Samuel has three restaurants – lives without taxes

He came to Dubai with a plan and ten years of restaurant experience in his luggage.

But in the land where there are no taxes, everything has turned out to be much more expensive than Samuel Wass expected.

– It is incredibly tough, he says.

It’s dinnertime and the kitchen is running, but the big sign at the top left won’t light up. 29-year-old Samuel Wass discusses the matter with an electrician who has been called in to pull some wires. It seems they agree that he will come back and look at the lamp another day.

Then Samuel asks one of the cooks to run and exchange some money. The electric guy, whom Samuel describes as the best in town, must have paid. At the same moment that he hands over the bills, two potential customers appear. Samuel switches on the smile immediately.

– Hello and welcome, what are you hungry for tonight?

FACTS The dream of Dubai

Read more”Say yes a little too often”

Even when Samuel sits down on a small wooden chair next to the serving counter, it is as if he is in three different places in his head. At the same time. And maybe that’s exactly what would have to happen for his existence as a triple restaurant owner in Dubai to come together.

– I have a tendency to say yes a little too often and take on a little too much.

Samuel takes care of personnel matters, menus, purchasing, training, service of the kitchen equipment, legal matters and marketing. Including.

– We also arrange transport to and from the restaurants for our staff. It has become so that I drive them.

Rushed on too fast

Samuel had worked in various restaurants in Sweden for about ten years when the man who would become his partner invited him down to Dubai. They saw a gap in the market, and decided to invest.

– We thought there was a lack of a pub that served really good and affordable South American food. So we ran on that.

The duo put together a concept and arranged premises. Chefs were flown in from Peru. The staff were given an apartment to share and salaries that Samuel describes as very competitive.

In hindsight, Samuel can see that they rushed too fast in the beginning.

– We should probably have made a more accurate analysis of how the market looked before we started.

“Have a substantial buffer”

Samuel Wass now runs three eateries in different locations in Dubai. There is good momentum in the business, but the high costs make every day a struggle.

– Of course, there are almost no taxes here, but everything still costs a lot of money. It is not possible to come to Dubai and think that you will get rich without effort. It might have worked that way once upon a time, but it definitely doesn’t anymore.

According to Samuel, it is easy to be fooled by the glamor and bling that surrounds the luxury metropolis in the desert. He emphasizes that many who come here have to work very hard, and it is also not unusual for fortune seekers to leave the city empty-handed.

– I would advise anyone who is keen on Dubai to make sure they have a substantial buffer. And be careful with your money once you’re here. It is easy to get rid of a lot of cash.

For those who talk to Samuel, it quickly becomes clear that he thinks a lot about his restaurants. But he doesn’t have time to think about things like the lack of democracy in the United Arab Emirates.

– I haven’t thought much about it to be honest.

Then he goes silent for a few moments.

– But it’s a fantastic country and there’s a lot to see here, he says while his gaze reveals that he’s back in the pot in his mind.

You have to take care not to walk into the wall.

– I know. I’ve already been burned out several times. We actually have a driver who will start working with us soon.

– Then I don’t have to drive. But at the same time it is an additional cost. And it must be covered somehow.

FACTS Samuel’s tips for success in Dubai

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