Hospitality
Hospitality runs through my veins
Exclusive Interview with: Artemiy Vasilchuk – CEO, Vasilchuki Restaurant Group
In this interview, Artemiy Vasilchuk, CEO of Vasilchuki Restaurant Group, delves into his path from a family-driven inspiration to becoming a leader in hospitality at a young age. With over 40 successful restaurants across Europe and Asia, Artemiy’s vision for Chaihona No 1 in Dubai Marina marks the group’s foray into the Middle Eastern market. He shares how his family’s influence and his passion for innovation have helped shape the group’s unique fusion of Slavic, Asian, and Arabic cuisines. Looking ahead, Artemiy reveals exciting plans for expanding Vasilchuki Restaurant Group’s presence in the UAE and beyond.
Can you share a bit about your journey and what inspired you to take on such a leadership role at such a young age?
My father is my inspiration and played a massive part in my journey to becoming a restauranteur. We have 40 successful restaurants in Europe and Asia, and they’re all homegrown brands that my father and uncle carefully created from scratch. Hospitality runs through my veins and has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember; in fact, some of my earliest memories are in our family restaurants that, for many years, were the only places I dined at while tasting and sampling new menus, dishes and concepts for Vasilchuki Restaurant Group to bring to market.
How has your experience working alongside your father shaped your approach to restaurant management and innovation?
My Father and our Group Head Chef Sergei Suschenko, are very ambitious and creative people, so being around them is inspiring as they built the Chaihona no1 by Vasilchuki brand from scratch and have such a great synergy. I’m only 23, so I bring a very fresh and young perspective to the group, which is exactly what we need in Dubai with the competitiveness of the market, but my father takes a more traditional approach. There is room for both, so we’ve worked hard in Dubai to keep the brand’s core and adapt its offering to suit this market, which has been fun to do alongside my father.
Chaihona No. 1 by Vasilchuki is your first venture into the Dubai dining scene. What makes this restaurant a luxurious addition to Dubai Marina’s culinary landscape?
There’s no other concept like ours in Dubai, so we’re a new and exciting addition to the Marina dining scene. Sergei has added an Arabic element to the menu for our Middle East launch, and it’s been so successful as our guests can try authentic Slavic food if they’d like but also enjoy Arabic dishes. Our Shawarma is incredibly popular as we serve the juicy meat on a skewer so it can be sliced and shared, which is so lovely for groups served with Hummus and baba ghanoush and a special kebab sauce and herby yoghurt dip if you fancy trying something less traditional.
How do you integrate Slavic, Asian, and Arabic flavours into a cohesive and luxurious menu at Chaihona No. 1?
Our Head Chef, Sergey, specializes in creating unique dishes and menu concepts, so he enjoyed combining all three cuisines into one menu. He has one of the world’s largest cookbook collections, with over 3000 books he’s amassed from his travels worldwide. He sought inspiration from there and did extensive trials of combining ingredients and flavours to understand what works and what doesn’t. He enjoys pushing boundaries, so we’re not surprised when he makes unusual suggestions, as more often than not, they turn out to be delicious.
Can you share any unique dishes or concepts that embody your vision of luxury dining at Chaihona No. 1?
Our dine and shop concept is a really unique as there isn’t many places that have a small market and flower shop inside them.
With over 40 restaurants worldwide, how does Chaihona No. 1 by Vasilchuki in Dubai Marina fit into the overall strategy and vision of the Vasilchuki Restaurant Group?
Our launch in the Marina was our way of introducing ourselves to the region, and now, as it’s been so popular, we’re focusing on expansion and growth.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for expanding the presence of Vasilchuki Restaurant Group in the UAE and beyond?
Our launch in Dubai Marina is only the start for us in the Middle East. We have plans to expand and operate 30 restaurants in the Middle East within the next three years and have a few more currently under construction scheduled to launch this year.
Hospitality
Giza Palace Hotel & Spa Partners with IDeaS to Implement Advanced Revenue Management Capabilities
IDeaS, a SAS company and the world’s leading provider of hospitality revenue management software and services, has deployed the G3 Revenue Management System (RMS) at Giza Palace Hotel & Spa in Cairo, Egypt.
A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, Giza Palace Hotel & Spa is a brand-new luxury hotel in a prime location in West Cairo. The grandiose hotel features 560 rooms, eight distinctive dining venues, a spa, and extensive conference and meeting facilities. Blending architectural excellence with a curated art collection, the hotel is renowned for its exceptional service and guest experience.
The hotel is owned by Travco Group International, whose hospitality arm, the JAZ Hotel Group, is one of the region’s most prominent hotel operators, with a growing portfolio of over 68 hotels and resorts across Egypt and Zanzibar.
The deployment of IDeaS G3 RMS enables the hotel team to optimize revenue management decisions through precise forecasting, dynamic pricing, and inventory management, as well as streamlined group displacement evaluations and the automation of routine tasks.
A key factor in Giza Palace Hotel & Spa’s selection was IDeaS’ ability to effectively manage the complexity of its inventory. With more than 11 room and suite types across three room categories and eight suite configurations, the property requires advanced predictive analytics to position each room type competitively in one of the region’s most dynamic markets.
