Hospitality

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best-time is now

Published

1 year ago

July 4, 2024

Integrator Web-Editor

Integrator Media had an exclusive interview with Noel Clarke, Senior VP of International for Impossible Foods

What inspired the founding of Impossible Foods?

Impossible Foods was founded with a singular purpose: to positively impact people and the planet by making delicious, nutritious plant-based meat with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat from animals. People have said this is a lofty goal, but more than a decade later, we’re proving that progress is achievable. Impossible products are now available across four continents and in our two-and-a-half years of business in the UAE, we’ve expanded into more than 200 restaurants in the region.

The journey of creating the first Impossible Burger and the scientific breakthroughs involved

Before we launched Impossible Beef in 2016, the team spent five years working to understand how meat behaves at the molecular level so that we could replicate this same flavour chemistry with plant ingredients. It was during this process that we identified heme as the key ingredient for what makes animal meat so craveable, allowing us to innovate an animal-free version that’s identical to the heme found in soy. This breakthrough was the building block of what would eventually become Impossible Beef, differentiating our product as the plant-based beef that looks, cooks, tastes like animal beef.

What’s the significance of the Impossible Chicken Nuggets launch in the UAE?

Many consumers know us for our flagship Impossible Beef product, but our Impossible Chicken Nuggets are one of the most accessible entry points to the Impossible brand and the plant-based space more broadly. Since first launching the product in 2021 in the US, Impossible Chicken Nuggets quickly became one of our most popular products because of their broad consumer appeal, versatility, and incredible taste – decisively outranking a leading animal nugget on flavour, texture and overall appearance in a blind taste test. As a result, they’ve become a key component of our international expansion strategy. Including the UAE, Impossible Chicken Nuggets are available in 7 countries and have proven successful in bringing more consumers around the world into the brand.

How does Impossible Foods balance taste, texture, and nutritional value in its product development?

Every Impossible product is designed to match the animal on the overall sensory experience –– taste, aroma, texture –– as well as nutritional quality. We don’t consider “good enough” or “close enough” a true success. With Impossible, consumers don’t have to choose between taste or nutrition. This is what sets us apart in the marketplace. A great example of this is our Chicken Nuggets product, which not only beats the animal nearly 3 to 1 on taste, but also outperforms animal chicken on nutrition with 0 milligrams cholesterol and 40% less saturated fat.

How does Impossible Foods address scepticism towards plant-based meats?

It’s normal to see some scepticism with new innovations. For example, we saw this with plant-based dairy and now as the market has matured, these options are just as commonplace as conventional dairy products. Similarly, plant-based meat is just getting started, so we still have a long runway of growth ahead of us. We know that tasting is believing when it comes to these products – once people try Impossible for the first time, more than 1 in 2 intend to do so again. It’s incumbent on us and the rest of the plant-based category to continue raising the bar when it comes to delivering great-tasting, nutrient-dense products. This will allow us as a collective industry to ensure a positive first impression for consumers and create a positive halo effect across the entire space.

What role do you believe plant-based meat alternatives will play in the global food system in the next decade?

Our mission at Impossible is to champion a global food system that is more reliant on plants than it is on animals. Vegans and vegetarians are already doing their part to live a more sustainable, plant-based lifestyle but the folks we have to win over are flexitarians and meat-eaters. Plant-based meat products like ours offer a seamless replacement for the animal meat products that consumers know and love, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for meat-eaters into the broader plant-based category. We have to make this transition easy for people and not force them into lifestyle changes that they’re unlikely to maintain in the long-term.

As a father to five children who wants the best for their future, the following Chinese proverb deeply resonates with me: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Hospitality

MELIÁ DUBAI INTRODUCES GRILL BY ME: A SOPHISTICATED AL-FRESCO DINING EXPERIENCE

Published

1 hour ago

November 17, 2025

Integrator Web-Editor

Grill by ME outdoor buffet station at ME by Meliá Dubai with fresh salads, grills, and interactive dining setup at poolside terrace

From the architectural icon that redefined Dubai’s skyline comes a new reason to linger after sunset. ME by Meliá Dubai, the visionary masterpiece and newly honoured with a One Key distinction by the MICHELIN Guide 2025 proudly unveils its latest culinary offering – Grill by ME.

A relaxed yet refined dining affair set beside the hotel’s striking pool terrace, Grill by ME offers guests an elevated open-air buffet where contemporary dining meets effortless style. Bringing together live grill stations, curated beats, and ME by Meliá Dubai’s signature modern energy, the new concept is designed for both intimate evenings and vibrant gatherings – a place to unwind, connect, and savour the city’s unmistakable atmosphere.

The menu celebrates simplicity with style, from fresh salads and handmade pasta to sizzling grills and decadent desserts, all prepared at interactive stations. Every element is thoughtfully curated to create a dining experience that feels relaxed, refined, and distinctly Dubai.

Priced at AED 180 per person including soft beverages, Grill by ME runs Monday to Sunday, from 7 PM to 10:30 PM, at the hotel’s pool terrace. Little foodies aged six to eleven dine at half price.

Recently awarded a One Key distinction by the MICHELIN Guide 2025, ME by Meliá Dubai continues to push boundaries in design, hospitality, and dining. As the only hotel in the world designed inside and out by Zaha Hadid, it remains one of the city’s most iconic destinations – where every detail, from architecture, ambience and service is a work of art.

