Exclusives only: Ordinary guests shunned as VIPs hog limelight

‘Burn Out’ management at restaurant launch bent on catering only to big names.

“Are you invited?” an usher asked a man who walked past the crowded entrance. The rest of the conversation drowned in the noise of music blaring and people chatting as Burn Out restaurant made a comeback to the capital after a two-year hiatus on Saturday.

Located on the third floor of a plaza in Jinnah Super Market, the restaurant opening caused inconvenience for passersby as the service road was heavily congested. The entrance to the plaza was blocked by orange traffic cones as wardens diverted drivers to park on the opposite side.

Both the manager and owner of the restaurant did not care to entertain media personnel, since they were too busy tending to VIPs including speaker of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the Deputy Ambassador of Abu Dhabi, the Jordanian Ambassador, the grandson of the Pir of Golra Sharif, bureaucrats, diplomats and showbiz personalities.

With such ‘honourable’ guests, the more ordinary ones were left to fend for themselves when a hall manager asked them to relocate to an occupied table since the sofas they were seated on were “reserved.”

Two hours into the scheduled launch time, the waiters served only margaritas and martinis but no food. They were waiting for more guests to arrive before they could serve food, a way of letting the media into the kitchen to take pictures.

“There are too many people and no space to stand,” said Waqas Khokhar, a member of the family-owned business. His younger brother, Junaid, said the outlet aimed to provide a family dining experience, adding the menu offered various cuisines including Continental, Thai, Mexican and Lebanese, to cater to eclectic tastes.

When asked about food prices, he said that they had been kept steep deliberately to “filter out the Pindi crowd” from coming to the restaurant.

Hamza, a guest, dubbed the event a “shady affair,” adding the place was pretending to become an automobile-themed restaurant. He regarded the gimmicky posters bearing insignia of luxury, sports and vintage cars a shoddy display.

Taimoor, another guest, said he used to frequent the place before it shut down due to the ban on sheesha smoking. Junaid said they had stopped business before the ban was imposed.

With restaurants, eateries and cafes mushrooming across the capital, one can only hope that event management companies will do their groundwork prior to hosting red-carpet events in future. Case in point, making a guest list.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2013.