Interview: Ida Garphagen on bringing SushiSamba to Dubai

Making its Dubai debut in November 2021, SushiSamba occupies pride of place on the 51st floor of the Palm Jumeirah's St Regis hotel. A draw with tourists and residents alike, the restaurant offers unobstructed, 360-degree panoramic views of the Palm Jumeirah coastline and the city's iconic skyline.

With two locations in London, one in Las Vegas and an upcoming outpost in Doha, SushiSamba has brought its signature blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian culture and cuisine to guests across the globe."Hey, we are here for you, we see you and we care for you". We have approximately 220 staff members now, and the recruitment process will never stop. There will always be movement, but the reason why a staff member leaves is the most important thing to find out.

Sushi and sashimi selection

CT: What strategies do you plan on implementing in order to increase footfall and revenue?
IG: We are always working on ways to maximise the capacity of the restaurant, for example, by being creative with the layout. In the near future there will be many restaurants opening on the Palm, which will increase the footfall overall. Our main focus is to maintain what we have established, we have been blessed with being busy since the moment we opened our doors. However, we won't ever take that for granted, we will value our repeated customers more than ever and always stay humble.

CT: The brand is successful in other markets, particularly London, how do you plan on replicating that in Dubai?
IG: The SushiSamba brand has been in the market since 1999. It was founded in the United States, a decade later it expanded into Europe and the UK, and now the brand is expanding in the Middle East. We really admire what SushiSamba has achieved in London, and we ensure that the brand DNA is well respected and reflected in the Dubai Venue.

Moqueca

CT: How is the regional hospitality sector currently performing?
IG: In Dubai we're currently in the low season. Due to the hot summer, most residents are travelling and there are few tourists around. Aside from that, I believe the restaurant scene is strong and growing; consumers are spoilt for choice and there is a lot of competition. Still, confidence is slowly being restored with the knowledge that anything can happen at any time.

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CT: Do you have any developments in the pipeline?
IG: There is never a dull day in SushiSamba; we are always planning the next step and the step after that. As far as Sunset Hospitality goes we have plenty of openings to look forward to this year and in the years ahead.

For more information, visit www.sushisamba.com