WHITE HOSPITALITY to launch six new fine dining concepts in Abu Dhabi

White Hospitality CEO James Soo Yong Kim will redefine Abu Dhabi’s F&B industry with the launch of six new dining concepts in 2023 – each of which promises to be a major milestone in White Hospitality’s mission to deliver an immersive dining experience , not only good for customers, but also good for the planet.

White Hospitality’s ambitious 2023 strategy includes the launch of five flagship fine dining restaurants – Dangereux (Mamsha, Saadiyat), White Izakaya (Yas Mall) and White Smoke Steakhouse (Al Seef Walk) Day and Nite (Al Seef Walk) and Provador (Reem Island) – Each restaurant offers diners a unique culinary experience centered on the love of food and the joy of sharing, and inspired by James’ passion for cuisines from around the world.

Joining White Hospitality as co-chef at Les Dangereux is Michelin-starred chef Llorenc Sagarra. Awarded 2 Michelin stars and ranked 21st in the world’s top 50 after 14 years as head chef at internationally renowned restaurant Mugartiz in Spain. Llorenc will bring his expertise to an upcoming concept with James.

“We dreamed of being able to replicate our favorite New York, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Austin, Texas restaurants in Abu Dhabi—and be able to do all the things that nostalgic restaurateurs crave,” James said. “We want to offer our guests food that we harvest from the land of Abu Dhabi, and we want to bring the pulse of a true culinary capital into the heart of Abu Dhabi.”

Together with partner Mohamed Juma Al Bawardi of Al Bawardi Enterprises / EMDAD, James is on a mission to create new standards in the GCC food and beverage industry by fusing business and sustainability. With the establishment of White Farms – a 52-greenhouse organic farm in Al Ain – White Hospitality is adding true farm-to-table capabilities to its dining concept.

There are obvious benefits to attaching an entire farm to a hotel group’s restaurant catalog, but James and Mohammed’s main focus goes well beyond anything to do with cost savings or practicality.

“Our aim is to introduce the incredible advantages of using local produce that is harvested that morning and served in the evening,” James said. “By doing so, we aim to begin the essential sustainability journey that will become A major focus for White Hospitality going into 2024.”

James Kim hails from the kitchens of Blanca (2 Michelin stars), Roberta’s Brooklyn, Le Cirque (3 New York Times stars), Danji (1 Michelin star), and his last position in New York City was at Caviar Russe on Madison Avenue ( Michelin star). James recently entered the inaugural Michelin Guide Abu Dhabi for his new Café James on Reem Island.

James’ experience in the food industry is diverse and by 2023 he plans to leverage his extensive knowledge of fine dining to elevate Abu Dhabi’s scene by creating more sustainable and immersive experiences that eliminate unnecessary Ritual gastronomy and sensory stimulation purely focused on gastronomy.