Emirati women build businesses from cooking
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Mariam Almansoori, formerly an engineer in the United Arab Emirates, transitioned to the restaurant industry and recently won a gold award at France’s ‘Best of Gastronomy’ competition.
After starting Montauk in Abu Dhabi, she opened Kashtat Amina in Sharjah, a restaurant focused on authentic Emirati cuisine inspired by her mother and father’s cooking styles. Almansoori also plans to launch a culinary academy and hopes to earn Michelin recognition for her restaurants.
Abeer Al Louz, a business graduate from UAE University, founded Tajrubah, a training platform, after volunteering with the Emirates Red Crescent in Syrian refugee camps. While there, she led pastry workshops for children and realised she wanted to create a project of her own. Tajrubah focuses on inclusive workshops, considering who is often excluded, and has hosted sessions for elderly Emirati citizens, people in recovery, and participants with hearing impairments.
Both women prioritize passing on knowledge and empowering other Emirati women through their businesses. Almansoori aims to help her employees build their own careers, while Al Louz designs workshops to be accessible to everyone, regardless of background or ability.
