From Home Cooking to Social Impact: How Two Emirati Women Found Their Passion for Cooking
Two Emirati women have found purpose and success by turning their passion for cooking into meaningful businesses that celebrate cultural identity, empower women and bring communities together.
Mariam Almansoori moved from engineering in the oil and water resources sector to the restaurant industry, while Abeer Al Louz left a career in banking to establish a training platform that uses cooking and baking to create inclusive experiences.
Although their professional backgrounds are different, both entrepreneurs believe that food can connect people, preserve traditions and make a positive difference in society.
Mariam Almansoori: From Engineering to Emirati Cuisine
Mariam Almansoori began her career as an engineer before developing a stronger interest in healthy food and traditional Emirati cooking. Encouraged by her family, she gradually turned her interest in home cooking into a professional ambition.
In 2019, she established Montauk, a multi-concept restaurant in Abu Dhabi, with her husband. The business subsequently expanded to four additional branches.
In 2024, she became the first Emirati citizen to win gold at France's Best of Gastronomy award, according to the report. She also serves as a judge at culinary and Arabic coffee competitions.
Alongside managing her business and raising six children, Almansoori has continued working to promote Emirati food traditions.
Preserving Traditional Emirati Food
In July 2025, Almansoori opened Kashtat Amina in Sharjah, a restaurant dedicated to authentic Emirati cuisine. The restaurant is named after her mother and reflects the influence of her parents' approaches to food, hospitality and presentation.
She believes preserving traditional cuisine involves more than keeping recipes alive. It also means sharing the stories, memories and cultural identity associated with each dish with younger generations.
Almansoori is also developing a culinary academy and hopes to achieve Michelin recognition in the future if the guide expands to Sharjah.
She wants to help Emirati women working with her develop their skills, confidence and independence so they can build their own professional careers.
Abeer Al Louz: Using Cooking to Support Communities
Abeer Al Louz followed a different path. After graduating in business from UAE University and working in banking, she discovered a new purpose during a visit to Syrian refugee camps in Jordan in 2018.
Travelling with the Emirates Red Crescent, she conducted pastry workshops for children affected by displacement. The experience inspired her to establish a project that would use baking as a way to bring people together and offer meaningful learning experiences.
In 2019, she launched Tajrubah, a training platform focused on cooking, baking and community engagement.
The initiative aims to provide participants with opportunities to learn new skills, connect with others and enjoy a break from everyday pressures.
Inclusive Workshops for Different Communities
A key feature of Tajrubah is its focus on people who may face barriers to participation.
Al Louz has organised baking activities for elderly Emiratis, including workshops introducing them to English scones. She has also planned sessions for people in recovery, with a psychologist studying the potential wellbeing benefits of baking.
One notable initiative was a cooking workshop designed for participants with hearing impairments. Supported by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the workshop included a professional interpreter to facilitate communication.
Although Al Louz did not know sign language, she prepared by learning essential kitchen terms with the interpreter before the session.
The experience reinforced her belief that inclusive activities can help people connect and learn from one another, regardless of communication barriers.
She is now working on a baking book and a wellbeing study connected to her work.
Two Journeys, One Shared Purpose
Mariam Almansoori and Abeer Al Louz have taken different routes into the food industry, but their work reflects a shared belief in the power of cooking.
For Almansoori, food is a way to preserve Emirati heritage, honour family traditions and create opportunities for women. For Al Louz, cooking and baking provide a platform for inclusion, community engagement and personal development.
Their journeys demonstrate how professional changes can lead to new opportunities and how a passion for food can extend beyond the kitchen to create cultural and social value.
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