Courtney Brandt, Navigating the Soul and Substance of Dubai’s Dining Renaissance
By Jane Stevens
Dubai’s dining story is not written only on menus or measured by opening nights. It lives in kitchens, in late services, in quiet conversations between chefs and those who truly listen. Courtney Brandt has spent more than a decade doing exactly that. Often seated away from the spotlight with a notebook instead of a phone, she has become one of the city’s most trusted food writers by choosing observation over performance. Her journey from novelist to culinary chronicler mirrors the evolution of Dubai itself, a city that learned to value depth as much as scale.
Her turning point came far from the Gulf. A visit to Noma in Copenhagen in 2013 reshaped the way she understood food. She arrived as a curious traveler inspired by the storytelling of Anthony Bourdain, not yet a critic with an agenda. That single meal revealed food as narrative, emotion, and identity rather than indulgence. Returning to the UAE, she knew the direction she wanted to take. By 2016, Eat This Eat That was born, not as a brand chasing attention, but as a platform grounded in substance, patience, and respect for craft.
Entering Dubai’s crowded food media scene felt daunting at first. Influencers and critics already dominated the conversation, each racing to be first at the newest opening. Courtney chose a different pace. She focused on consistency and relationships, understanding early that Dubai is built on trust. Kitchens remembered her not for sharp headlines, but for thoughtful dialogue and genuine curiosity. Over time, as local concepts matured and global chefs began calling the city home, her voice remained steady. She never tried to be everywhere. She tried to be honest.
The pandemic marked a quiet but profound shift in her philosophy. Watching the hospitality industry struggle brought clarity to her role. Public criticism suddenly felt hollow in the face of human effort and vulnerability. She came to believe that meaningful critique belongs behind closed doors. Honest feedback, when invited, could help a restaurant grow. Public takedowns rarely did. This approach was not about lowering standards, but about raising professionalism. Chefs came to trust her because they knew her intention was never damage, only dialogue.
What draws Courtney to a restaurant has little to do with décor or spectacle. She looks for the person behind the plate. A chef driven by conviction, curiosity, and personal history is what excites her most. Dining, to her, is a conversation.
She encourages guests to be part of that exchange, to support restaurants not just with spending, but with presence, advocacy, and respect. Her writing consistently brings the human story forward, reminding readers that restaurants are built by people, not algorithms.
The digital landscape has grown louder with each passing year. By 2026, every dish risks becoming content before it becomes a memory. Courtney recognizes both the opportunity and the distortion this creates. Viral moments may fill seats, but they rarely build loyalty. Trends come and go, but substance lasts. She cautions restaurants against reshaping themselves for fleeting attention, urging them instead to focus on the experience that unfolds once the phone is put down. Longevity, she believes, is born at the table, not on a screen.
Selectivity has become essential to her work. She no longer chases volume. Dining out once or twice a week allows her to engage fully with each experience. Her interests have naturally gravitated toward fine dining, locally developed concepts, and women-led kitchens. She is intentional about where she lends her voice, knowing that attention has weight. By choosing carefully, she ensures that her support is meaningful rather than diluted.
Years of immersion have also given her insight into the realities behind the scenes. She understands the financial risk, the long planning cycles, and the emotional toll that come with opening a restaurant. This perspective fuels her call for greater transparency, especially around ownership structures in Dubai. When diners understand what it truly takes to bring a concept to life, judgment softens and appreciation deepens. A restaurant becomes not just a place to eat, but the result of someone’s ambition and belief.
Looking ahead, Courtney is most excited by the potential of Emirati fine dining. Global names will always have a place in Dubai, but she sees the future in locally rooted stories told with confidence and creativity. Chefs who translate heritage into contemporary expression represent the next chapter of the city’s culinary identity. She is ready to support that movement, to witness how local voices shape what Dubai tastes like to the world.
At the heart of her journey lies a simple principle. Authenticity endures. Voices last when they are not borrowed or exaggerated. Courtney’s relevance has never come from chasing what is new, but from staying true to her values in a city that constantly reinvents itself. As kitchens across Dubai come alive each evening, she continues her quiet work, searching not just for a good meal, but for meaning, connection, and the soul of a city told one plate at a time.
