India Abadee is the regional director of The Nth Degree Club. The Australian looks after all of the private dining club’s events in the city, ranging from intimate dinner parties for 12 to cocktail receptions for 100 people. Ms Abadee, 23, who has lived in Dubai since last September, has a background in PR and marketing, and has worked with some of the world’s best-known restaurants and chefs.
8am
I wake up at about 8am, depending on how late I got home the previous night. Breakfast is typically an egg-white omelette. I try to start the day healthily, but thanks to my job it all goes downhill by dinnertime. I love living in the Marina and being close to the water; it offers the perfect backdrop for a morning walk to get the day started. I like to do a loop of the Marina followed by a coffee at Carluccio’s to check the daily newspapers.
10am
There is a fabulous cafe in JBR called Make Business Hub, a co-working space for people on the go. It gives me a great sense of clarity to brainstorm and catch up on emails there. I have a set office space in Downtown Dubai, but I don’t use it because I cannot stand being in an office. On any given day I usually have four to five meetings, so it makes sense for me to be out and about. I have to be up to date on the newest restaurant openings and upcoming events, and I like to have my finger on the pulse to see who we can work with next. My favourite find in Dubai has to be Cut by Wolfgang Puck. It has the most amazing food and service, as well as great drinks. I find Dubai’s dining scene very different to London’s. When we do our events in London, we’re sometimes sitting in historical dining rooms that are 150 years old, whereas here every venue is new. What we also found in London is that our members want their dining experience to be private. In Dubai, though, as much as our members love having their exclusive table, they also like to be immersed in the restaurant and to see what’s going on.
12.30pm
For lunch I’m invited to join a tasting at the new Taj Dubai in Downtown, which opens this month. Another perk of the job is getting to experience new restaurants and hotels in the region. Lunch is topped off by a private tour of the property.
2.30pm
We run a very active calendar in Dubai and host on average three to four events a month. I head across to The Address Downtown to meet the executive chef Raymond Weber to discuss our upcoming event at the chef’s table at Cut. We discuss the event format, menu, beverage pairing and the exclusive guest list of attendees. I do a lot of research into a prospective venue, as I cannot just book on the basis of a recommendation. We are really picky about where we go; a lot of restaurants tend to close down quickly in Dubai, so we work with established brands, restaurants and chefs.
3pm
Every day I take an hour off from my computer and meetings and sometimes head to The Dubai Mall for a spot of window shopping. I’ve found that despite salaries being better here, I don’t save because of all the amazing shops. I like to go to a cafe in Galleries Lafayette, pick up the week’s latest magazines and spend some time catching up on what’s new in Dubai.
7pm
Tonight we are hosting one of our events at One&Only Royal Mirage, so I head there to meet the photographer to get all the shots of the space and chefs. I also meet the general manager and chef to discuss the final details before our guests arrive.
8pm
Our 16 guests arrive and the event kicks off. Our members are all very interesting and successful individuals, so the night is full of great stories and dining experiences. The types of people who come to these events are managing directors, chief executives and senior partners who work in industries from PR to media to property. There’s a little bit of everything, which is what you need at a dinner party.
12am
After any event wraps up, I like to wind down before I go home. I love jazz music and there is a very cool hidden venue called Blasé. It’s a secret room that’s located within the Cavalli Club and only has five tables. I meet friends there, stay for an hour or so and then head home to prepare myself for another full-on day.
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