Gourmet fare that raises the bar in Dubai

Upmarket French department store Galeries Lafayette threw down the gauntlet on Tuesday when it unveiled a new delicatessen and supermarket under the brand Lafayette Gourmet. Celebrity TV chef Jean-Christophe Novelli flew in specially for the event, demonstrating recipes and mingling with Dubai’s A-listers, the opening party drawing a rather more posh crowd than normal. The Dubai Mall store is billed as a collection of gastronomic high end foods and delicacies, with a fresh perspective on quality food in a vibrant and highly entertaining ambience. “Lafayette Gourmet and its chefs from all around the globe will from now on prepare healthy, vibrant and colourful food, haute cuisine at its finest, every day of the week,” said Andrew Joyce, culinary director of Food & Beverage, Galeries Lafayette Dubai. The store also rolled out a home-catering service that Joyce said would appeal to the UAE’s wide demographic mix. “Whether it’s a Christmas Turkey or an Iftar gathering, we will deliver any type of ethnic, international or local food so that you can enjoy the exact same food in the comfort of your own house. Hampers, wedding cakes, Christmas lunch, they’re all occasions that we can help you with. Orders can be tailored in such way to appeal to all walks of life,” he said. On Wednesday, the party continued with a fashion show of French and international brands. Under the theme “Twisted Buttons”, it unveiled the top trends and styles for the new season. The event was also the launch of a collection of handbags by Alessandra Gucci, one of the most celebrated new designers in the fashion arena. STORE REVIEW: Given the high profile of the store, Emirates247.com expected a selection of pricey fare in keeping with the tilt-nosed customers it attracts. But we were pleased to find a fair amount of the same products one might expect to see in Spinneys and Waitrose, at what seemed like the same prices. But where the new supermarket scores is in the wide variety of unusual foods and products available. We were particularly taken by the selection of fine coffees and chocolates, but even the fresh vegetable section featured stunning beefsteak tomatoes. Novelli couldn’t stop talking about the gigantic lobster and the delicate oysters, and we loved the variety of French cheeses – although it was a disappointing selection in terms of other European cheeses. We were also particularly pleased to see wagyu steak on sale in a supermarket (north of Dh400 per kilo). Apart from a wide selection of fresh vegetables and grocery items, the store also has several live counters where it seems customers can order straight off the menu and grab a snack or even dinner inhouse. And rather unusually for an international brand in the UAE, we were pleasantly surprised to find the store delivering on the high service levels it offers in Paris. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable -- what more could one ask for?