In this episode of HNtv Insiders, Emma Banks, VP F&B Strategy & Development EMEA at Hilton talks with Naim Maadad, chief executive and founder at Gates Hospitality, about the past 18 months in business and the revival of the F&B industry post-pandemic.

Not a pair to shy away from the truth, they admit it has been a brutal period, both professionally and personally, and emphasise the need for strong, directional leaders that are also empathetic and human. The duo barely pause for breath as they recall the damage control of the past 18 months, revealing the innovations that kept their businesses afloat and the adaptations they had to make.

Looking forward, they chew over the double-edged sword that is technology, grateful for the new physical-virtual hybrid model of doing business, yet anxious not to lose the magic and soul of hospitality.

With the culinary sector playing an increasingly strategic role in the vision for tourism in the Middle East, the mind set of these leaders is that the industry is now ready to move on, spend some money and have some fun at the same time. Stay tuned to the end, and Banks and Maadad even let slip where they most like to dine!