• Palestinian-Jordanian restaurateur Salam Dakkak of Bait Maryam has won the Middle East and North Africa's Best Female Chef 2023 award from the World's 50 Best group. All photos: Bait Maryam
    Palestinian-Jordanian restaurateur Salam Dakkak of Bait Maryam has won the Middle East and North Africa's Best Female Chef 2023 award from the World's 50 Best group. All photos: Bait Maryam
  • Bait Maryam restaurant in JLT specialises in homestyle Levantine dishes, inspired by chef Dakkak's mother, Maryam
    Bait Maryam restaurant in JLT specialises in homestyle Levantine dishes, inspired by chef Dakkak's mother, Maryam
  • The hummus with pine nuts is a must-try dish, says chef Dakkak
    The hummus with pine nuts is a must-try dish, says chef Dakkak
  • The tabbouleh is another must-try
    The tabbouleh is another must-try
  • The fatet muskhan is one example of the authentic Palestinian dishes the restaurant prides itself on
    The fatet muskhan is one example of the authentic Palestinian dishes the restaurant prides itself on
  • Among desserts, the rice pudding comes highly recommended
    Among desserts, the rice pudding comes highly recommended
  • As do the kunafa cheese rolls
    As do the kunafa cheese rolls

Bait Maryam chef Salam Dakkak named Mena's Best Female Chef 2023


Panna Munyal
  • English
  • Arabic

The first time I met Salam Dakkak, we were both reaching for the last canape at the Michelin Guide Dubai unveiling ceremony in June. Despite my protests, she graciously insisted I eat it (“Feeding people is what I do, after all,” she says), admitting she was a touch nervous about whether her restaurant, Bait Maryam, would be acknowledged at the star-studded event.

She needn’t have worried. Not only was Dakkak’s restaurant one of 14 in Michelin’s Bib Gourmand category, but she also took home the Welcome & Service award, a nod to the high level of hospitality she prides herself on.

The next time I met the Palestinian-Jordanian chef, she was on home turf, reigning large as the mother figure at the cosy JLT restaurant that serves Levantine cuisine and that she has been running since 2017. Hearteningly, she had also just been named the Middle East and North Africa's Best Female Chef 2023 by the World’s 50 Best group, a food and beverage award-bestowing body that is, arguably, as popular as the Michelin Guide. The debut list for the Mena region was revealed in Abu Dhabi in February, with the second set to be announced on January 30.

“I am now convinced that hard work pays off,” Dakkak says of her 50 Best award. “It makes me feel happy and accomplished, yes, but with it also comes the desire to do more and the responsibility to be both more successful and more supportive of others in my field.”

Dakkak says F&B awards are crucial for the industry because they bring about a level of credibility and help to put restaurants and countries on the culinary world map. “Most importantly, though, it is the biggest compliment to be recognised for serving Middle Eastern food, which has not yet got the recognition it deserves.

The fatet muskhan is one example of the authentic Palestinian dishes the restaurant prides itself on serving. Photo: Bait Maryam
The fatet muskhan is one example of the authentic Palestinian dishes the restaurant prides itself on serving. Photo: Bait Maryam

“For most people, Arabic only means Lebanese food, while we specialise in Palestinian dishes alongside a mix of other Levantine cuisine, including dishes from Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Even common dishes like dolma, stuffed vine leaves, are prepared differently in the four countries, not to mention musakhan, makluba and mansaf.”

Dakkak was 54 when she opened Bait Maryam and says she’s had “a long and lovely journey”, which started with her observing her mother, Maryam, cooking the simplest of dishes with love and treating even the most basic ingredients with respect. “This encouraged me to always cook from my heart, and enabled me to change a bad mood to good just by entering the kitchen,” she says.

In 1999, Dakkak moved to Saudi Arabia, where she opened a cooking school with only eight chairs. “It went from eight to 16, and then some people even brought their own chairs with them,” she says. She also consulted with two hotels to train their sous chefs on preparing authentic dishes.

In 2004, Dakkak and her family moved to Houston in the US, where she met a mother-son duo running an Arabic restaurant called Fadi’s. “I admired that lady so much that she sparked in me the dream of one day opening my own restaurant. And so Bait Maryam, or home of Maryam, named after my mother, was born after we moved to the UAE.” The JLT spot is replete with homely touches, including Dakkak’s mother's lace curtains and her sewing machine.

Bait Maryam is locted in cluster D, JLT, Dubai. Photo: Bait Maryam
Bait Maryam is locted in cluster D, JLT, Dubai. Photo: Bait Maryam

The end game is to serve homestyle meals. “I never wanted a fine-dining restaurant with showy dishes, but rather for every guest, whether Arab or not, to feel like they are coming home.”

It’s why Dakkak recommends sampling the hummus and tabbouleh above all else. “If a restaurant does these right, you know it will serve good food.”

As the recipient of the Mena’s Best Female Chef award, Dakkak follows in the footsteps of Bahraini chef Tala Bashmi, who won the award in 2022. And yet the two could not be more different: where Bashmi — who Dakkak describes as “amazing” — is known for her highly experamentative fusion cuisine (think soft-shell crab with cardamom pickled cabbage, harissa honey, micro herbs, finger lime and mehyawa aioli), Salam is all about simple, home-cooked meals.

