From the restaurant owner to the pioneering pastry chef, these women are cooking up a storm.

Across the UAE, a new generation of female Emirati chefs is reshaping the country’s dining landscape. Rooted in heritage yet guided by contemporary thinking, their work reflects a deeper shift towards local ingredients, personal storytelling, and modern interpretations of traditional flavours. These women are changing how Emirati cuisine is experienced today and sharing it with the world. 

Chef Sahar Parham Al Awadhi

Chef Sahar Parham Al Awadhi has long been recognised as a pioneer in the UAE’s culinary narrative. As the country’s first Emirati pastry chef, she has built her career around honouring local recipes while championing the use of regional ingredients, reflecting a food culture that is steadily shifting away from reliance on imports towards something more rooted and intentional. In 2022, she earned the title of Best Pastry Chef at the World’s 50 Best MENA Awards and has since shared her knowledge and skills across the country. 

Later this year, Sahar brings her vision to life with the opening of Abra, her much-anticipated debut restaurant. Set to open at Etihad Museum in 2025, Abra will present a new expression of Emirati cuisine, where heritage flavours are reimagined through contemporary plates. It promises a dining experience that honours the past while confidently embracing what’s next.

Chef Arwa Lootah

Chef Arwa Lootah is a self-taught chef. While her background was art and design, her passion for cooking saw her want to learn more and eventually pursue it as a career.  After learning the basics, she furthered her skills at Le Cordon Bleu, where she completed an online degree in Food Merchandising, expanding her understanding of global food systems and contemporary culinary thinking.

Most recently, Lootah partnered with Parlour Boutique for its reopening, curating an exclusive menu that celebrates authentic Emirati flavours through a modern lens. The collaboration reflects her wider body of work, which includes projects with the Museum of the Future and the World Government Summit. Alongside running her micro bakery brand iwara and preparing to launch a culinary lab for experimentation, this latest project signals her ongoing mission to honour heritage while confidently pushing boundaries.

Amna Al Hashemi

The first Emirati woman to own a restaurant, Amna Al Hashemi’s journey into food was anything but conventional. With a background in PR and design and a childhood spent far from the kitchen, Amna left the corporate world behind after discovering a passion for cooking that would change the course of her career. She went on to train as a pastry chef at Dubai’s International Centre for Culinary Arts, laying the foundation for what would become UAE eatery, Mitts & Trays.

What began as a social media concept has since evolved into a much-loved family dining brand, now with multiple locations across Dubai, including its first opening in City Walk. Drawing inspiration from Emirati cuisine, Amna reworks familiar flavours with a modern, personal touch. Beyond the restaurant, she remains committed to mentorship, supporting and inspiring young women to pursue careers in the culinary world.