Chef Ahmad Halawa is a Palestinian chef who describes himself as a specialist in long Levantine tables — and that is exactly what he creates. He invites everyone to gather around the table and experience Palestinian (and more broadly, Levantine) cuisine. His goal is simple: to share the culinary legacy he loves and to help others fall in love with it too. Another part of his mission is to create an atmosphere where everyone feels at home — especially in Dubai, where many people live far from their families and miss that sense of belonging.

Ahmad Halawa didn’t start his career by hosting dinners right away. He worked in marketing for nine years first. But honestly, it was clear from the beginning that cooking would become his life’s passion. Everyone in his family cooked, experimented with recipes, and loved to welcome guests — that is how he was raised. And now, he is finally where he belongs: creating unforgettable dinners that bring people together.

— Ahmad, we will definitely talk about food today, but first, before becoming a chef and dedicating your life to this craft, you worked in marketing for nine years, right?

— Yes, right after university, I started working in advertising. It was eye-opening. I learned how to communicate, how to deal with clients, how to work with creative teams to build campaigns and launch products.

I worked in several multinational agencies, and that was a big step for me. It gave me exposure to different markets and industries. I was good at what I did — I have always been a people person, and that helped me grow.

In 2016, I moved to Dubai after getting an offer from a well-known local company. Once I arrived, I fell in love with the city. It is inspiring, it pushes you to do more, to unlearn old habits, to adapt to its rhythm. The move was smooth; I already had friends here, and I quickly got back into advertising and marketing, with new clients and new challenges.

Three years later, I started hosting small dinners at home. I have always loved bringing people together, and being Palestinian, I felt there was a gap in how we share our food and culture. Around that time, I went to a supper club called A Story of Food. The chef, Neha Mishra, was so warm and welcoming — it was a beautiful dinner.

That is when ideas started forming. I wanted to host Palestinian dinners. I didn’t know if I should do them at home or somewhere else, but I decided… just start. Weekends only, keeping my job, spending all my free time doing what I love. My goal was simple — to introduce people to Palestinian, and more broadly, Levantine, cuisine.

So I started hosting dinners on Saturdays — one per week — doing everything myself: cooking, cleaning, hosting. This was late 2019, while I was still working full-time as an agency director. It was exhausting, but I didn’t care. There was this fire in me, and those dinners fueled my whole week.

Back then, I didn’t have the systems or experience I have now, but I just kept going. People were so supportive — friends even opened their homes for my first four dinners before my own place was ready. Their belief in what I was doing gave me so much strength.

By December 2019, I finally started hosting from my own home. And now, five years later, it is amazing to look back and see how far it is come.

— Okay, now, let’s dive into your very first supper club. Do you remember it? How many people came? Who were they? What did you cook? Please tell me everything.

— The first dinner was at my friend Kevin’s house. It wasn’t a big thing — maybe ten people in total. Most of them were friends, but there were also a few people I didn’t know.

I was still figuring everything out, running around trying to make sure everything went smoothly. I didn’t have the calm or confidence I have now. These days, I can host a table of thirty and still take a nap in the afternoon — a proper nap! Back then, I was nervous but so excited.

I cooked a few dishes that are still on my menu today — like Musakhan rolls, a Palestinian classic, and Fattet Batinjan, an aubergine dish with tomato sauce, tahini, and yoghurt. I also made ma’loubeh that night — the dish you flip upside down before serving. Some people make it with eggplant, others with cauliflower, and it can be done with chicken or lamb. I love both, but I usually go for the eggplant and lamb version.

— Why did you choose those dishes for your first dinner?

— I have always loved them. And also, these dishes really represent us, something made with olive oil, which, as you know, is very close to our hearts in Palestine. Olive oil is such a core part of who we are, and it shows up in so many dishes I cook.

Since we were kids, we’d always pick olives during harvest season. My dad used to take us out to help — even when we were really young. It is something I will definitely pass on to my kids one day — to experience the olive harvest, to feel that connection.

— Looking back, what are some mistakes you made early on?

— Actually, I remember, I didn’t serve dessert at that first dinner! One of my friends gave me such a hard time for it — she was like, “How can you not have dessert?” And I just laughed, telling her, “Next time, I promise.” So, not having dessert on the menu — that was a big mistake!

Or maybe not decorating the table enough. It was nice, but pretty simple — the focus was all on the food, not the setup. Still, no one cared but me. The guests were happy.

That first dinner gave me such a great feeling. I thought, okay, I can do this again. So I hosted the next week, and the next, and the next — until late March 2020.

— COVID hit, and you had to stop hosting.

— Yes. We couldn’t have people over, so I started doing deliveries instead — musakhan rolls and Fattet Batinjan, in different sizes and packages. I did everything myself: cooking, packaging, and even deliveries. I was living alone, still working my full-time job, with my laptop open in the kitchen while I cooked and took calls. I did that for about three months until restrictions were lifted — and then I started hosting again.

