Amriya Group's Khalid Al Rumaihi: Building Experiences

Gulf Insider

5 days ago

Khalid Al Rumaihi is the Executive Chairman of Amriya Group, a Bahrain-based hospitality operator that introduced iconic F&B names such as Masso, The Orangery, and Lyra to the island. In this interview, Al Rumaihi talks to us about mastering the art of building original dining concepts that rival global names, navigating challenges and how entertainment, data, and talent are shaping the future of hospitality.
Now in its third edition, Business Leaders in the Middle East brings together sharp insights from across the region. These aren't mere interviews; they're windows into how leadership is evolving in a world shaped by rapid digital transformation. Technology touches nearly every industry now, and these leaders show us how to navigate change with purpose.
Right from the outset, our aim at Amriya Group was to create unique hospitality and dining experiences that rival those we encounter in Europe when travelling. Generic brands dominated hotels in the country, and restaurants lacked the ambience, chefs, and service levels found abroad. We saw a gap that could be filled – and that was the inspiration behind the Palmyard Hotel. Building on that same vision, we set out to create F&B concepts that reflected the same commitment to quality, originality, and atmosphere. This led to the birth of Masso, the Orangery, Circa, and more recently, Lyra. Our F&B brands have exceptional food at their core – nothing short of what you'd find in London or elsewhere – and we aim to hire the best chefs and managers to deliver first-class experiences to our guests. Our vision is to take these independent, home-grown Bahraini brands abroad and prove that Bahrain can be a creator and exporter of world-class concepts, not just a consumer of them.
We've had an amazing journey since COVID. We were very proud to see Masso recognised as one of the top 50 restaurants by 50 Best in MENA in 2023 – one of only three restaurants in Bahrain to make the list that year. We opened our third branch of Orangery in Liwan in 2023, and in 2024, we launched our newest Greek-Mediterranean brand, Lyra, at Vida Hotel in Marassi. With Lyra, we hand-picked Chef Ilias (a European-trained Greek chef) to lead the kitchen team, and collaborated with a London-based designer to create a stunning venue. We believe Lyra has global potential – much like Masso and Orangery – and it truly has to be experienced to understand how proud we are of this latest addition to our portfolio of brands. We take great pride in building these home-grown concepts, which we believe can compete with the best global F&B brands entering the country.
COVID was a shock to the hospitality industry globally. For nearly 12 months, hotels and restaurants had hardly any customers. Although Bahrain remained open and typically relies on visitors from Saudi Arabia, the absence of international travellers deeply affected the sector. It was a critical period for hospitality, and many restaurants didn't survive.We were very fortunate in Bahrain to have the support of the government for businesses, as well as the decision not to impose a full lockdown like many other countries. At Amriya, we recognised the situation was only temporary – and that taking care of our team was essential if we were to return stronger when the world reopened. Rather than sending staff back home, we ensured they had food and accommodation, even during periods when they weren't working. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we knew they'd be instrumental in our recovery once guests started coming back. This downtime also became an opportunity to reinvent. Menus at Masso and the Orangery were thoughtfully reimagined – with weeks spent developing and testing new dishes to delight returning customers. By staying true to our principles and supporting our people, we emerged from COVID stronger than ever.
Communication is key. You have to explain to your team why you're making changes and what purpose they serve.You need to share the vision of where you're going and how those changes will help you get there. Organisational change is often difficult, and people don't always respond well, especially to new reporting lines. But I've found that in these moments, two things matter most: first, you need to over-communicate so people clearly understand what you're trying to achieve; and second, you need to hire great people who genuinely make a difference to how you operate. I believe it's the second part that's critical. Organisational change tends to be problematic when you hire the wrong people. But when you hire the right ones, you gain far more acceptance and belief in both the changes and the direction you're heading. That's why I take recruitment very seriously. I consider it one of my main responsibilities as a leader to find and recruit the best people for the organisation.
That's a difficult question to answer, especially because there are many truly world-class F&B operators in the region. I'd rephrase it by saying what we do exceptionally well – and what we share with some of the operators I admire most – it's our ability to create independent brands from scratch that genuinely rival global industry leaders. We approach the creative process with deep intention, spending at least 18 to 24 months before opening avenue. Every detail is considered – from the menu development in close collaboration with the chef, to the design and layout, branding, uniforms, and overall guest experience. We collaborate with top-tier designers and consultants to ensure each concept stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's best. Very few operators take that time, or have the capability to build something original repeatedly. We started with Masso and asked ourselves: can we do this again? And Orangery was the result. Today, we believe Lyra is our third creation that will be just as successful as the first two.
There are operators in the region I deeply admire for sharing our values – particularly those with a family-business mindset and an independent spirit. It would certainly be easier to franchise a global concept. But we take pride in building something from the ground up, and proving that Bahraini-born brands can be just as successful as franchise models. And to us, this is just the beginning. We hire employees who are as passionate as we are about refining each brand and realising the dream of seeing them thrive in some of the world's largest cities.
I'm still exploring how AI could be relevant to our industry. But we're starting by ensuring we digitise as much of the data we collect as possible, so we can make smarter decisions. I believe AI will help F&B brands become significantly more efficient in areas like menu engineering, table bookings and seating management, targeted marketing, food cost control, and more. We've now almost fully digitised all the key information needed to mine data effectively and use it to enhance our guest experience while managing the business more efficiently. Finding the right tools and resources to analyse that data and generate meaningful recommendations is something I'm actively exploring. If we can't find off-the-shelf AI solutions that suit our needs, we may consider developing our tools. But I do not doubt that AI will positively impact our business.
Probably the most glaring trend I've noticed is the shift away from formal dining experiences, like the Michelin-starred, 12-course tasting menus, and the growing desire for a more casual, sensory-driven experience. Nightclubs are seemingly fading away. Today, people want to eat and be entertained. They're looking for great food, good music (often live), and a space where they can socialise. That's why we're seeing the rise of private clubs where guests can dine and then stay on for live music or entertainment without leaving the venue. The growing number of small speakeasy-style spaces within restaurants also reflects this trend. In many ways, restaurants have become the new nightclubs. So, it's now essential to deliver not just great food, but a full entertainment experience. That's why DJs are increasingly present in restaurants. But it would be a mistake to think entertainment alone is enough. No matter how much a guest enjoys the ambience, what truly keeps them coming back is an exceptional dish or two that they crave to experience again. While trends may shift, one thing remains constant: successful restaurants must consistently deliver an outstanding food and service experience. Without that, no amount of entertainment will keep guests returning.
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