Hashem Montasser

‘Preserving our heritage is to preserve ourselves.’ Designer Nada Debs on the inspirations of hybridity & true craftsmanship, plus creating her own contemporary design language.

On this week’s episode we caught up with friend of The Lighthouse, furniture and product designer Nada Debs. Coming from a lineage of Lebanese textile traders who settled in

Apr 8, 2021

‘For a review, I have to be in the right state of mind.’ Samantha Wood AKA FooDiva on her restaurant review process, Dubai’s F&B scene & the ONE review that broke the internet

Grab a pen and notebook because this episode is brimming with life learnings! Samantha Wood AKA FooDiva, inimitable queen of Dubai’s restaurant review scene takes us along her transition

Mar 25, 2021

“I use my shows to make a statement,” gallerist Isabelle van den Eynde on her curatorial techniques, working with Emirati artist Hassan Sharif and the challenges of showing art through the pandemic

This week we caught up with gallerist Isabelle van den Eynde, founder of the eponymous Gallery IVDE, one of Dubai’s most established and celebrated contemporary art spaces. Isabelle shared

Mar 10, 2021

‘If your concept isn’t differentiated, you’re selling hot air.’ Samer Hamadeh on his mission as an F&B owner/operator and how to develop an edge

This week we caught up with our d3 neighbor Samer Hamadeh to doubleclick on his pivot from nightlife impresario as founder of Stereo Arcade–a Dubai staple–to F&

Feb 24, 2021

‘Every act of reading is historical,’ Nadia Wassef on the art of reading vs. the craft of writing, and the business of founding Diwan, one of Egypt’s most popular modern book stores

This week we’re joined remotely by Nadia Wassef who in 2002 co-founded Cairo’s popular Diwan bookstore with her sister, Hind Wassef and their friend Nihal. Now, with three

Feb 4, 2021

Helen Farmer on evolving into a social media influencer & mompreneur yet maintaining a work-life balance while in the public eye

Is there a recipe for building a loyal following? Helen Farmer’s work combines effective storytelling and just enough vulnerability to resonate with her audience of radio listeners and tens

Jan 20, 2021

2020 in the Review Mirror

Feels good saying it’s behind us, doesn’t it? What started as a normal year filled with fresh resolutions and new aspirations slowly took a strange turn into an

Jan 13, 2021

“You need to have a niche and really invest in yourself.” Tariq Khayyat on architecture in the region; working with Zaha Hadid; and his advice for aspiring architects

We caught up with Tariq Khayyat, one of the leading architects in the region, and a long time guest favorite of our restaurant in d3. Khayyat is the founder of

Dec 16, 2020

‘Gear your life towards more than one legacy,’ Chef Daniel Boulud on wearing multiple hats to turbocharge a successful multi-decade career

Warning: Riveting birthday party anecdotes included, compliments of the Chef! 😉 This week we caught up with Chef Daniel Boulud on location at his newly launched Brasserie Boulud at the Sofitel

Dec 3, 2020

“You can’t be noticed unless there is sincerity in your work.” Fashion designer Yasmine Yeya on being inspired by Egypt’s beauty, landing Jennifer Lopez as a customer, and debunking the overnight success myth

How do you go from working in advertising, to waking up with a gazillion Instagram notifications of J.LO wearing your mustard yellow couture gown to her movie premiere? In

Nov 18, 2020

“I’m not going to measure somebody by whether or not they’ve had a show at the MoMA,” Maya Allison on her curatorial techniques and how she forged a successful artist-curator bond ahead of the UAE Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale

In this week’s episode, Hashem, a long-time art enthusiast & collector, is joined by Maya Allison, Executive Director & Chief Curator of NYUAD’s Art Gallery, who shares glimpses

Nov 5, 2020

‘ “Life is beautiful” has become a personal philosophy for me.’ Fatafeat founder Youssef El Deeb on his creative journey across media platforms

The Lighthouse Conversations: Youssef El Deeb 0:00 /0:00 1× 🧡This episode is brought to you by: MonViso, use code LIGHTHOUSE10 for a discount on your next purchase. This

Oct 21, 2020

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