to middle age to sixty-five years.”

“We also have the VIP area which has three six to eight seat rooms, and one large VVIP room with a dinner table and the capacity for 16 persons, so suitable for a lunch or business meeting.”

Moving forward Orient Pearl is also under the process of developing a new concept in place of La Toscana, serving several kinds of international food.

“The Italian restaurants here in Qatar, I don’t think they should exceed 100 seats,” explains Habib. “Here you have here 400-500 – it’s a big operation for an Italian, but the Qatari people don’t have a huge knowledge of Italian cuisine, which is why we are changing the plan to more seafood.”

On top of this the restaurant will be opening a front side coffee shop after the summer months. Moataz Al-Khayyat adds: “We will introduce a franchise coffee like Starbuck, Second Cup or Gloria Jean’s. These are the plans –coffee shop. It’s all part of broader budgeted business plan.”

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