Twelve Emirati chefs and culinary entrepreneurs are getting a direct route into Dubai's food and beverage market, as Dubai SME and Kitopi launch a new phase of The Emirati Chef's Table in 2026.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, known as Dubai SME, and delivery-kitchen operator Kitopi have built out the programme into what they're calling the Founder Series, running across three months and three batches between September and November 2026.
The original Emirati Chef's Table launched in 2025 with five Emirati F&B entrepreneurs. This expanded version quadruples that reach, spreading 12 founders across three batches of four, each running roughly a month.
What founders get access to
Participants in the Founder Series gain access to Kitopi's kitchens, its customer base, its delivery network, mentorship, content production and marketing support. Selected concepts also have the opportunity to feature on Eatopi's menu, giving them a real commercial test rather than a one-off showcase.
The first batch
The first batch runs from 3 September to 2 October 2026 and features four founders whose concepts are now available for customers to order through Eatopi.
Wadeema Abdalla brings Saccharose Desserts, known for Mango Sticky Rice and Warm Sticky Date Pudding. Rehab Al Ameri's Local Foundry is a pizza concept built around a 38-hour fermented dough. Abdulrahman Lootah's One Made develops contemporary comfort-food concepts, while Zainab Al Mousawi's To The Moon & Back reinterprets Emirati ingredients and flavours through a contemporary culinary lens.
The second batch runs from 2 to 30 October 2026, followed by the third from 2 to 30 November 2026, each bringing four more founders through the same model of kitchen access, mentorship and market exposure.
Why Dubai SME sees this as strategic
Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of Dubai SME, said The Emirati Chef's Table was created to give Emirati culinary entrepreneurs practical access to the expertise, platforms and market exposure needed to develop their businesses. Building on the initiative launched in 2025, he said, this next phase expands that opportunity to 12 founders and provides them with a direct route to test their concepts and strengthen their commercial readiness. He added that under the guidance of visionary leadership, Dubai's food and beverage sector continues to grow with confidence, and partnerships such as this show how public and private collaboration keeps that momentum firmly on track. By creating practical pathways from concept development to customer exposure, he said, Dubai SME is supporting national talent to build sustainable businesses that contribute to the growth of Dubai's food and beverage sector, aligned with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubai's position as a leading global destination for business and leisure.
Mohamad Ballout, CEO and Cofounder of Kitopi, said some of the most exciting ideas in food are coming from homegrown entrepreneurs who understand this market and its culture. He said Kitopi is incredibly proud to continue its partnership with Dubai SME through The Emirati Chef's Table, giving more Emirati founders the platform, expertise and exposure to bring their concepts to life, learn directly from customers and build for long-term success.
