From home cooking videos to virtual fitness: how UAE personalities are engaging with their audiences online

As the world comes to a near standstill over the Covid-19 pandemic, people around the globe are looking online for moments of respite and entertainment. Luckily, the internet is more than delivering. Here’s a look at what some local personalities across various creative sectors are doing for the community.

Home cooking videos  

Homebound residents are increasingly trying their hand at cooking, while social media platforms are bursting with images of home-made meals and baked goods. Already a popular format among amateur chefs, online home-cooking videos are now being put together by regional food bloggers and professional chefs alike. Nida Sumar, founder of Thetableproject.me on Instagram, has been teaching her followers how to make basics such as scrambled eggs and chai, while Haiya, the blogger behind Passmethedimsum.com, has been doing Friday bake-alongs by encouraging her thousands of Instagram followers to create the same dish together. “If we fail, we fail together,” she jokes.

Those who want a behind-the-scenes look into the lives of professional chefs, can follow Nick Alves and Scott Price, the founders of Folly by Nick and Scott, who are hosting online cooking classes on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. “This has been on the cards for a long time now, but we’ve never had the time to do any filming; the kitchen has always been so busy,” says Price, adding that the online classes may very well continue throughout the summer months.

Folly is known for its experimental menu (signature dishes include crispy hen's egg with pancetta and maple syrup, and smoked quail, celeriac and hazelnut). However, Price promises the online shows will go back to basics, featuring easy-to-make recipes with ingredients commonly found in fridges. "A lot of people find the kitchen intimidating – this is for people who are a little competent or even those who have never tried it before. We want to keep it simple – home-made baked beans, beef stew, Spanish omelettes and the like. This won't be restaurant food."

Elsewhere, Jones The Grocer is hosting live cheeseboard workshops, encouraging everyone to participate with “whatever you have in the kitchen”.

Comedy online 

Mina Liccione and Ali Al Sayed, founders of comedy initiative Dubomedy, want people to focus on the positives right now. "This is a scary time – there's so much that's not in our control. But we have also been given the gift of time, to slow down and connect, really evaluate our personal and professional lives. The best part is that we can still reach out to others through social media and the internet. If this had happened 20 years ago, it would have been a catastrophe on a whole new level," says Sayed.

The couple have launched online improv workshops through Instagram live, with them taking feedback and suggestions from their virtual audience. “We’re comedians; it’s in our nature to make people laugh, especially during difficult times,” says Liccione. “The best thing about improv classes is that it forces you to be in the moment – you can’t think, only react. It forces you to de-stress, breathe and laugh.”

The next class is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, before which Liccione is focusing on Stomp – an online show where she demonstrates how to make music using everyday objects or without instruments altogether. The objective of the videos, which will be on her Instagram account, is to give parents and children a creative, energetic activity to help them bond at home. "It's meant to be fun and silly at the same time," she says.

The couple, who have been self-isolating with their twin toddlers, believe that these initiatives are the best way to give back to a community that has always supported them. “If we can get people out of their shell even for an hour, we’ll do it,” says Sayed.

Virtual fitness  

With gyms and health clubs closed and people working from home, there is a real need to keep moving and have an exercise routine. In light of this, a number of fitness trainers and brands have moved online to show residents how they can keep fit in their living rooms.

In the UAE, one such pair is Nadine du Toit, an influencer from Dubai who goes by her Instagram handle GloryGirlFit, and Ricardo Vargas, a yoga teacher and HIIT trainer. Like most in the fitness industry, du Toit and Vargas have had their incomes cut over the course of the pandemic, but they’re still determined to offer their expertise free of charge. The duo conduct online workouts from Sunday to Thursday via Instagram Live at 7.30pm.

"Moving is no longer considered a recreational activity – it's essential," says Vargas. "Just like a stagnant body of water collects disease, the human body deteriorates if it's not active. It was important for us to try and help others. We believe that the best of humanity comes out during times like these."

The sessions cover a warm-up, HIIT workout and sound meditation, and the duo have been flooded with messages from followers thanking them for their effort. Commenting on the formula of conducting physical workshops in a digital format, du Toit says: "I don't think it's strange – it's a new way of doing things. It's nice to see names on screens, with a lot of people making comments and interacting. We do our best to connect with them – maintaining eye contact, giving shoutouts and so on.

“The comments you see [are] in real time ... if you’re ever feeling lonely, it gives you that instant sense of community. It’s like there are people all around you. It’s amazing.” 

Children's entertainment 

With schools and universities in the UAE moving to distance learning until the end of the academic year, parents are looking for ways to keep little ones entertained. Since plopping children in front of the television for hours on end is not an ideal solution, a number of UAE residents are doing their part by hosting live edutainment sessions. Presenter and mum blogger Helen Farmer, for instance, is doing daily book readings in the morning.

Drama theatre The Hive has also found a way to ensure that the show still goes on – drama educator and managing director Malavika Varadan has been doing book readings for younger children, and online classes for those between 6 and 18 years. Using the app Zoom, numerous children from different locations are able to be on screen at the same time, praticising monologues and dialogue delivery, and putting up full performances.

"The reaction has been fantastic – they took to it faster than most adults," says Varadan. "They were explaining different features to us and teaching us – it just goes to show you how tech-savvy kids are these days."

She adds that the sessions have been very good for family bonding, too. “It’s giving children a lot more validation,” she explains. “Parents usually sit in on a school play, but now they’re seeing the entire production process and learning what goes in to it.” The online book readings are pre-recorded and available on The Hive’s Facebook page.

Meanwhile, former UAE resident and founder of drama school Cinta Stage in the UK Jessiny Mitchell, is offering free weekly drama classes via Facebook Live and Instagram Live. She’s also put together a free online resource of activities and puzzles for tots and teens.