Dubai's futuristic DIFC neighborhood feels worlds away from the UAE's desert origins. Between the twin Jumeirah Emirates Towers and the Big Ben-inspired Al Yaqoub Tower, it's easy to forget that until the 1960s, Dubai was essentially an arid fishing village with little infrastructure. Within the last couple of decades, however, modern Dubai emerged, bringing forth a new era of innovation, high-rise architecture and avant-garde dining.
With the continuing rise of tourism expanding across the UAE, many five-star hotels have also adopted a culinary focus to draw the attention of travelers, and the Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre is no exception. Under the guidance of executive chef Marc Hardiman, the hotel's signature Bull & Bear restaurant continues to evolve with the growing culinary scene by fusing forward-thinking with a sense of tradition.
The restaurant's devotion to eco-friendly dining also brings a new layer of depth to your experience. "Sustainability has always been central to my philosophy, even back in the U.K., where I ran my own farm," Hardiman says.
"In Dubai, we took that a step further by partnering with Bustanica Farm to create our own hydroponic grow room, which was the first of its kind in the city." Given Dubai's arid climate and unforgiving desert landscape, using nutrient-dense water solutions and indoor vertical farming is one of the only ways locals can produce their own crops.
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