Restaurateur Rashed Al Tayer, founder of Terra Eatery, on creating a locally grown haven that nourishes mind, body and soul.
With an aim to create a retreat from the buzzing city. The restaurant offers a redefined culinary experience and takes pride in using only the finest sourced produce from across the globe to prepare each dish served.
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Talk us through your background.
During my time at university whilst studying finance in San Diego, I spent some time travelling, dining out and immersing myself in diverse culinary experiences, from touring coffee roasters in California to homegrown concepts in Greece that focused on fresh and local produce. This left a lasting impression on me and inspired me to craft a new style of relaxed yet elevated dining concepts bringing them to the region. After returning to Dubai, I embarked on a professional journey in real estate alongside my family for some time but felt compelled to explore bringing a new style of F&B concepts to the local scene, giving me a chance to showcase my creativity and gauge my ability to craft innovative concepts inspired by what I had seen during my university days.
The contemporary restaurant redefines Mediterranean cooking – talk us through the concept.
At Terra, we embrace coastal-inspired Mediterranean plates that champion ingredients as the stars of each dish. We prioritise the use of premium and locally sourced ingredients, ensuring that each dish undergoes meticulous tastings and adjustments before earning its place on our menu. Embracing the ethos of seasonality, we periodically refresh key dishes to reflect the freshest produce available.
Terra Eatery beautifully captures local flavours – tell us more.
As an Emirati and the owner of a homegrown business, it is important for me to support other local businesses where I can. Prioritising local produce, and collaborating with homegrown architects and designers to infuse authenticity into every aspect of the dining experience is of utmost importance to me.
“Attention to detail is everything, Terra was designed to offer upscale cuisine in awarm and welcoming environment”
What are some of the key dishes to try at the restaurant?
For lunch or dinner, the Spicy Prawns are my all-time favourite as well as The French beans salad – simple yet fresh and flavourful and as for the pastas, the Short Rib Pappardelle – all of our pastas are made in-house which adds a special touch. For breakfast, all are my favourites but my go-to is the Menemen with sumac yoghurt, onion and capsicums or Frittata.
The restaurant is known for its beautifully crafted interiors – what was the creative process behind the space?
I envisioned a restaurant influenced by the Mediterranean, my personal favourite culinary region. A nestled haven where comfort, inspiration, and relaxation come together. The design of Terra is a testament to attention to detail, with rustic open kitchens, earthy hand-finished clay walls, Italian artisan tiles, reclaimed wood, linen fabrics, and lush green foliage bringing an inviting indoor-outdoor southern European courtyard feel to the dining experience.
The concept has been selected for the MichelinGuide Abu Dhabi 2024 – how does it
feel?
Receiving recognition and awards for our efforts is immensely gratifying – it validates the hard work and dedication we’ve poured into our craft which is particularly rewarding.
Everything at Terra Eatery embodies fine attention-to-detail – how important was this from the outset?
Attention to detail is everything, the restaurant was designed to offer upscale cuisine in a warm and welcoming environment. The customer profile at Terra is the everyday person who appreciates authenticity, honesty, and attention.
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How has travel influenced ideation through the restaurant?
Massively! My love for the Mediterranean coast majorly influences me, as I travel there often. The ambiance, music, and cuisine at Terra are all imbued with the essence of that region.
This is The Body Issue – what are your nonnegotiable self and body care practices?
I believe that what you consume, your environment, and physical activity all contribute to self-care and overall well-being. To maintain balance, I incorporate a variety of workouts such as Pilates, cycling, and stretching into my routine. Additionally, I prioritise nourishing my body with balanced, highquality meals from places that not only inspire me but also provide a positive feel to the dining experience.
