For Jason Bassili Dubai represents far more than a place to build a successful restaurant business. Having grown up around his family’s food operations, Bassili has spent decades developing a deep connection with hospitality, food, and the people who make Dubai’s dining scene what it is today. In a recent interview, he reflects on his journey, the story behind Three Cuts Steakhouse & Bar, and his vision for the future of homegrown brands in the UAE.
Today, Jason Bassili is the driving force behind a portfolio of Dubai-born concepts, including Three Cuts, Sal’s Bistro, Sal’s Sushi Bar, Sal’s Burger Kitchen, and Casa Della Pasta. His family’s food legacy also includes Le Fumoir by Joe Bassili, founded by his father Joe Bassili. Together, these concepts reflect a long-standing commitment to creating businesses that are rooted in Dubai while responding to the evolving expectations of its diners.
For Jason Bassili, a career in food and beverage began long before he was running restaurants. Some of his earliest memories involve spending time with his father in the family smokehouse, helping with the equipment and learning about the craft behind the business.
He recalls beginning to help his father when he was around four years old, describing those early experiences as an important part of their father-son relationship. That exposure gave Bassili an appreciation for food production, quality ingredients, and the work that happens behind the scenes long before something reaches a restaurant table.
Bassili has lived in Dubai since 2004, giving him a front-row view of the city’s transformation into one of the world’s most competitive dining destinations. For him, building homegrown brands has a particular significance because the businesses have developed alongside the city itself.
Three Cuts is one of the clearest expressions of this approach. Rather than creating a concept designed simply to follow international restaurant trends, Bassili wanted to establish an old-school steakhouse with the potential to become a long-term Dubai institution.
The wider portfolio follows the same philosophy, with Sal’s and Casa Della Pasta offering different interpretations of contemporary dining while remaining firmly connected to the local market.
The creation of Three Cuts was years in the making. The restaurant was originally expected to open before the COVID-19 pandemic, but its launch was delayed. For Bassili, finally turning on the restaurant’s signature fire and cooking the first steak represented a significant personal and professional milestone.
The restaurant’s oak, olive wood and charcoal fire sits at the heart of its cooking philosophy, while the menu focuses on premium cuts and straightforward preparation. The concept was built around the idea of creating an old-school steakhouse that could stand the test of time rather than constantly chasing the next trend.
That philosophy remains central to Jason Bassili Dubai and his approach to hospitality: give guests something they can trust, execute it consistently, and create an environment they want to return to.
One of the moments that stands out most for Bassili came during Three Cuts’ first anniversary. After the challenges surrounding the restaurant’s opening, there was understandable uncertainty about how the celebration would be received.
Instead, more than 500 guests attended.
Hundreds of steaks and oysters were served as customers, friends, family, and supporters filled the venue. For Bassili and his father, the response represented more than a successful event. It demonstrated that the restaurant had begun to establish a genuine connection with the community.
After more than two decades in Dubai, Bassili has watched diners become increasingly knowledgeable and internationally experienced. The city’s multicultural population means guests arrive with expectations shaped by restaurants in London, New York, Hong Kong, and other major culinary destinations.
For Bassili, this makes consistency particularly important. His view is that restaurants do not necessarily need to surprise customers at every visit. Instead, they need to deliver on the expectations they have created.
That means good food, reliable service, quality ingredients, and an experience that encourages guests to return. For Three Cuts, this principle is reflected in the restaurant’s focus on premium steaks, hospitality, and a distinctive atmosphere.
Bassili believes Dubai has significant potential for the next generation of homegrown restaurant concepts. As the city’s food scene continues to develop, he sees opportunities for entrepreneurs and chefs to identify gaps in the market and build distinctive businesses around quality.
His own approach is deliberately focused on longevity rather than rapid expansion. When discussing the future of Three Cuts, Bassili explains that his ambition is not to open numerous locations simply for the sake of growth. Instead, he wants Three Cuts to remain a flagship establishment that people continue visiting for decades.
That long-term perspective is central to the story of Jason Bassili Dubai. His success has been built not only around individual restaurants, but around the idea of creating brands that can become part of Dubai’s culinary identity.
Despite working with premium ingredients professionally, Bassili’s favourite dish to prepare at home is surprisingly uncomplicated: spaghetti bolognese. His approach, however, involves adding layers of flavour through spices, honey, and other ingredients.
When dining out, he turns to Japanese cuisine and has a particular appreciation for sushi. Salmon also holds a special place in his culinary preferences, reflecting both his family’s history in the smoked salmon business and his personal connection to the ingredient.
For Bassili, the future of Three Cuts is ultimately about creating something dependable. His ambition is for the restaurant to remain relevant five, ten, and even twenty years from now.
As Dubai’s dining landscape continues to evolve, new concepts will continue to emerge and competition will continue to increase. Bassili’s response is not to chase every trend, but to remain focused on quality, consistency, and hospitality.
From his childhood experiences in his father’s smokehouse to his work developing Three Cuts and other homegrown brands, Jason Bassili Dubai is a story of family, entrepreneurship, and a long-term commitment to the city’s food and beverage industry.
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B
assili Co Family
Three Cuts is not alone in its pursuit of experience-driven dining. As a member of Bassili Co, we stand alongside a family of destinations that celebrate culture, craft, and character:
