Both Teible (Green Star and Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2023) and Jameel Arts Centre share a common goal of introducing new concepts to Dubai while celebrating homegrown elements and championing sustainability and accessibility.
Teible develops local agriculture focusing on ingredients and cuisine, while Jameel Arts Centre discovers and introduces Middle Eastern artists on a non-profit basis, which Teible founder, Peter Ahn, found to be the perfect fit for the homegrown eatery.
In this article, the MICHELIN Guide explores the collaboration between Teible and Jameel Arts Centre and how they support and showcase Dubai’s local scene through art and gastronomy, through the eyes of restaurant founder, Peter Ahn.
Nestled within Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre, Teible is a celebration of art and gastronomy in its truest sense. Next to having earned a MICHELIN Green Star and Bib Gourmand, the restaurant has carved a name for itself through its sustainability efforts, as well as its focus on local.
Ahn describes Teible as “a niche concept not fit for the shopping mall,” so he was very happy to be part of the project and lead its operations.
The Jameel Arts Centre, an independent art institution, engages communities through learning, research, and commissions and actively supports contemporary Middle Eastern artists. It also offers free exhibitions, talks, and workshops to the public, therefore making art more accessible and aligns with Ahn’s vision for his restaurant.
“Jameel Arts Centre aids us in supporting local agriculture and taking environmentally friendly steps,” Ahn says. "As building owners, their understanding and support of our concept, prioritising it over profit, is extremely beneficial. Additionally, by sharing the garden around the restaurant, we cultivate vegetables, growing ingredients that can be used directly in the restaurant, furthering our sustainability goals.”
The restaurant follows four principles: keeping things simple, being eco-friendly, using seasonal ingredients, and emphasizing locality. Its menu is designed around the Nordic kitchen approach, with six different tasting menus full of experimental dishes, all made with eco-friendly and fresh ingredients. Teible further believes in a farm-to-fork philosophy, ensuring guests get the best flavours from both land and sea.
When entering the light-flooded restaurant, situated at Jaddaf Waterfront, guests are greeted with a minimalistic and timeless design that blends Japanese and Scandinavian styles seamlessly with the Arts Centre’s subtle yet block-like exterior. In line with its art-focused location, the restaurant’s interiors are designed by the well-known architect Kenichi Teramoto, who won the Golden Lion for the UAE pavilion at the Venice Biennale. This has led to the restaurant becoming an essential part of Dubai's vibrant art scene.
“Since opening our restaurant, we've seen Dubai's art community grow through our contribution. By providing a resting place for people viewing the exhibitions and encouraging our customers to explore the art, we've facilitated greater interaction with art.”
Ideal for a delectable lunch between exhibitions or a relaxed bite, Teible is dedicated to using sustainably-farmed ingredients and is passionate about minimizing food waste. The menu changes seasonally, and nearly all ingredients come directly from the UAE or the surrounding region.
When we asked Peter Ahn about the one dish that represents the Jameel Arts Centre, he said that the Garum steak from the new menu would be just that – a locally grown beef dish with garum glaze, pumpkin puree, garum au jus, and Koji emulsion.
“Most people never thought serving steak from locally grown beef was possible. This dish mirrors the surprise and innovation of Jameel Arts Centre's creation, a non-profit space developing and introducing the local art scene,” he explains.
“In this way, both Jameel Arts Centre and Teible share a commonality in bringing to life ideas that were known but never thought to be localised.”
Other highlight dishes on the menu include local oysters in kefir buttermilk, camel ricotta 'caramelle' pasta paired with lamb, and kimchi from the charred section. Dessert highlights include a ‘Sour Mountain’ with locally foraged rosemary, and the ‘Ode to Teible Bakery’, consisting of "yesterday’s croissant gelato and cold brew, and last week’s dried sourdough.”
By shining the light on sustainability, rising artists and locally sourced ingredients, the pair mirror Dubai’s goal of continuous innovation across its creative sector and beyond.
Together, the restaurant and foundation continue to enrich Dubai’s community through their collaboration in art, gastronomy and locality. Both establishments support local agriculture by taking environmentally friendly steps, not only by engaging the local community in activities, like growing crops in their garden, but also by using this produce for the benefit of the restaurant.