“It goes to show that there is room for both styles of cooking at this point in time. I also believe that ours is a restaurant that a person can come and eat in every day; how many other places can you say that about? I am pleased that both the Michelin and Mena’s 50 Best awards acknowledge that this style of food is as important, maybe even more so.”

Scroll through the gallery below to see which other restaurants were included on Michelin's Bib Gourmand list in Dubai

  • A mixed grill from Al Khayma in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. The Emirati food restaurant made it into the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list for Dubai. Photo: Al Khayma / Instagram
    A mixed grill from Al Khayma in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. The Emirati food restaurant made it into the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand list for Dubai. Photo: Al Khayma / Instagram
  • Bait Maryam also won the Welcome and Service Award from Michelin. Photo: Bait Maryam
    Bait Maryam also won the Welcome and Service Award from Michelin. Photo: Bait Maryam
  • The interiors of Brasserie Boulud feature decor inspired by art deco design, with a mirrored ceiling, dramatic chandeliers and neutral tones. Photo: Brasserie Boulud
    The interiors of Brasserie Boulud feature decor inspired by art deco design, with a mirrored ceiling, dramatic chandeliers and neutral tones. Photo: Brasserie Boulud
  • Fi'lia is located on the 70th floor of SLS Dubai, with skyline views of Dubai. Photo: Fi'lia
    Fi'lia is located on the 70th floor of SLS Dubai, with skyline views of Dubai. Photo: Fi'lia
  • Folly has a fabulous terrace and indoor seating at its Madinat Jumeirah location. Photo: folly
    Folly has a fabulous terrace and indoor seating at its Madinat Jumeirah location. Photo: folly
  • Japanese restaurant Goldfish is famous for sushi and yakitori. Photo: Instagram
    Japanese restaurant Goldfish is famous for sushi and yakitori. Photo: Instagram
  • Lebanese seafood restaurant Ibn Al Bahr made the Bib Gourmand list. Photo: Instagram
    Lebanese seafood restaurant Ibn Al Bahr made the Bib Gourmand list. Photo: Instagram
  • Colourful interiors are the centrepiece at Indya by Vineet. Photo: Indya by Vineet
    Colourful interiors are the centrepiece at Indya by Vineet. Photo: Indya by Vineet
  • Neha Mishra, owner and founder-chef of Kinoya, prepares food at the restaurant. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
    Neha Mishra, owner and founder-chef of Kinoya, prepares food at the restaurant. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
  • Middle Eastern restaurant Ninive is in Emirates Towers. Photo: Ninive
    Middle Eastern restaurant Ninive is in Emirates Towers. Photo: Ninive
  • Orfali Bros in wasl 51 is where this red umami prawns dish is available. Photo: Orfali Bros
    Orfali Bros in wasl 51 is where this red umami prawns dish is available. Photo: Orfali Bros
  • Eighteen-hour ramen from Reif Japanese Kushiyaki. Photo: Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
    Eighteen-hour ramen from Reif Japanese Kushiyaki. Photo: Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
  • Shabestan is an authentic Iranian restaurant. Photo: Shabestan
    Shabestan is an authentic Iranian restaurant. Photo: Shabestan
  • Teible, at Jameel Arts Centre, focuses on fresh, local, seasonal and creatively combined ingredients. Photo: Teible
    Teible, at Jameel Arts Centre, focuses on fresh, local, seasonal and creatively combined ingredients. Photo: Teible
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)

Date started: August 2021

Founder: Nour Sabri

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace

Size: Two employees

Funding stage: Seed investment

Initial investment: $200,000

Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East) 

RESULTS

Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The Details

Kabir Singh

Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series

Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa

Rating: 2.5/5 

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
%3Cp%3EYears%3A%20October%202015%20-%20June%202024%3Cbr%3ETotal%20games%3A%20491%3Cbr%3EWin%20percentage%3A%2060.9%25%3Cbr%3EMajor%20trophies%3A%206%20(Premier%20League%20x%201%2C%20Champions%20League%20x%201%2C%20FA%20Cup%20x%201%2C%20League%20Cup%20x%202%2C%20Fifa%20Club%20World%20Cup%20x1)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')

Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

At a glance

- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years

- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills

- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis

- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector

- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes

- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Switch%20Foods%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Edward%20Hamod%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Plant-based%20meat%20production%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2034%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%246.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20round%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Based%20in%20US%20and%20across%20Middle%20East%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Civil%20War
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alex%20Garland%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kirsten%20Dunst%2C%20Cailee%20Spaeny%2C%20Wagner%20Moura%2C%20Nick%20Offerman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

TOURNAMENT INFO

2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier

Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs

Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar

Hamilton profile

Age 32

Country United Kingdom

Grands Prix entered 198

Pole positions 67

Wins 57

Podiums 110

Points 2,423

World Championships 3

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.

Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.

Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.

When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Cashew%0D%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202020%0D%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Ibtissam%20Ouassif%20and%20Ammar%20Afif%0D%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%0D%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%2410m%0D%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Mashreq%2C%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The team

Videographer: Jear Velasquez 

Photography: Romeo Perez 

Fashion director: Sarah Maisey 

Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory 

Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG 

Video assistant: Zanong Maget 

Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud  

Updated: December 07, 2022, 9:45 AM