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Photo: Culinary Arts Group
Popular homegrown open-fire grill restaurant Revolver, which is known for highlighting Indian flavours, will open its first overseas branch in Dubai by the last quarter of this year.
The 140-seat restaurant, which will be about four times the size of its Singapore’s flagship in a Tras Street shophouse, will be located in The Opus by Omniyat, a luxurious mixed-use development designed by feted architect Zaha Hadid. The complex, which comprises a hotel, office and F&B establishment, is located in the Business Bay financial district.
Culinary Arts Group, a Singapore-based restaurant group, has ambitious plans to expand Revolver globally, with Dubai being the first stop.
Tristin Farmer, the group’s culinary director says: “Revolver is a fun, unique and approachable concept – it was conceived with the aim of becoming the ‘Nobu’ for Indian cuisine.” He is referring to the renowned Japanese-Peruvian restaurant chain Nobu by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, which has spawned numerous outlets around the world, including in Singapore. “Revolver is a grill restaurant with Southeast Asian influences and highlights Indian spices,” Farmer adds. “It is a concept that works well in different markets.”
Expanding restaurant footprint in Dubai
An artist’s impression of Revolver Dubai. (Photo: Culinary Arts Group)
On choosing Dubai, Farmer shares that the demand for dining and scale of business in the Gulf Tiger is much larger than in Singapore due to the high influx of tourism from all over the world. The city also attracts a regular stream of business travellers with events and conferences. In 2023, Dubai welcomed over 17 million international overnight visitors. He shares: “What we earn in Revolver in Singapore in a year can be made in a few months in Dubai.”
Another boon for starting F&B businesses in Dubai — there is no shortage of attracting international talents to work in restaurants with more relaxed foreign worker quotas as compared to Singapore’s.
Photo: Culinary Arts Group
The design of Revolver Dubai will be largely similar to the Singapore mothership with an open-concept wood-fire and binchotan grill and tandoor, some counter seating, and the dark and sexy vibe that will be replicated. While the structure of the tasting menu (it typically comprises eight courses including snacks, paneer, seafood, beef, kulchette and dessert) will be similar, some dishes will be tweaked according to local ingredients and culture. There are also plans to expand Revolver to other cities such as New York and Miami.
New leader for Revolver
Jitin Joshi, the group executive chef and partner of Revolver. (Photo: Culinary Arts Group)
This development comes hot on the heels of the appointment of Jitin Joshi, the freshly-minted group executive chef and partner of Revolver. The India-born chef, who was the executive chef of Gymkhana, a two-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in Indon, joined Revolver earlier this week. Joshi, who has also worked in fine-dining establishments in Dubai and Paris will be in charge of Revolver’s Singapore menu (It’s 14th edition of the menu, or ‘bullet’, will launch later this month), as well as lead the Revolver concept globally. Joshi will shuttle regularly between Singapore and Dubai, where he is based at.
Going big in Dubai
An artist’s impression of Maison Dali. (Photo: Culinary Arts Group)
Besides opening Revolver in Dubai, the Culinary Arts Group will also open a casual restaurant Maison Dali in The Opus by Omniyat. The restaurant, which is named after Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, will have a modern grill concept with influences including those from the Basque country.
Come early next year, Farmer, who used to head three-Michelin-starred modern Nordic restaurant Zen, will helm his fine-dining restaurant in another venue in Dubai. The group, which is part of investment firm Everstone Capital, also has plans to bring over kappo restaurant Hamamoto to Dubai next year.