Hospitality

SUN SIYAM IRU VELI GENERAL MANAGER MASDHOOQ SAEED HONOURED AS BEST GENERAL MANAGER – HOSPITALITY IN MALDIVES AT WORLD GM AWARDS 2025

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2025

Integrator Web-Editor

Masdhooq Saeed receiving World GM Awards 2025 trophy on stage at hospitality awards ceremony

Sun Siyam Iru Veli proudly celebrates the achievement of its General Manager, Masdhooq Saeed, who has been awarded Best General Manager – Hospitality in Maldives at the World GM Awards 2025. This recognition is especially significant as he becomes the first Maldivian to receive this prestigious title, marking a milestone moment for both the resort and the nation’s hospitality industry.

Masdhooq’s journey is one of dedication, growth, and vision. Beginning his career in 2001 at the Front Office as a receptionist, he advanced through roles in reservations and villa hosting before moving into management. His steady rise was built on humility and hard work, leading him to join Sun Siyam in 2023 as the General Manager at Sun Siyam Iru Veli. Masdhooq has transformed the resort’s guest experience and strengthened its position as one of the Maldives’ most admired all-inclusive destinations. His forward-thinking leadership has led to remarkable results, from achieving an 8% revenue increase above target in 2024 to driving record-breaking occupancy levels of 90% in early 2025.

“Masdhooq’s achievement is a proud moment for all of us,” said Deepak Booneady, CEO of Sun Siyam. “His journey reflects the very essence of The Home of the Maldivian Spirit, built on passion, perseverance, and purpose. What sets him apart is not only his results, but his heart. He leads with empathy, empowers his team, and reminds us that true hospitality is about people first. We are incredibly proud to have him represent Sun Siyam and the Maldives on the global stage.”

A leader defined by empathy and purpose, Masdhooq is deeply committed to nurturing local talent, advancing sustainability, and cultivating a culture of inspired excellence. Through mentoring and leadership development, he has created opportunities for growth and empowerment across departments. He is dedicated to fostering a culture where excellence is inspired, always with the quiet belief that “anything is possible” and that “luxury is a feeling.”

The World GM Awards, also known as the Golden Tree Awards, recognise outstanding General Managers from across the globe for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and service excellence. Winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process based on performance, guest satisfaction, and community engagement by an expert panel of hospitality professionals.

Hospitality

THE FUTURE IS SET FOR TOURISM’S NEXT ERA AS THE INAUGURAL TOURISE SUMMIT OPENS

Published

4 days ago

November 13, 2025

Integrator Web-Editor

Speaker in traditional Gulf attire presenting on stage with large blue "TOURISE" text backdrop

With the bold ambition to rewrite the rules of travel, the inaugural TOURISE Summit under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister was officially opened today by H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of TOURISE.

TOURISE ushers in a new era for global tourism, uniting ministers, delegates, and visionaries from around the world as the premier platform dedicated to shaping the future of global tourism.

Taking place from November 11-13, 2025, immediately following the 50th United Nations Tourism General Assembly, TOURISE is reimagining the way that sectors interact to find opportunities where competitors become partners where investments are optimized and where fragmented silos converge. The event aims to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions and catalyze transformative initiatives that will shape the next 50 years of the global tourism sector.

During his opening speech today, H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb noted that there has never been a more urgent or opportune moment for convergence of sectors to shape global tourism, with the tourism sector having rebounded to historic highs, with international arrivals and investment surpassing pre-pandemic levels. However, he cautioned that at the same time, the sector faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities: rapid technological disruption, a generational shift toward sustainable and experience-driven travel, and an imperative to build resilience in the face of economic and environmental uncertainty and growing fragmentation around the globe.

His Excellency recognised that TOURISE has arrived at this inflection point, when the world is hungry for new models, new partnerships, and new solutions.

“TOURISE is more than an event, it is a platform for action where we will solve for the challenges all together that have long limited tourism’s full potential among them are challenges in skills, investment, infrastructure, sustainability, and digital transformation. It’s a space where we will work hand in hand to deliver the best outcomes for everyone: returns for investors; more accessible destinations and affordable experiences for travelers; jobs and prosperity for communities as the demand for travel increases. We are not here just to discuss ideas. We are here to act. That is why TOURISE exists.”

Over the course of its three days, TOURISE is set to host a number of key panels and talks featuring global leaders from across sectors. Notable global speakers include:

Ariane Gorin, CEO, Expedia
Ambassador Patricia Espinosa, Founder, onepoint5
Gloria Guevara, Interim CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council
Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Incoming Secretary General of UN Tourism
Luis Maroto, CEO, Amadeus
Francis Suarez, Mayor, Miami
Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports
Lucia Penrod, Co-Founder & Owner, Nikki Beach
Sébastien Bazin, CEO, Accor
Eduardo Santander, CEO, European Travel Commission (ETC)
Harvey Goldsmith CBE, Founder, Nvisible Productions
Thomas Woldbye, CEO, Heathrow Airport
Steve Hafner, Co-Founder & CEO, Kayak.com

The speaker line up showcases how TOURISE unites leaders from sectors rarely seen together, creating counterintuitive, boundary-breaking collaborations. These convergences are not just novel; they are the engine for new business models, improved traveler experiences, sustainable destination development and investment strategies that could only emerge from such a unique, multi-sector platform.

The Summit will cover the big questions redefining travel’s future from AI-powered experiences and frictionless borders to destination design, investment, and the race for tomorrow’s travelers, and transform them into action through high-powered ministerial dialogues, boardroom dialogues, main-stage keynotes and innovation showcases.

The winners of the very first TOURISE Awards will also be announced this evening, recognizing those places that exemplify destination excellence and cater to the evolving expectations of the modern traveler.

Powered by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, TOURISE is more than a three-day summit, it is an always-on, global platform. Crucially, the conversations sparked in Riyadh will continue year-round platform through collaboration and cross-sector partnerships, turning bold ideas into real-world solutions.