Parmigiano Reggiano Day is celebrated worldwide on October 27. To mark the occasion in the UAE, the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium has launched a week-long celebration in partnership with 13 Italian restaurants across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Each selected restaurant will offer a curated menu of gourmet dishes featuring Parmigiano Reggiano at different stages of maturation. Several of the participating venues will also host the traditional Pasta alla Ruota experience, in which freshly cooked pasta is finished directly in a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.

Participating restaurants in Dubai include Gloria Osteria, Mamabella, Belcanto, Arrogante, Vera Versilia, Chic Nonna, Siena and Gigi Rigoletto. In Abu Dhabi, Italian food lovers can enjoy Parmigiano Reggiano based dishes in TOTÓ, Verso, Villa Toscana, Novikov and Amalfi Ristorante from October 26- November 1, 2026.

To celebrate the occasion, participating restaurants will give prominent visibility to the Parmigiano Reggiano branding, reinforcing a growing sense of community. The initiative is aligned with the Consortium’s international campaign, “Più Grande Insieme” (“Greater Together”), which celebrates the shared passion, expertise and connections that bring the world of Parmigiano Reggiano closer to consumers.

Nicola Bertinelli, President of the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, comments: “Parmigiano Reggiano Day celebrates the ‘King of Cheese’ and Italian culinary heritage. The Middle East is an important market for us: in the first eight months of 2026, sales in the GCC increased by 10% compared with the same period last year, reaching 197 tonnes, up from 179 tonnes. More broadly, exports accounted for 54.8% of total Parmigiano Reggiano sales in the first eight months of 2026, up from 51.5% in the same period of 2025. We are delighted to celebrate Parmigiano Reggiano Day in the UAE with our partners, creating a week of memorable culinary experiences for cheese aficionados. Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, selected Italian restaurants will give guests the opportunity to discover, taste and experience Parmigiano Reggiano through dedicated dishes created by their chefs, and through different tasting experiences.”

Parmigiano Reggiano Day was launched on October 27, 2012, following the twin earthquakes that struck the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in May of the same year. The earthquakes damaged more than 360,000 wheels of ageing Parmigiano Reggiano, seriously affecting the livelihoods of many cheesemakers. The initiative invited people worldwide to cook dishes with Parmigiano Reggiano and share their creations on social media to raise awareness of the cheese and support the local dairy industry. The campaign received an extraordinary response, with thousands of participants joining the initiative and contributing to the sale of many affected wheels, helping the local cheese industry to recover.

From Scratch is bringing a new take on an American favourite to its menu with the launch of the OG Smash Burger, a simple, flavour-led creation that celebrates the appeal of the classic diner burger while adding a signature touch of its own: soft, fluffy Japanese Milk Bread.

Inspired by traditional American burger joints, the new OG Smash Burger keeps things intentionally uncomplicated. A smash patty is pressed firmly onto a flat-top grill, creating the distinctive texture and rich, savoury flavour that have made smash burgers a firm favourite. The patty is paired with cheese, pickles, onions, relish, ketchup and mustard, bringing together the familiar combination of sweet, tangy and savoury notes that define a classic burger.

The point of difference lies in the bread. Rather than opting for a standard burger bun, From Scratch uses Japanese Milk Bread, known for its soft, airy texture and subtle sweetness. It adds a distinctive finish to the traditional combination without taking away from the flavours that make the smash burger a classic.

The launch also gives From Scratch’s existing burger line-up a fresh identity. The brand’s Classic Beef Burger, Signature Burger and Black Garlic Burger will now be prepared with smash patties, joining the new OG Smash Burger as part of the refreshed range. The result is a menu that brings the smash technique across both familiar favourites and a new hero item.

With the OG Smash Burger, From Scratch is leaning into what makes a great burger memorable: a well-executed patty, classic toppings and quality ingredients, with one thoughtful detail that sets it apart. It is a familiar favourite, made the From Scratch way.

