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“Success is not only measured by financial results but also by cultural relevance.” Ahmad Al Marri on launching Canvas Gelato against the odds and why community support was crucial to his success.
This week, Hashem invited Ahmad Al Marri, Founder of Dubai-based ice cream brand Canvas Gelato to the hot seat....
28th July 20220 -
“Everyone has written off Dubai at one point.” Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim on how Dubai bounced back post-pandemic and what lies ahead for its culinary scene.
This week Hashem and guest host Samantha Wood aka FooDiva catch up with Issam Kazim, CEO of DTCM. “Not...
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“Energy and lots of seasoning…that’s nafas.” Mohamad Orfali and his sensational culinary pivot from TV chef to award winning restaurateur…and what makes a really good mulukhiya!
Hashem catches up with Mohamad Orfali, TV celebrity chef extraordinaire, restaurateur and co-founder of the award winning Orfali Bros...
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“I’ve always been a strong believer in offering financial services to the unbanked.” Mounir Nakhla on turbo-charging growth at Egypt’s leading FinTech startup Halan
In this week’s episode we connect with Mounir Nakhla, CEO and Co-Founder of Egypt’s leading FinTech start-up ‘Halan’ which...
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“The issue with progress is that it’s seldom linear.” Nadia Wassef on narrative structure, trafficking in nostalgia and life after publishing a debut memoir.
This week, we reunite with a previous guest; author and friend of The Lighthouse, Nadia Wassef. Since our first...
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“I can figure out your personality by walking around your space.” Anoud Alzaben on the process of creating and immortalizing ephemeral tablescapes.
We are joined this week by multidisciplinary Jordanian designer Anoud Alzaben who we first met at The Lighthouse when...
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“I’m half woman, half to-do list!” Stasha Toncev on her improbable journey from Belgrade to Dubai and what it took to launch Balkan bistro 21 Grams
This week we sit with Stasha Toncev, founder of Dubai’s award-winning Balkan bistro, 21 Grams. Hailed in the media,...
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“The Michelin Guides are consistent; one star in Dubai equals one star in Paris” Michelin Guides’ Gwendal Poullennec debunks urban legends surrounding the iconic restaurant guide which just announced its Dubai chapter
Hashem and his co-host Samantha Wood aka FooDiva sit down with Gwendal Poullennec, the Guides’ International Director. Over coffee...
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MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants Behind the Scenes with Claudia de Brito and Samantha Wood “The fact that we have this list is a vote of confidence for the MENA region.”
To mark the occasion of the Middle East's recent inclusion in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, we catch up with...
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“If you want to employ more women, design your workplace around it.” Rania Masri El Khatib’s call to arms for female employees is loud and clear.
We sat with Rania Masri El Khatib, Founder of the RMK Collective, a transformation and experience design advisory. Rania...
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“You can’t force a talent to go into production.” Cyril Zammit on Dubai’s evolving design landscape, the role of government support and the future of NFTs.
This week we caught up with Cyril Zammit, design advisor and former director of the renowned fair for collectible...
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“Most of the time I’m right when it comes to food.” Bedouinfoodie Hani AlMalki on the multi-cultural cuisine of the Hijaz region, why Saudi’s culinary scene is about to pop and the real origins of Hummus
This week we met up with Hani AlMalki aka Bedouinfoodie, Dubai-based restaurant reviewer extraordinaire and food history buff. Hani...
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2021: A Podcast Odyssey
Yay, The Lighthouse turns five! To some this year might feel like “2020, Part Three” but to us it...
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“Food is an open ended problem, we’ll never perfect it.” Amir Allam, Founder of Egypt’s biggest food discovery platform Elmenus on his obsession with problem solving & how he will meet his biggest challenge yet – building Elmenus to scale.
On this week’s episode, Hashem caught up with Amir Allam, a fellow Egyptian and graduate of the infamous DEO,...
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“Investors look for traction and Founder’s pedigree.” Ramy Adeeb shares his journey from computer science to building his own venture capital firm, 1984 Ventures.
As fellow Egyptians and graduates of Harvard College in the 90s, Hashem and Ramy Adeeb initially shared a similar...