The first dinner happened in the summer. We kept it small — ten or twelve guests instead of sixteen, followed the rules, kept the distance — but it was so good to be back.

Then, in February 2021, I woke up one morning and decided it was time. I went to the office, wrote a quick resignation email, and sent it. It felt liberating. For the first time, I owned my week. I told myself, What is the worst that could happen? If it works, great; if not, I can always go back to corporate life.

I took that leap of faith, but not blindly. I already had something running. I always tell people: don’t quit your job before you know what you are building. Start first, let it grow, test it, and see if it can sustain you. Once you are sure, then you can take the next step.

— Great. So, when you first came up with the idea of bringing people together around one long table, your goal was to create a connection. But another goal was to give people a sense of home, right? Especially in Dubai, which is such a melting pot with so many expats.

— You are right, Dubai is such a melting pot. People here come from everywhere, and many of them miss home, just like I did. We all need home, we all miss it, whether we say it out loud or not. Sometimes we just need to gather, to share space and stories, to feel that sense of belonging.

So wanted to create a space where they could come together, share a meal, talk to strangers, and leave as friends. That is what really brings me joy: connection. I have always been a connector, even as a kid. If I knew someone who could inspire or help someone else, I’d introduce them just to see what could happen. Sometimes something comes out of it, sometimes not, but that effort, that intention, means a lot to me.

I also wanted to spread awareness about Palestinian cuisine, where our dishes come from, and what they represent. It is about bringing people together through food. It felt like everything just aligned naturally, a win-win.

That is what my dinners are really about: people coming in with open minds and good energy, ready to meet others and enjoy a beautiful evening. I guide my guests through every dish. I talk about the ingredients, where I source them, and the stories behind them. I’m very open about my recipes, how they came to be, and who inspired them — my mom, my dad, my grandma, my uncles. Every dish carries a piece of home.

— Can you take me behind the scenes a little? Before the supper club, when do you start cooking — and who is helping you out?

— I have a beautiful team. Our core team is four people, and then I bring in extra help depending on the event.

Usually, I do the grocery shopping myself on the day of the dinner. It depends on the menu, though — if there is something that needs a lot of preparation, we will do part of the shopping and some prep the day before. But most of the work happens on the day itself — fresh produce, fresh everything.

We start early, around eight or nine in the morning, and it becomes a full-day thing. By the time guests arrive, we have already been at it for hours — but that is part of the magic. Everything is fresh, and everything comes together just in time.

— And for those who haven’t been to your gatherings, can you share a few of your signature dishes?

— For sure! I’d say I’m known for my ma’loubeh — the famous upside-down rice dish — and also for my knafeh.

My musakhan rolls are still a strong favourite on the menu, too. And lately, I have started experimenting a bit — introducing new dishes like hummus topped with duck meat. It is not exactly traditional, but it works so well. I have been playing and dabbling in the kitchen, creating new recipes and seeing what resonates.

— Once, you mentioned that you had met a lot of interesting people at your table. I want stories!

— Countless stories — really, countless. Over the past five and a half years, I have opened my home to so many people!

I remember once, I hosted a Japanese couple — they were older, living in Australia, visiting their son and daughter-in-law here in Dubai. On their flight, they watched a short film about me — a nine-minute video made with Dubai Tourism and Dubai Culture — and decided to come for dinner. They were so sweet, so warm — like grandparents, really. We had such a lovely evening together. Moments like that are what make it all so special.

Also, during the World Cup, when I was still in my old house, I hosted open gatherings every night. I set up a big screen in the garden, brought in benches and beanbags, and served a casual menu — burgers and knafeh.

One evening, an Emirati lady came and she showed up carrying huge pots of coffee and tea, enough for fifty people. She brought homemade desserts and dates, like she was going to visit an old friend. It was the sweetest thing. She was so warm, like a typical mama! She and her friends filled the space with this beautiful energy.

— By the way, what dish do you associate most with your mom? And when you cook for your supper club, do you ever dedicate a dish to her?

— Yeah, I usually make two dishes that are often cooked together — jaj mahshi, which is stuffed chicken with rice and minced meat, and Mlokhiyeh Naa’meh, cooked kind of the Egyptian way.

So yeah, these dishes are very much my mom. She makes them really well. Whenever I cook them, I always say, “This is how my mom makes them.”

— Let’s go back to your childhood home for a second — the place where everyone was always cooking. What smells come to your mind when you think of it?

— Cake. I’d say my mom makes the best pineapple cake. It oozes with syrup and flavour, soft and sweet in all the right ways. It is unforgettable.

— Okay, Ahmad, any plans?

— I’d put it this way: there is a restaurant on the horizon, but I won’t say too much about it now — I will reveal more when the time is right!