Latest news with #MariamAlMansoori
Khaleej Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Emirati chef Mariam Al Mansoori on sharing UAE cuisine with the world
If you want to know the history of a place, observe its cuisine. The flavours that garnish a plate tell the story of the visitors who carried ingredients, spices, and recipes to its shores. Each morsel speaks of a chef enthralled with the alchemy of cooking and techniques that have evolved over time. Each cut of meat cooks differently, absorbs tastes differently, and presents in a way special to its new home. For a trading hub like the UAE, the food is its medal of honour, one that recollects its nomadic roots that witnessed cooking techniques such as baking bread over coal, stone, or sand; community, for meals were not a solo activity but moments filled with laughter and news of other members; and foreign exchanges — tales written in fine spice blends from overseas. For Mariam Al Mansoori, who calls it her responsibility to teach others about her cultural heritage, the journey of discovery began at home with her six children when she didn't even know she wanted to be a chef. She has since made history as the first Emirati to win the Gold Award for 'Best in Culinary Art' from France; been the driving force of the Abu Dhabi-based Montauk Boutique Café and Restaurant, and most recently opened a spot in Sharjah called Kashtat Amina, which draws from her mum and grandmum's recipe books to offer authentic Emirati fare. And she has no plans of slowing down. As a child, Mariam dreamt of being a doctor, an engineer, or a teacher. By the time she got married, she had earned her spot as a petroleum and water development engineer. The subject of her reverie began to shift as she began to think of owning her own space, of doing her own thing. 'But I didn't know what it would be,' she confesses. It was only when she got married and had children that the abstract idea began to take shape. 'I had begun reading up more about healthy food and Emirati cuisine. Our cuisine talks a lot through our food. There is a lot of transfer of knowledge, culture, habits, and hospitality that can be communicated through food,' she says. When she travelled, she recalls, she would knock on commercial kitchens and ask to look inside, to learn about the habits and techniques of other cultures as well. 'In some of them, you need to pay for your dish and then you can learn how to cook it,' she explains. When her kids began to praise her efforts, she began to dream bigger. 'My kids and my husband would say complimentary things about the food I made. Some of them would say, 'Mama, we only want to eat the food you cook'. It felt like a sign — like I needed to do more. And suddenly, God made all the barriers disappear — and I could begin my cooking journey,' she says. With her latest enterprise, she wants to put an old debate to rest: is Arabic cuisine the same as Emirati fare? She hums: 'We have a lot of dishes that maybe have the same ingredients, but the difference is in the technique of cooking, the presentation, the names of the dishes, and the occasions during which the dishes are served. So, they have rice, we have rice. They have beef, we have beef. We all grill, but the difference is in the spices we use, in the methods we employ.' In the works are plans for insightful conversations, behind-the-scenes, in-the-kitchen engagements, and even cooking classes. 'Kashtat Amina will be like a landmark where we will teach visitors and the younger generation about our food, our palate,' she says. The restaurant is named after her mother, Amina, and weighs in on the dialogue of identity and what it means in a globalised context where ingredients are available in plenty and from across the world. The dishes are an amalgamation of the old and the new, the familiar and unfamiliar. 'It's not because of some trend that we use things grown locally. We feel that this is a responsibility — to the land we are from and proud of. Plus, we need to encourage the local farmers. This is something important for sustainability within the country. I'm also trying my best to not have lots of wastage. And we are looking into eco-packaging,' she adds. The idea is to have a responsible brand in line with government plans, and one that showcases the best of the country, from fruits and vegetables to delicacies. Jostling motherhood and entrepreneurship over the years, Mariam explains, requires focus and the precision of a tailor on a deadline running out of cloth. 'You need to prioritise the things that are important to you and cut out things that are not. As a mum, I also know that children grow up quickly and if you don't prioritise your time with them, you miss a lot of things. If you cannot involve them in what you are doing, like I do, you need to be strict about time management,' she says. 'I involve my kids in our businesses — and in fact, I have two junior chefs,' she says, smiling. 'When we are home, we speak the same language, we are all interested in this one thing: food.' 'I am a traditional mum. I am attached to the past, so I bring a tray with everything, from bread to protein to salad to where the kids are. I ask them what they want in their sandwiches and I make it more than cooking. I make it like storytelling time, or an activity. Sometimes, we do cooking competitions between the kids, and share the results on TikTok. It gives them a boost. Even when we have family dinners or movie nights, they revolve around food. It is a language that everyone understands at home,' she adds. This is her support system and gives her the strength to carry on no matter what. Of course, she says, challenges do appear, and when they do, you may need some help navigating the icebergs. 'But it's something you must also do for yourself. You can look in the mirror every morning and say to yourself: 'I am a strong woman. I can do this'.' It's just as important to keep an eye on your end goal. 'This is for my family, my kids, my UAE. My vision is to make a place in the world for the Emirati cuisine,' she explains. And she's determined to do so, one meal at a time.
