The new luxury: how alumnus Ashraf Fala is transforming five-star hotels with hydroponic farming

Not content with launching the first organic hydroponic fresh vegetables farm in the Red Sea area of Egypt, alumnus Ashraf Fala is taking things a step further and aiming to transform the region’s hospitality landscape.

Ashraf Fala, Bachelor’s graduate from Les Roches Crans-Montana in 2012, is no stranger to ambitious projects. After playing a key role in the family’s five-star hotel, Caribbean World Resorts Soma Bay, after graduation, he went on to co-found O’Roots Hydroponic Farms alongside his brother Fady.

Not even the COVID-19 crisis was able to stand in his way, with the farm – O’Roots – experiencing significant growth since its opening in 2019, expanding from just two greenhouses to 16 and supplying premium fresh produce to leading hotels and restaurants in Egypt. With Fady overseeing operations and Ashraf leading business strategy, O’Roots has become a benchmark for sustainable farming in the region.

But standing still is not in Ashraf’s nature. As well as holding down his role as Partner, Business Development and Marketing Communication with the family business, he is also planning to launch a fine-dining establishment called Botanica Greenhouse Restaurant that will call upon all his areas of expertise.Ashraf took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to talk about his new ventures, his experiences over the past few years and how a Les Roches education has been central to helping him cement his success.

Reinventing fine dining

“This project has actually been four years in the planning and we almost had to cancel it at one point,” he says, speaking about the extraordinary restaurant he and his business partner are working on that’s due to open in October. “It’s been hugely challenging, but that’s not surprising given the extent of what we’re trying to achieve here.”

Botanica Greenhouse Restaurant is more than just a dining destination, it’s a completely new culinary experience. Located in El Gouna, the fine-dining venture brings together innovation, sustainability and gourmet excellence.

Close mentor and strategic partner Samih Sawiris has played a vital role in shaping its vision. And with El Gouna’s dining scene rapidly evolving, Ashraf and Samih have refined Botanica’s positioning, blending interactive hydroponic farming with world-class cuisine.

“El Gouna is now home to top-tier international restaurants,” says Ashraf. “That’s why Botanica had to stand out, not just as another fine-dining venue, but as a completely unique, farm-driven experience.

“At Botanica, guests will hand pick fresh hydroponic ingredients before chefs transform them into gourmet dishes. The restaurant will bridge the gap between food, sustainability and luxury, offering an unmatched farm-to-fork journey in one of Egypt’s most sophisticated destinations.”

Overcoming obstacles

Such an ambitious venture means overcoming the logistical challenges associated with a hydroponic farm in the desert. It also involves architectural headaches and the small matter of finding the right personnel to help make the vision a reality.

“One of the things holding up the process – we were originally due to open in April – is the ongoing search for our head chef,” says Ashraf. “Both my business partner and I are incredibly demanding and the position is critically important to the success of the venture. We have to get this right, so the process is taking longer than expected.

“But the biggest obstacle we have faced so far is getting the place built. Originally, the architects planned to have the entire building as a greenhouse, but to do that would have been prohibitively expensive. In the end, we had to hire different architects who were more in tune with our vision and that helped us keep the project on track. The concept to build a water network under the flooring of a marble restaurant and then make a hydroponic vertical wall is still challenging and frustrating at certain points, but it is now more realistic.”

Valuable learning experiences

So how has a Les Roches hospitality education helped Ashraf negotiate the challenges he has faced in his ambitious projects to date? If the evidence of his going back to the school to pursue an executive course is anything to go by, it definitely had its value.

“I graduated in 2012, which is a long time ago in the hospitality world and a lot has changed since then,” he says. “So I recently went back to do the online hotel evaluation course. That was really useful and has helped keep me up to date with the latest hospitality trends.

“Funnily enough, on several occasions during the past few years when I’ve been working on different projects, I’ve been reminded of my time at Les Roches. Most notably, while developing Botanica, one of the projects I did in the second year designing kitchens came to mind. And when I was refining the produce offer for O’Roots, it made me think back to the fruit and vegetables naming task we were set during the first semester.”

But it’s not just fond memories Ashraf has taken from his Les Roches experience – both the hospitality and the entrepreneurship skills he developed there have been particularly valuable in his career to date.

“In the last year at Les Roches, I learned a lot about business,” he says. “And that taught me how to position my hydroponic farm, how to price my products, how to do a proper sales marketing plan and how to organize my workflow. Obviously, the hospitality industry knowledge has been extremely useful too – my main business is hotels and restaurants. It was instrumental in helping get O’Roots off the ground because I knew what my target customers needed and, especially during Covid when we had to broaden our customer base, that was critical.”

Rising to one challenge, taking on another

As circumstances would have it, Ashraf will need to call on all the skills and know-how he’s developed at Les Roches and in the intervening years to make the restaurant a success

True to form, he is not shrinking from the challenge. In fact, he’s taken on another high-profile project, this time for the family business. Building on the strong foundation laid by his father in the hospitality industry, Ashraf is now bringing a revolutionary concept to life: Caribbean Oasis.

This new resort, seamlessly integrated with O’Roots, will allow guests to experience an authentic farm-to-table journey. Nestled between the Red Sea and lush hydroponic gardens, the hotel will redefine sustainable luxury, offering curated dining experiences, interactive farming activities and immersive wellness retreats.

“We’re not just building a hotel,” says Ashraf. “We’re building a new concept, creating an experience where sustainability meets five-star hospitality.

“Caribbean Oasis will be the only hotel in the Middle East connected to its own hydroponic farm, allowing guests to harvest their own produce and have it prepared by in-house chefs. With sustainability at its core, the resort will feature an aquapark, a wellness spa and an unparalleled culinary program driven by fresh, locally grown ingredients.”

As the hospitality industry shifts towards experiential luxury and sustainability, Ashraf’s integrated approach is positioning him as a genuine leader in the field – and one that’s seen him shortlisted as a finalist in this year’s annual Forty Under 40 Africa Awards.

With O’Roots driving sustainable food innovation, Caribbean Oasis redefining eco-luxury resorts and Botanica setting new culinary standards, his vision is paving the way for the future of hospitality in Egypt, the Middle East and beyond.

“This is a particularly exciting time for me because I’m combining my education, the expertise I’ve gained from my side hustle and the experience I’ve built up in the family business,” he says. “So while there are frustrations and challenges along the way, I’m enjoying every minute of it.”