The proposed blanket smoking ban in all public places in the UAE will be a key subject of debate at The Big F&B Forum, hosted by Catering News Middle East on 20 September at Westin Mina Seyahi Dubai.
Dr. Basem Abdul Moneim, public health specialist, National Tobacco Control Programme has confirmed his participation as an expert speaker and will be interviewed live on-stage about what the impending ban means for the UAE F&B industry.
Ahead of the event, Dr. Basem told Catering News: “Restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues are workplaces and should be covered by smoke-free work policies.
“It’s important to counter the perception that smoking is integral to restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues. Public opinion polls have shown strong support for making restaurants and bars smoke free.”
Smoking has been a pertinent topic on the agenda for the F&B industry this year following an announcement in May by the National Tobacco Control Committee of the UAE, that it will soon propose an amendment to the law to make all public areas, including bars, restaurants and nightlife venues in the UAE, 100% smoke free.
However, a number of F&B operators are concerned about the challenges a blanket smoking ban could present, while many are confused about what the implementation of the ban would mean from a practical perspective.
The on-stage interview with Dr. Basem will take place from 9.15am – 9.35am at The Big F&B Forum on Tuesday 20 September, and will provide an opportunity for F&B operators to have their questions answered.
Welcoming more than 150 F&B professionals from across the region, The Big F&B Forum will tackle the key topics, trends and challenges impacting the industry with a morning of thought-provoking panel debates, expert speaker sessions and interactive workshops.
Registration will begin at 8am and Dubai Tourism’s senior communications manager Aida Al Busaidy, will launch the event with a keynote address on the value of the F&B industry as part of the wider tourism conversation in the emirate.
Panel sessions include “Creating a more sophisticated F&B landscape”, “A rising talent pool: but at what cost?” and “The trends shaping the UAE’s F&B landscape”.
Damien Rizzi, Colliers MENA senior asset manager – hospitality will also unveil an exclusive new report on maximising profitability in hotel restaurants.
We will also welcome legendary British chef, restaurateur and author Gary Rhodes OBE to the stage to discuss his views on the F&B landscape in the Middle East and his plans for the future in the region.
A networking lunch with interactive workshops will take place at 12.45pm, allowing attendees the opportunity to meet with peers and learn more about the latest products on the market.
Some of the most prominent, influential catering and hospitality suppliers in the region are sponsoring the event, with Coffee Planet confirmed as Exclusive Coffee Sponsor and Al Rawdah (Emirates Modern Poultry Co.) as Official Breakfast Sponsor.
Also supporting the event are alcohol distributor African + Eastern; foodservice equipment supplier, TSSC; and tableware and uniforms supplier, A. Ronai LLC.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, please contact Diarmuid O’Malley: dom@bncpublishing.net or Nick Clowes: nick@bncpublishing.net.
To register attendance, contact Mark Anthony Monzon: mark@bncpublishing.net
Access the full agenda and details of confirmed speakers by clicking on this link.
