Ever wondered how a restaurant would handle massive guest requests when it’s high-time, well imagine the restaurant guests wanting to be served at the same time. That’s what happens during Iftar (breakfast) and Sahoor in Ramadan.

We sat with Executive Chef Richard Green at the ultra-luxury Rosewood Corniche Hotel in Jeddah to tell us how he manages such tasks, guaranteeing customer satisfaction every single visit.

What’s Up: One of the interesting points during Fatoor or Sahoor in Ramadan is how busy the kitchen could get. How do you manage all that pressure?

Chef Richard Green: The team that we have is more than qualified to deal with this situation. The procedures and work practices that we use all year, more than prepare us for an event such as this. It’s a matter of getting them into top gear! Like a high performance motor car!

As an Executive Chef I am very fortunate to have a team of professionals, who are not only very dedicated to their profession, they are intensely passionate about providing the best quality and presentation, with the finest ingredients’ of food in Jeddah.

The key to success in an event such as this is production and timing, so we have enough time before sunsets to get ready to cater to all our guest at the same time, while they enjoy the enchanting panoramic views of the Red Sea.

WU: I heard that this year you have a very special event that will be going on throughout the whole month of Ramadan?

RG: Recently Rosewood Corniche has partnered with Italian sports car automakers Ferrari and Maserati, along with Middle East rally champion Captain Mamdouh Khayyat to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan in an exquisite style. Captain Khayyat will be making appearances at the hotel throughout the month, providing Jeddah residents, Saudi tourists, and rally enthusiasts the opportunity to meet one of the Kingdom’s leading sportsmen.

WU: I find it extremely fascinating that Rosewood has managed to add such an exciting twist to the Ramadan dining experience. Tell us more about your menu?

RG: The menu we have developed for Ramadan will feature different sets of dishes from every culture around the world; for the most part we will keep the favorite dishes that people would expect to enjoy in Ramadan. Offering Rosewood Corniche’s guests a mixed experience between the elements of surprise and tradition every time they dine in.

WU: I have always wanted to ask this question. Many people have watched reality TV shows that present chefs and their day to day tasks wrapped with a lot of stress and pressure, how true is that?

RG: Chefs who are not in control of their environment, stress! It is the same as any other profession with the exception that we are surrounded by knives, gas and hot equipment. A large portion of a good chef’s personality is confidence, when that confidence is dented or tarnished, then the chef tends to get a little upset. It’s a defense mechanism. That’s how it works in the real world, in the fantasy land of television it is all for show and for TV ratings! I have played golf with Gordon Ramsey, and he is nothing like what you see on TV He is actually a very well mannered and calm person.

Television chefs would struggle in the real environment of a fully functional production kitchen with 45 chefs and 22 kitchen personnel during the peak of Ramadan. This is reality and you don’t get a second chance or have the benefit take 2 or take 3. Our guests come to the Rosewood because they expect the best, and Rosewood’s reputation demands we give them the best the first time.

WU: During Ramadan, we have two main meals, not including the in-between munching, how do you reallocate the staff during this month?

RG: What we did is restructure the schedule to have more coverage during those two meals, but you have to understand that we have many international guests who are non-muslims, so we still have our full room service menu available 24 hours a day.

We also offer a La carte dining if our guest desire that. During this Ramadan we will be offering an Arabic set menu in our Noodles Chinese restaurant, Since Rosewood Corniche has been known for years to have customized Umrah arrangements trips for its guests, so we will be ready once our guest arrives in one of Rosewood’s brand new BMW cars to have a proper luxurious meal. We have always been redefining modern elegance by offering unparalleled personal service and world-class amenities, and this is just a small part of the exclusivity we offer our valued guests.