Ziyad Ayass | Innovation & Nostalgia in F&B Startups

Join us for the second live episode of Matbakh in collaboration with What The Food, featuring Ziyad Ayass, the founder and managing partner of Wonder Restaurants, with Dubai F&B outlets like Ka'ak Al Manara – a Lebanese bakery specialising in kaak), and an upscale dining experience in the works which will be called Manaret Beirut. Guided by guest host Vanessa Zabi who is an entrepreneur in the food and health space, this conversation explores Ziyad’s journey from financial consulting to food entrepreneurship. He tells us how he transformed a midnight craving into a thriving business, balancing tradition and innovation, creating emotional connections, and delivering nostalgic wonder. Discover how thoughtfulness and community fueled his brand’s growth, why every detail matters in crafting immersive spaces, and how a clear mission can guide success in even the most saturated markets.

00:44 Introduction
02:38 From the Corporate World to F&B 
07:13 Insights Into Becoming a Food Entrepreneur
10:26 The Unique Experience of Launching a Pop-up
14:57 From Pop-up Events to Retail
21:30 Fostering a Strong Community
25:17 Future Plans
28:14 Expanding as a Lebanese Brand
31:38 Advice for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs
37:00 Tackling Challenges in a Saturated Market 
42:02 Community During Crises and Giving Back
44:13 The Importance of Seeking Professional Help in Areas Outside Your Expertise

Ziyad Ayass is the founder and managing partner of Wonder Restaurants, which owns and operates Ka’ak Al Manara and Manaret Beirut in Dubai. He began his career at PriceWaterhouseCoopers Dubai, spending eight years consulting on major real estate and hospitality transactions in the Middle East. After earning his Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certificate, he left the corporate world behind with a mission to deliver the nostalgic wonder of Beirut through the development of F&B concepts. Since bursting onto the scene as a pop-up concept, Ka’ak Al Manara has come a long way. By the end of 2024, the group will operate three outlets and employ over 220 employees.

Connect with Ziyad 👉 https://www.instagram.com/ziyadayass/

Follow Ka'ak El Manara 👉 https://www.instagram.com/kaakalmanara/

What The Food by alserkal is a two-day celebration of food, sparking critical conversations around some of the most pressing questions about food through talks, exhibitions, screenings, and immersive installations. Now in its third edition, the festival brings together a curated lineup of homegrown chefs, artisanal producers, entrepreneurs, and artists, showcasing cutting-edge culinary concepts and emerging food trends. Building on Dubai’s reputation as a trailblazer in the food scene, What The Food pushes the city’s culinary landscape forward, adding an artistic, community-driven spirit that makes you rethink what food can be.

Explore What The Food 👉 https://alserkal.online/programme/what-the-food

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by: 
Vanessa Zuabi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/vzuabi/

Vanessa Zuabi is a former founder and entrepreneur in the food and health space, and now works in the crypto industry. She has been a long-time friend and supporter of afikra since 2015.

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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl48-5Y0F7sx2xoexSoeBUWJ&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
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