Interview with Amira Elhamy

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AMIRA ELHAMY

Amira’s Kitchen

Instagram @amiraskitchenqatar Facebook @AmirasKitchen Twitter @amirakitchen

If you think you have tried all the exotic jams and chutneys then you haven’t tried Amira’s recipes. Although she had a successful corporate career, she has decided to follow her heart and passion for experimenting in the kitchen. And her knowledge from the business world has not just helped her creating her own brand but also has been of a great benefit for our community as she is one of the board team members. Read the full interview with Amira to find out more about how she started and what inspires her to make such recipes.

What is your background and when and why did you decide to start your own small business?

When I moved with my husband to Doha late in 2011, it was an opportunity to start discovering my newly developed passion for the kitchen and the different creations that can come out of very humble ingredients, but then I chose to put my passion aside and as most people do.

QatART handmade community

March 2016

I started looking for a job, coming from a 14 years of experience in the corporate world, at the beginnings it was really hard to imagine myself doing anything else, and by that I prioritized my corporate career that I was very determined about my entire life. A year later into the daily corporate work/life routine, I decided to stop and think, my passion for the kitchen was growing day by day and the idea of starting a small business out of my passion was crystalizing… So I took that leap of faith to start doing what I love in the kitchen instead of what I know in corporate world.

What sort of products do you market?

It wasn’t easy to choose what exactly I want to specialize my brand on since I LOVE all food, until I was handed over my late grandma’s recipe of pumpkin jam, my childhood favorite, that I could basically live on for days. From there my products were born and are developing. I am offering homemade jams, chutney, butter & salad dressings, and the list keeps growing ☺

How does your work differ from others of its genre?

I built brand with a BIG promise to myself and my customers that is, whatever they can find in the supermarket or even gourmet shops will not be on my stall. So I choose to take the hard route of creating things that have rarely or never been made before.

How do you stay inspired?

It’s as simple as trial and error! I love experimenting in the kitchen and sending samples to my friends to get their opinion on things that I create. I even sometimes take a few of these creations to markets to get customers’ feedback. My key inspiration here is to read a lot and never be scared to try and fail. I find absolutely no shame in creating a product and customers finding it not appealing. I will automatically ditch it and start working on something new. I am a strong believer that fearing the failure will bring you one step closer to it, so naturally staying inspired is what should keep us all going.

Where do you buy your ingredients and supplies?

Mainly supermarkets, and yes, I run around town for the best ingredients and I sometimes suffer when I have an upcoming market and can’t find the ingredients I’m looking for.

How does your creating process work?

Read – Think – Amend – Recreate – Cook - Test – Recreate – Cook again And in the middle of all this are lots of trips around the world finding food inspiration in every culture.

What's the best thing about setting up your own brand?

It’s actually more of a challenge compared to what most people will think. But yes, being my own boss is pretty cool, but it’s a lot of hard work. For me, I have learned a lot of things about product branding & photography that I would have never thought I’ll get exposed to.

Who are your customers and where do you sell your work?

Anyone who lives in Qatar and isn’t afraid to try new food is my customer. My products are mostly sold at social markets like QatART handmade market at Katara.

Why do you like being a crafter and a designer in 10 words or less?

Experiments – Experiments - Experiments

Name something you do in your spare time.

I love traveling, at any time for a reason or without one.

Where would you like to travel to next?

Somewhere exotic and not well known. And although I have a list of those destinations no specific destination has been picked yet.

Any exciting news to share?

YES! Some inside the kitchen intel – I am experimenting with homemade dried fruits, hopefully they’ll be ready for markets soon.

What recent project have you enjoyed doing?

Over the last year I have been working on salad dressings and sauces and this has been going pretty well. I made four flavors and more are coming.

What do you love about being a QatART Member?

I love everything about QatART, as a member I love the ideas and creations that come out of the group and as a board member I am privileged to know all the inside scoops and the details of all the future plans. All I can say is, working with QatART members and board team made my life and settling in Doha much easier.

Do you feel QatART helped your business to grow and in which way?

I joined QatART as a member only a couple of months after I started my business, so I truly owe it to QatART that my business kept on going, with the amount of information and experience that is shared among members, it is very difficult not to be inspired.

As a board member we have to ask you about the future plans for QatART? The board team has been very busy with a few future projects now that the markets season is coming to an end with our last market at Katara Art Studios being on April 8th 2016.

QatART handmade community

March 2016

We are working on a plan with Katara Art Studios for very diverse summer workshops and activities. Once finalized an announcement will be made. We have also managed to build a strong relationship with the Hilton Hotel Doha, which we hope will lead to loads of events over the summer and beyond! And there is always a hope and longing for the better weather in October for our next outdoor markets season to begin.

Tell us 5 words to describe yourself.

Happy, passionate, organized, attentive to details & courageous

Do you have a motto?

“Don’t waste your time trying to be somebody else, enjoy being yourself and remember you have only one life to live.”

What are your 5 favorite products from our last market at Katara on 25th March 2016? (photos on the next page) 1. Stone casting by Casting Memories 2. Silk painting by Michelle Art Boutique 3. Bunny bottom pot by JSP Craft Land 4. Framed art by The Wee Button Box 5. Candle by La Lumieree

QatART handmade community

February 2016

QatART handmade community

February 2016