Interview: Founder Rainer Becker on why Zuma is so popular

"DNA".

Additionally, when we have new senior members of the team joining, they partake in extensive training for a minimum of six months, spending time in various roles, travelling to different restaurants, in order to learn the business from the ground up and, most importantly, absorb the culture of the business.

 

 

Zuma signature sashimi

 

CT: Historically, Zuma doesn't profile its chefs, focusing instead on the brand. What is the strategy behind that?
RB: Zuma is about the experience we give our guests and ensuring that experience is consistent whether they are dining in Dubai or London. The delivery of that is down to the team as a whole, not an individual.

 

CT: Congratulations on your recent rankings: number two in MENA's 50 Best Restaurants and number 17 in the World's 50 Best Bars 2022. Is winning awards an integral part of Zuma's Middle East strategy?
RB: Our main goal is to constantly strive to be better than yesterday, challenge our own standards, be innovative, and continue to bring new experiences to our guests. This ethos has been at the core of every decision we've made within the restaurant, and when that brings in awards, then we are delighted and grateful; however, our guest experience remains our priority.

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CT: After launching in Dubai, Zuma's sister brand Roka opened in Saudi Arabia in March last year. Why Riyadh?
RB: It was a strategic opportunity for us to expand our presence in the wider GCC region, and the kingdom was definitely high up on our priority markets list. Roka's brand ethos is quite young and creative, so we saw it as a perfect opportunity to launch in Riyadh as it enters a massive boom, experiencing an exciting phase for hospitality.

 

CT: And, finally, are there plans to open more Zuma restaurants?
RB: I'm proud of the organic growth and success that the business has achieved throughout the last 20 years.

 

In addition to our 12 permanent restaurants and five seasonal locations operating globally, we have three new openings this summer: Mykonos, the first-of-its-kind lifestyle destination set to be a blueprint for the next 20 years of Zuma; Ibiza, a limited-time pop-up for summer 2022, and Porto Cervo in Sardinia, Italy, in the heart of the Promenade du Port in Costa Smeralda.