Sugee Group, a trusted international real estate developer with nearly four decades of experience, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, one the world’s largest hotel franchising companies, have announced a strategic partnership to develop the world’s first Vienna House Residences by Wyndham, bringing its global debut to the Middle East on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah.

This collaboration is not only a global expansion of the Vienna House brand into the Middle East for the first time; it also marks its new global chapter of residential hospitality.

The agreement for the Vienna House Residences Al Marjan Island was formally signed at a ceremony held in Dubai, with the senior leadership from both organisations. Representing Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was Govind Mundra, Head of Development for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

Vienna House by Wyndham is a European lifestyle brand, rooted in culturally rich destinations, bringing contemporary design, intuitive service and a relaxed social spirit to hospitality to the coats of Ras Al Khaimah. “Bringing the world’s first Vienna House Residences by Wyndham to Al Marjan Island reflects our ambition to curate growth by bringing the right partners and distinctive concepts to Ras Al Khaimah. By combining international hospitality with residential living, this development builds on the island’s potential, responds to evolving demand and contributes to shaping a destination that creates lasting value for residents, investors and the emirate,” said Sheikh Saqr bin Omar Al Qasimi, CEO of Marjan Development.

Vienna House Residences by Wyndham on Al Marjan Island will be interpreted as fully furnished, hospitality-led residences, and it will be the only development on the island to offer short-term rental, combining the consistency of hotel service with the privacy and comfort of home.Residents will also benefit from exclusive Wyndham privileges, including a one-year complimentary Wyndham Rewards Platinum membership, preferred rates across more than ~8,400 hotels worldwide, and priority access to member-only offers and promotions.

Sugee Group has appointed Invespy as its UAE sales partner for Vienna House Residences by Wyndham, leveraging Invespy’s extensive broker network and technology-enabled sales platform to connect the project with buyers and channel partners across the UAE and international markets.

To bring the project to market, Sugee Group has also opened a new sales centre in the heart of Dubai Marina. The centre offers prospective buyers and investors an opportunity to experience the Vienna House concept, explore the residences and understand the proposition ahead of the project’s launch from a dedicated team of specialist consultants. Designed as an extension of the brand experience, the new sales centre provides an early introduction to the project’s European-inspired design, hospitality-led living concept and investment proposition.

Commenting on the project’s investment proposition, Imran Khan, Founder and CEO of Invespy, Sugee Group’s partner in the UAE, said: “Sugee Group is positioning Vienna House Residences by Wyndham as a distinctive offering on Al Marjan Island, bringing together the global debut of Vienna House branded residences with a hospitality-led model designed to appeal to both end users and investors. The project’s early construction approach, combined with the introduction of short-term rentals under an internationally recognised hospitality brand, offers a differentiated proposition in the market. As the first project on Al Marjan Island to offer this short-term rental model, alongside the global first of Vienna House Residences by Wyndham, Sugee is addressing investor interest in properties that combine an established hospitality brand, lifestyle appeal and rental potential.”

Substantiating the prospects of ROI, Sugee also announced that the Vienna House Residences by Wyndham will also become the first hospitality branded residence on the island to offer short term rentals on the property.

Dimitris Manikis, President, EMEA, at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts added: “Bringing Vienna House Residences by Wyndham to Al Marjan Island marks a key moment as we introduce the brand to the Middle East, alongside its inaugural global branded residences. At its core, Vienna House reflects a European approach to living with thoughtful design, a strong sense of place and a naturally social way of life, which sits comfortably with destinations like Al Marjan Island. With Sugee Group, whose strong design sensibility and long-term vision align closely with our own, we are proud to bring this next chapter to life and create lasting value for residents and investors alike.”

Launching on Al Marjan Island places Sugee Group at the heart of one of the world’s fastest-growing coastal destinations. The partnership with Wyndham strengthens Sugee’s entry into the market, combining its development expertise with a globally recognised hospitality platform.

Sugee Group’s expansion into the UAE reflects its long-term commitment to the region, with a focus on delivering well-designed, hospitality-led developments that create lasting value.