From her early days helping out in her family’s kitchen at 12 to growing a multi-brand cloud kitchen business in Dubai, Mona Al Sayah’s journey is one of discipline, perseverance, and understanding of the hospitality industry. In her role as CEO and co-founder of HostMind, a cloud-kitchen business, Mona combines traditional values with structure to build premium food brands. In this conversation, we talk to her about her journey, lessons from the evolving cloud kitchen space, and what it takes to create a long-lasting brand.
How did you end up in hospitality?
Mona Al Sayah: It’s a family legacy. I began my journey in F&B when I was 12. My brother had a restaurant in Lebanon, and it turned into a wedding hall. My mom is a chef who still runs the kitchen. I did everything when I was young – cashier, service, coordination – and I think all of this helped me become who I am today. I am the CEO and co-founder of HostMind, a cloud kitchen business based in Dubai.
What changed from your family business to HostMind?
Mona Al Sayah: The biggest change from our family business to our business at HostMind is scalability and structure. One thing we knew from day one with our business at HostMind was that we were not running a family business. Even though my brother is my partner, we are running a business as professionals. My mom, when she comes to help me with recipes, still does it through the system. That’s important if you’re considering scalability, franchising, and taking the business global.
Cloud kitchens went through a hype cycle. What’s your take?
Mona Al Sayah: What you are saying is absolutely true. It is easy to start a brand; that is why people start many brands. In the UAE, there are 500 concepts that start every week. Many of them are closing shop as fast as they are opening. This creates a challenge where many aggregators are flooded with brands, and it becomes expensive to be seen as a serious player. While it is easy to start a brand, it is hard and expensive to build one that lasts. It is the brands that have a vision and a sense of identity that last.
Tell us about your brands.
Mona Al Sayah: We also went to market with a strategy of launching simply and then adding complexity:
- Soak’d – A sandwich brand that’s focused on clean ingredients, not necessarily “healthy” ingredients, but clean and fresh
- Season’d – Healthy salad concept with complex ingredients (10-12 ingredients per dish)
- Burgr’d – Premium burger brand with strong packaging and experience
- Cook’d – High-end pasta concept using fine dining grade ingredients
- Mom and Chef – Personal favorite, combines home-style cooking with chef innovation.
You emphasize “clean food.” What does that mean?
Mona Al Sayah: Clean food, for me, means using high-quality ingredients without cutting corners, no cheap substitutes, and no unnecessary additives or preservatives. It’s about serving food that you would feel completely comfortable giving to your own family. It doesn’t necessarily mean the food has to be healthy, as it can still be indulgent, but it should always be clean, honest, and made with care.
How did you market your brands in such a crowded space?
Mona Al Sayah: It was quite challenging, as aggregators are very competitive and resemble a battlefield. We discovered that aggregators are best used for acquiring customers, especially when targeting customers who are willing to order at the moment, while social media plays a bigger role in raising awareness about the brand. It is important to optimize aggregators as much as possible to succeed. We worked with experts who know aggregators quite well, and most importantly, we had to be patient, as it took us almost two years to stabilize.
Why operate multiple brands instead of focusing on one?
Mona Al Sayah: Our brands are strategically designed to share ingredients and operations, which allows us to run the business more efficiently. This approach helps reduce waste, optimize kitchen processes, and keep inventory fresh. While some brands act as core growth drivers, others are created to support operations in a smart and complementary way.
You started working at 12. How did that shape you?
Mona Al Sayah: It shaped everything for me. Starting so young taught me how to deal with all kinds of people, read situations quickly, and handle pressure from an early age. While I did miss out on some typical teenage experiences, I don’t regret it at all, as it played a big role in building my confidence and strong work ethic.
You mentioned being a workaholic. How do you manage it?
Mona Al Sayah: I don’t try to eliminate it; I focus on managing it. Small habits make a difference, like turning off notifications after 10 PM, slowing down a bit on weekends, and being mindful of burnout. I also recognize that this is a phase where I’m focused on building, and I trust that I’ll rebalance things over time.
How important is mentorship?
Mona Al Sayah: Mentorship is extremely important. It helps you avoid costly mistakes, gives you real-world insights that you won’t find in books, and supports both your mental and professional growth. It’s also valuable to have different types of mentors, including industry experts, business leaders, and even peers who can offer diverse perspectives.
What does it take to build a successful cloud kitchen brand today?
Mona Al Sayah: To create a successful brand in a cloud kitchen business today, one has to be patient enough to build trust, which is a long-term process that requires significant investment in terms of quality, branding, and marketing. It also requires having a vision that is not just about creating something new but also something meaningful. When you create value, not only will people find you, but they will also stick with you.
Conclusion
The story of Mona Al Sayah exemplifies the power of combining early exposure, structured thinking, and long-term vision. While the business of food and beverages is one of speed and experimentation, Mona Al Sayah stands out as one of the few individuals with a unique emphasis on quality, consistency, and purpose. Be it the creation of multiple brands, the emphasis on clean food, or the highly competitive nature of the market, the insights provided by Mona Al Sayah convey the importance of long-term success over shortcuts.
