“It’s called Nonna’s lasagne because nonna made a great lasagne. But who knew it back then apart from the neighbourhood?” chef Sara Aqel says.
We’re browsing through the menu at Fi’lia, the Italian-Mediterranean restaurant that opened at SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences in June, and the word “nonna” (Italian for grandmother) pops up a lot. The menu is divided into dishes by nonna, mamma and fi’lia, the last word being a truncated form of the Italian word for daughter, figlia, in what is clearly a conscious decision to highlight the achievements – and recipes – of women.
Tasked with having to create much of the menu herself, Aqel relied heavily on traditional recipes from grandmothers – her friends' as well as her own – and her mother. “I would randomly send messages to people asking, ‘Do you remember that dish your mum served? Can you send me the recipe?’” she says, with a laugh.
It explains why Aqel humbly refuses to take full credit for the dishes served.
“The fried calamari is exactly the way someone’s grandmother makes it; the feta al forno is exactly the way my mother and sisters like it,” she says.
However, she does admit that she played a role in tweaking the traditional dishes for Fi’lia.
Taking inspiration from grandmothers and mothers has clearly paid off. Besides the fact it has led to dishes that are authentic and delicious – just one bite of the bresaola burrata pizza or the 18-hour veal ragu and you’ll probably agree – there’s another reason.
“Most of our grandmothers never had a platform where they could actually do it as a profession, earn from it, shine as stars in cooking. Their talent just wasn’t taken seriously,” she says. “This isn’t just about empowering women now, but the generations that have passed and didn’t have the opportunities we do.”
A female-led restaurant in the UAE
Fi’lia's ethos goes beyond its menu. The restaurant prides itself on being women-led, with Aqel heading the team in the kitchen. Aqel, who is of Palestinian-Jordanian descent, trained under Michelin-lauded chef Massimo Bottura, and worked at Burj Al Arab, Four Seasons Hotel Amman and in a club house in Hong Kong. Even more impressive is that she has all of this under her chef’s hat at the age of 25.
She admits, however, to having faced stereotypes related to female chefs during her various jobs. “People think chefs need to look a certain way, act a certain way. It was always either you’re too young or too feminine. And I don’t want to be anything else to be honest. I don’t want to be any less of a girl when I’m cooking.”
While Fi’lia is a female-led team, it’s important to note that it is not exclusively female run. About 70 per cent of the staff are women, with the top position, both in the kitchen and in management, belonging to women.
“We don’t want to exclude men,” Aqel says. “If we did, how are we any different from the previous generations excluding women?”
“I don’t want to take away credit from the men working at Fi’lia. I represent them, too, and they are supportive and want us to succeed. It’s wonderful to have a kitchen that successfully integrates this.”
While it was easy to find highly qualified women to form part of the staff, Aqel says they faced another stereotype. “The question became: can you put so many women in one place and will they work well together?”
“And the answer to that is: it’s the best thing ever. I know them all, right down to their food choices. On my worst days, they’re the ones who give me a hug.”
What women are bringing to the table
Despite the fact the kitchen has largely been considered the woman’s domain for decades, there is still a gender gap in professional settings. According to research by the UK’s Office for National Statistics in 2018, women represent less than one in five (17 per cent) of chefs in the country. With the food and drinks industry hard hit over the past year, many believe the pandemic might have exacerbated the situation.
Meanwhile, despite it having only recently opened, Fi’lia has been busy during the summer months. Aqel believes this is definitely thanks to the team, and their gender cannot be discounted. “How many times have you heard people complain that women never let things go, they never forget, that they notice these tiny details? These are actually great – because there’s no task that’s too small.”
She cites examples of changing the fresh flowers on the table on a daily basis, checking to see if the air conditioning is cooling from all angles and even asking guests if they’re doing OK.
“Women are just trained to have more patience, and we’re known for multitasking. We’re doing a great job because we’re women not despite it.”
Aqel hopes that in the months to come Fi’lia will be seen as more than simply a restaurant that empowers women. She hopes it will be viewed as representative of a larger idea.
“Maybe it won’t be Fi’lia, a female-led restaurant, but simply Fi’lia, as more women in hospitality become the norm. There are other women-led restaurants out there and we’re glad to be at the forefront of this movement.
“But we want to be known for more than just the ideology.”
The latter part is definitely possible. All you’d have to do is taste Fi’lia's desserts – we recommend the pavlova or chocolate budino – to agree.
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
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.
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
WORLD CUP FINAL
England v South Africa
Yokohama International Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday, kick-off 1pm (UAE)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
New schools in Dubai
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
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A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
More from Neighbourhood Watch
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Company%C2%A0profile
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if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