IDeaS’ Group Pricing capability addresses another critical segment of the business – the projected impact of displaced demand across their diverse inventory mix – by delivering real-time insights into the value of group business. Designed for speed and simplicity, the feature enables better-informed decisions that account for the full depth of the hotel’s offering, while preserving commercial flexibility.
Alaa Akel, CEO & Chairman JAZ Hotel Group commented:“Giza Palace was created with a clear ambition to set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in Cairo. Our partnership with IDeaS supports that vision bringing advanced revenue management capabilities to our commercial strategy, allowing us to make smarter decisions, respond to market demand and drive sustainable growth.”
Ibrahim Saba, Principal Sales Director – Europe, Middle East & Africa at IDeaS commented: “Giza Palace Hotel & Spa is exactly the kind of landmark property where intelligent revenue management makes a measurable difference. With a large inventory and a significant conferencing operation, the team is managing considerable complexity across multiple revenue streams. G3 RMS gives them the forecasting precision and group pricing intelligence to ensure every booking reflects the true commercial value of each piece of business.”
Hospitality
VEGO Expands Beyond Its Café Roots with Launch of Full-Service Kitchen Concept
VEGO Cafe and Confectionery is entering a new chapter with the launch of its full-service kitchen concept, transforming the homegrown brand from a neighbourhood café into a comprehensive vegetarian dining destination.
Built on years of customer feedback, catering experience and growing demand for more diverse vegetarian options, the expansion reflects VEGO’s commitment to offering greater variety without compromising on quality or flavour.
“While Dubai’s dining scene continues to evolve, we identified a gap for a concept that brings together premium ingredients, innovative cooking and accessible pricing within a fully vegetarian setting. This expansion has allowed us to move beyond café favourites and introduce a broader menu that spans everything from street-style chaats and handcrafted dim sums to pizzas, pastas and traditional Indian curries.” said Kashyap Sajnani, Co-founder and Managing Director of VEGO Cafe and Confectionery.
Inspired by Indian flavours, family traditions, global travel and Dubai’s diverse culinary landscape, the new menu reflects VEGO’s philosophy of combining comfort food with thoughtful innovation. Signature dishes include the Ghewar Chaat, Gochujang Tofu Bowl, Sindhi Curry, Indian Handrolls, Dim Sums and VEGO’s signature Mango Dessert. The expanded menu is also available for catering, extending VEGO’s new offering beyond the dining space for private gatherings, celebrations and events.
Nearly all components, including sauces, spice blends and key ingredients, are prepared in-house to ensure consistency, quality and value, while the breadth of the menu has been designed to appeal to diners of all ages.
Complementing the culinary expansion is a refreshed visual identity that reflects VEGO’s growth while retaining the warmth, vibrancy and approachable character that customers have come to know and love. As part of the expansion, the space has also been renovated and the brand logo refreshed, giving the café a renewed look to match its next chapter. The updated look reinforces the brand’s long-term vision of becoming a go-to destination for vegetarian dining in the UAE.
“We wanted to build a place where grandparents, parents and children can all sit around the same table and find something they genuinely love,” added Kashyap Sajnani, Co-founder and Managing Director of VEGO Cafe and Confectionery. “If people leave feeling like they’ve had an incredible meal at a fair price and can’t wait to come back, then we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do.”
To mark the expansion, VEGO is offering guests 15% off all dine-in orders until 31 October. Pricing across the menu remains aligned with the brand’s long-standing commitment to value-driven dining.
Hospitality
SANA Celebrates Its First Anniversary An Evening of Uzbek Culture, Culinary Theatre and Live Entertainment

SANA marks its first anniversary on 1 October with a celebration at its Madinat Jumeirah restaurant, followed by an afterparty at Moon Bar. From a traditional Uzbek welcome to a theatrical dining moment, the evening brings together the food, music and hospitality at the heart of SANA.
The celebration begins at 7:00 PM. For the first 40 minutes, a traditional Uzbek band will perform as two hostesses dressed in traditional Uzbek robes welcome guests with sparkling wine. A live illustrator will create personalised sketches for guests from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Dinner begins at 7:30 PM, with guests invited to choose between SANA’s à la carte menu and a special anniversary set menu priced at AED 450 per person. At 8:30 PM, the slow-roasted leg of lamb will be unveiled in a theatrical presentation accompanied by a belly dance performance to Uzbek music.
The evening’s second live music performance begins at 9:00 PM, when Sculer Band takes the stage followed by the anniversary birthday cake.
From 11:00 PM, the celebration continues at Moon Bar, where headline DJ BKOFMAN and ARKOV will play sets for the afterparty.
Event details
- Date: 1 October | Welcome reception: From 7:00 PM
- Dinner: From 7:30 PM | Location: SANA, Mina Al Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
- Dining options: À la carte or anniversary set menu at AED 450 per person | Afterparty: Moon Bar, from 11:00 PM | View the anniversary menu
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