SYRIA: Damascus restaurant enters the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest

Record ID: 278736

  • Title: SYRIA: Damascus restaurant enters the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest
  • Date: 1st June 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHANNAD AL-SAMMAN, GENERAL MANAGER, DAMASCUS GATE RESTAURANT, SAYING: "It is a big push for tourism in the Syrian Arab Republic and we hope for more achievements. We offer this international success to Damascus, the Arab capital of culture."
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAAROLOGK3CQPNAWAIV06OO2FOK
  • Story Text: The Guinness Book of World Records has officially declared Syrian restaurant "Bawabet Dimashq" or "Damascus Gate" the largest in the world.
    With a seating capacity of 6,012 people, Damascus Gate has wrested the title from the "Mang Gorn Luang" or "Royal Dragon" in Thailand, which caters to up to 5,000 diners.
    "The criteria is the number of serviced chairs. There may be a large surface with a certain number of chairs and tables but the question is whether or not they are serviceable by adequately equipped kitchens. During our examination of the restaurant we were surprised to find that some of the equipment had been custom made for Damascus Gate, transforming the kitchen into a mini-factory to cater to its massive clientele," Guinness country operations executive Qusai Hasala told Reuters in an interview.
    Hasala presented Damascus Gate with a certificate on Thursday (May 29), confirming that it is indeed the largest in the world.
    General Manager Mohannad al-Samman received the certificate on behalf of the restaurant.
    "It is a big push for tourism in the Syrian Arab Republic and we hope for more achievements. We offer this international success to Damascus, the Arab capital of culture," al-Samman said.
    Located in a Damascus suburb, Damascus Gate was completed in 2002. It covers a surface of 54,000 square metres, and has a 2,500 square metre kitchen.
    It is staffed by more than 1,200 employees throughout the year and by up to 1,800 at the height of the tourist season.
    In keeping with Islamic custom, Damascus Gate is a "dry" restaurant -- serving no alcohol -- but its six "gates" offer an array of Indian, Chinese, Gulf Arab, Iranian, Middle Eastern and Syrian culinary varieties.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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