A ‘priceless experience’ with Qatar’s first female restaurateur

Doha: The cuisine of Chef Shams Al Qassabi is a taste of home; the chef infuses the dishes with soul and cultural roots, delighting the senses as the flavors explode in the mouth.

Her cooking and her story were a ‘priceless experience’ brought by Mastercard as The Peninsula toured, tasted and smelled the real deal.

The chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author made a name for herself in Qatari history as the first woman to run a company in the traditionally male-dominated Souq Waqif and the first Qatari woman to own a restaurant.

She struggled a lot, as her eldest daughter, Eman told The Peninsula. And after decades of hard work, her struggles paid off, like her name describes, Shams in Arabic means ‘sun’, she still keeps on shining.

From making spices from a broken coffee grinder, to where she is now – her story is not only a struggle but a perseverance and women’s empowerment. Eman said her mother came from a rich and conservative family. “Qatar then was not the same as now, women weren’t common in the workplace, education wasn’t mandatory for women, they read and write and that is all (khalas), because eventually they will get married, take care of the house, have children.”

That was the old way, then her father, Shams’ husband, retired early in his 40s which shocked people – and Shams felt compelled to help and support the family. Her first exposure to business was at the Modern Family exhibition in 2001 where she showcased her spices. And that road was rough, she didn’t know to whom to loan and whether to risk, and she remembered what her late father said: “A successful trader should value the zero,” and Shams started from nothing.

She had a little lemon tree in her backyard that produced a lot of fruit. She used this to make her first pickle, which the neighbourhood adored. She then started selling them, and that’s how she raised money for the exhibition. “She was selling the pickle jar for QR20, and from there she got QR500 as capital,” said Eman.

After a week of the exhibition’s debut, Shams was shocked by how much money she had made—QR32,000. “If I can do something from nothing, then I can do more,” the chef claimed that she felt inspired and motivated to do better. After the exhibition was over, she gained tonnes of customers and decided to open a store in her home, where customers of all social classes flocked. “This is too much,” Eman’s father used to say, “Khalas (enough).” Shams’ career was at its height.

Shams Al Qassabi inside her spice shop at Souq Waqif. 

And the bumpy road started, people questioned her, and Shams thought: “Wait a minute, until when will I be struggling, fighting for myself? I’m not doing anything wrong, I’m here with my decent clothes, presenting my country, culture and I’m tired of people pointing at me as the not educated, no degree woman, and like anyone else I would like to have a job, not a degree will define me. I can produce with my hands, if H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser did the Education City.. who am I to be afraid of?.”

Another opportunity arises in 2004 when Souq Waqif was renovated and restored. The management encouraged her to open a spice shop which she is famous for. She has been moved from one place to another in the traditional market, Eman said she was like a “chess piece.” People liked her spices; the Novo Cinema area was her previous location until she was moved to a more strategic place overlooking the West Bay skyline. “Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani brought her here,” said Eman.

For two months, alongside her spice shop, her new area was designed like a waiting area where people can have a cappuccino or a latte. Her restaurant was named Al Shomous. During that time, nobody came, she was offering her food to people who were passing by, and this is where Shams developed her creative skills, focusing on the food presentation, making food based on her mother’s recipe – and soon people can’t get enough of it.

When a photographer introduced himself as from Amiri Diwan, the following day, her picture was all over the press. As a result, customers began flocking in to test her food and visit her shop. From just six chairs, it grew to 200, to even 300 during winter, her restaurant is always jam-packed.

Shams has produced 480 spices, which are available in her store, and another fun fact is that her factory in the Industrial area is the first factory built for food. She boasts that her ingredients are all natural, and she herself picks them – Shams and her daughter recently got back from Nepal after picking some spices.

Chef Shams, a boisterous 60-year-old woman, demonstrated that success is possible for everyone, regardless of educational background. “Looking back, I should not be worried or scared and not have invested my time thinking in what people will think about me, I shouldn’t be hesitant – and that would make my life easier.”

From her spices to her homemade delicacies, her passion for Qatari culture was palpable, this is her contribution to the country. “My mom’s love for Qatar, the culture – I haven’t seen anyone like her. People asked if they could franchise the restaurant, but my mom rejected it, she said it won’t be authentic and won’t be something special to people who will come to Doha and see.”

“She wanted the world to come to her, to see Qatari food and cuisine, that was her priority.” And the world has seen – and tasted what Chef Shams has to offer: genuine Qatari cuisine. And that’s a priceless experience. 

Book your priceless experience: www.priceless.com/qatar