Tom Aikens will open his new restaurant, Pots, Pans and Boards, in Dubai on Wednesday, 9 September, 2015.
The restaurant will aim to recreate the atmosphere of traditional and joyful family meals, with British cuisine directly served in a pot, pan or on a board, straight to the table.
The Staff Canteen spoke to Tom about his plans: “I’ve been working on Pots, Pans and Boards for probably a year and a half now. It’s very much a family restaurant and the point of it is to offer very casual, relaxed dining.
“I wanted to come up with a name that incorporated cooking, my own experiences and made reference to the food we are serving as well.”
The menu will be a mixture of casual English, Mediterranean and French dishes, with a home-style offering of sharing starter and main course dishes, all-day breakfasts, soups, salads and much more. Dishes on the menu include: Jasmine cured salmon, ratatouille with a basil infused yoghurt and a burger made with four cuts of different beef. The desert menu features sticky toffee pudding, spiced pineapple carpaccio and a selection of different fruit tarts, amongst others.
Speaking of his menu, Tom said: “There’s lots of sharing dishes and also meats and steaks. It’s a comprehensive menu but I think that there is something on there for everyone.
“Because it’s a non-alcoholic license, there’s lots of flavours through juices and cocktails that we will put on the menu as well.”
As successful designers for some of Tom’s previous ventures, Michaelis Boyd Associates were drafted in to help recreate the warm, relaxed and informal dining style that Pots, Pans and Boards aims to offer. The restaurant features an open kitchen, reclaimed wood features, and an array of kitchen paraphernalia throughout, acting as decoration, including - a glass wall filled with aluminium pots and pans, copper pan chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a shelved wall filled with various condiments and spices.
“I instigated a lot of the design”, said Tom, “but my designers have done a really good job in creating a casual and informal atmosphere.”
Alongside the restaurant, a take-away counter will also be serving smoothies and picnic baskets for diners to enjoy in the streets of Dubai.
Tom is well known for his current and previous culinary ventures, including his work as culinary director at Hong Kong’s The Pawn, and his previous restaurant, Tom Aikens, in London.
Speaking about the challenges presented with starting a new restaurant, Tom said: “With all restaurant openings there’s always little issues and problems that come up. We had a little bit of a problem with the kitchen in terms of equipment which delayed us a little bit, but on the whole it has gone very well. There haven’t been any major mishaps.”
The restaurant will be situated at The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, one of Dubai’s most renowned tourist attractions, offering Tom a new customer base in a city that he claims is “exciting for chefs”. Nearly 300 covers are available, with tables inside and outside for guests to enjoy food whatever the weather.
By Lewis Treleaven
