Sharjah24: Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC), Sharjah’s largest high-end venue for all types of social and corporate events and catering services, has announced that it is open for business again after weathering the unprecedented challenges presented by 2020, utilising the down time for maintenance and refurbishment work that has served to enhance its world-class amenities.

Strict safety protocols

“JRCC plays an important role in supporting the social and economic development of the emirate through the various activities it hosts. Ensuing the lockdowns in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, we took the opportunity to undertake maintenance and refurbishment work in our venues including in the eastern central and eastern regions, Dibba Al Hisn and Khofakkan, as we envisioned offering services that lived up to the best health and safety standards upon re-opening our doors to the public. JRCC is now fully equipped and host safe events, and we are ready to deliver on the expectations of our clients whose satisfaction, safety and wellbeing remain our top priority,” said Hanan Al Mahmoud, CEO of JRCC.
Her statement follows a successful risk assessment procedure undertaken by the JRCC management, which included reviewing the venue’s physical safety infrastructure comprising thermal screening cameras; separate entry and exit points for all their halls and meeting areas; increased frequency of air filtration and cleaning of air-conditioning systems; introduction of touchless technologies for accessing the facilities, thereby minimising physical contact points; and regular inspection and audit of their kitchens and food preparation areas by internal and external auditors, among several other measures.

2,000 events in seven years

Since its establishment in 2013 under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness The Ruler of Sharjah, JRCC has been the venue of choice for nearly 2,000 events which included several high-profile international conferences and forums, corporate functions, exhibitions and weddings, among others. 

The largest state-of-the-art convention venue in the Northern Emirates – spread across an area of 5,127 square metres, which can be divided into three smaller soundproof halls – has served 850,000 satisfied customers so far, offering outstanding hospitality and catering services delivered by a team of experts who have won JRCC 188 culinary medals so far since its inception.
Outstanding catering services 
Since 2016, JRCC’s star-studded culinary team has also been the caterer of choice for private and public functions held elsewhere, customising their services to create memorable experiences through their elegant menus whether for intimate gatherings at home, business events or cocktail receptions. They have catered to 328 such functions so far and are gearing up to serve many more in future.

New services launched

The semi-government establishment launched two new services in 2020, a Pick-up Menu and Afternoon Tea. Responding to high demand from regular visitors, JRCC has created a special menu that includes all their high-demand dishes, which can be ordered in advance and picked up from JRCC. Their take-away service proved very popular throughout 2020, with diners choosing to mostly stay at home.

Their Afternoon Tea fare features a selection of custom-made scones, specially created sandwiches desserts and tea blends.

Workshops held

Partnering with the Sharjah Youth Centers, JRCC organised two workshops in 2020. They included a one-day class in cooking titled ‘Art of Cooking’ on December 14, where the institution’s celebrated Chef Rami Al Jebraiel taught participants the art of creating a three-course meal. The chef has been teaching several classes over the past years.
A 5-day extensive programme on event management presented by experts was held from December 19 – 23 where participants learnt everything from organising a banquet service to choosing the right catering for an event.

ArchEatable Award

Keeping with its tradition of winning awards for its outstanding services, JRCC’s Executive Sous Chef, Aravinda Lelarathna won first place at the ArchEatable Awards organised by the American University of Dubai last December, a project that explored pastry art from architectural point of view. 

Speaking about the institution’s achievements, Al Mahmoud emphasised: “Over the past year, we all have faced unprecedented challenges across the board. But thanks to the unfailing trust and support of our customers and partners and backed by the dedication of our talented employees, we have not only stayed afloat, but actually moved forward.”
 
“We aim to seize opportunities and maintain robust growth in the long run by hosting key national and international events, and offer best-in-class catering services that will contribute to boosting Sharjah’s position as a leading destination for conferences and business tourism. In line with these goals.”

JRCC is renowned for providing world-class hospitality services in the Northern Emirates, delivered by a passionate, customer-orientated and dedicated team of experts. To help achieve its mission of creating state-of-the-art events, JRCC offers a wide range of exclusive in-house services, including logistics, audio and visual, catering, communication and event planning services.