The National
23-06-2025
- The National
Pioneering Emirati pilot on a mission to inspire as UAE women build for the future
The sky is the limit for a trailblazing Emirati woman hoping to inspire others to make their dreams take flight as she provides a crucial guiding hand in the success of a cutting-edge crewless aircraft made in the UAE. Mariam Al Mansoori recently etched her name in the history books when she became the first female citizen to remotely pilot the high-tech Garmoosha, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The light aircraft was developed by Adasi, a subsidiary of defence conglomerate Edge, to act as a critical tool for armed forces by flying into hazardous areas to capture valuable information without putting a pilot's life at risk. Edge is one of the top 25 military suppliers in the world, known for investing heavily in innovation, smart weapons and emerging technology. Ms Al Mansoori, a senior production engineer at Adasi, was among the high-flying Emirati women to tell The National of their achievements to mark International Women in Engineering Day, celebrated on June 23 each year. 'I'm so proud of myself. Recently I achieved my dream. I became a UAV pilot for Garmoosha," said Ms Al Mansoori, who joined Adasi nearly a decade ago. "So I'm not only working as an engineer, I'm also a UAV pilot.' She has worked on Garmoosha from its earliest days, involved in its development, integration and testing, and now supervises its production line. 'It's amazing. You build it, then you see it fly and you have full control. That feeling is huge,' she said. 'Since the first day I joined Adasi, I had this plan, inshallah, one day I will become a pilot. Last week, I graduated.' She is now certified after completing ground school and 20 hours of field training. 'When you see Garmoosha flying and you're the one in control, it's something else," she said. Her success, she said, sends a message to young Emirati women: 'Women can work and achieve in all fields. Our role is not different than men's.' Leading from the front Mouza Al Zaabi, an engineer at Edge subsidiary PPI, works in the defence and oil and gas division. She leads complex repair projects from start to finish – from technical analysis to customer communication and delivery. 'As an engineer in a high-precision, high-stakes environment, every day is a learning opportunity,' she said. 'These challenges have shaped me, I've become more resilient and agile.' Ms Al Zaabi said her family have always been her foundation by offering their encouragement. 'They encouraged me and made me the proud Emirati woman I am today,' she said. 'Their belief gave me strength.' Her advice to anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps is: 'Always believe in yourself. Don't underestimate what you can bring. Engineering isn't about gender, it's about skill and passion.' Powering progress At Halcon, another Edge company that focuses on guided weapons systems, Aliya Al Jaberi works as an engineer in the power electronics department. She is responsible for designing how electricity is controlled and distributed across the company's advanced weapons platforms. 'I've been at Halcon for three years now,' she said. 'What fascinated me about electronics engineering is understanding how complex, critical systems work.' She acknowledges the challenges of working in a male-dominated field but sees it as an opportunity for growth, not limitation. 'It shaped me for the better,' she said. 'My advice to other women: trust yourself. Our country has invested in us, now it's time we give back.' Championing diversity Emirati women are also reshaping the workplace landscape at Ducab, one of the region's largest cable and wire manufacturers. Out of 99 engineers at Ducab, 16 are women, an encouraging number in an industry historically dominated by men. Ducab is a member of the Challenger Programme, a national initiative to increase gender diversity in heavy industry by improving workplace culture, leadership pipelines and company policies. Projects in the pipeline include gender audits, a culture toolkit and cross-organisational mentorship programmes. Gender should be no barrier Asal Alameri, an operational excellence engineer, sets performance standards and works on improving manufacturing processes across the company's cable production plants. 'It's a very fun and challenging field,' she said. 'Engineering isn't as physical or male-oriented as people think. It's about solving problems.' She joined Ducab through a student sponsorship while studying at Higher Colleges of Technology. Her sister who is also an engineer, paved the way. 'She taught me things I didn't know – like how GPA [grade point average] works from the first semester, or the importance of attendance and first impressions,' Ms Alameri said. 'That made a difference.' While cable production is still machinery-heavy, she says the engineering teams are increasingly balanced. 'Maybe not 50-50 yet, but women are excelling in every department,' she said. 'It's not about quantity, but quality.' Rising to the challenge Shaima Ali, senior material engineer at Ducab, manages the raw materials that power the company's products – from copper and aluminium to specialised polymers. 'My background is chemical engineering,' she said. 'I can apply that to choosing the right materials and understanding how they affect quality and performance.' She began as a trainee engineer, moved into manufacturing, and now leads material selection and compliance, ensuring all materials meet regulatory and technical standards. 'It's never boring. There's always a new challenge,' she said. 'But the most exciting part is seeing how AI and technology are transforming our roles. "For example, we used to do reports manually. Now, with a few inputs, the system generates them automatically, saving 50 per cent of our time.' Her message: 'Believe in your potential. Don't let stereotypes define your path. Engineering needs diverse minds.' Shama Almarzooqi, also at Ducab, is a senior operational excellence engineer currently preparing to pursue a doctorate in artificial intelligence and sustainability in manufacturing. She joined the company in 2020 after being sponsored as a student in 2018. Since then, she has rotated through various roles from process engineering to manufacturing and now excellence optimisation. 'I'm a progress person,' she said. 'I already finished my Master's, and now I'm working on my research for a PhD. I'm thinking about how AI can make manufacturing more sustainable.' Her job involves analysing production data to reduce costs and improve quality. She works closely with departments across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 'It's not a desk job,' she said. 'I move between departments and sites. Sometimes it's exhausting, especially in the summer, but when I see the results, I feel proud.' Among her recent accomplishments was helping to develop an AI tool to track production output and plan machine maintenance, reducing downtime and improving performance. 'It's a powerful feeling,' she said. 'It shows how data and innovation can create real value.' When she first told her family she wanted to become an engineer, it was a surprise for them. 'I was the first woman in my family to choose this path. It was a challenge just to explain it to them,' she said. 'But once I started, they gave me the strength to keep going.' Her advice to others: 'Engineering isn't just about machines or maths. It's about shaping the future. If you're curious and determined and want to make an impact, this is your path.'
