Bringing Beirut to the World: Q&A with Rabih Fahkreddine Photos for the People: How widening the lens landed this IC alumni on

Bringing Beirut to the World: with Rabih

Fakhreddine

Rabih Fakhreddine Rabih Fakhreddine ‘02 is on a mission to put smiles on peoples faces and make moments memorable through unique, fun, and exciting food, beverage and entertainment experiences. The force behind some of Beirut’s most beloved restaurant and nightlife ventures, the hugely successful entrepreneur is taking the world by storm. A trailblazer in the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry, his rapid expansion in the GCC with ventures like Seven Sisters, Antika, and the Theater, has landed him a spot on Caterer Middle East’s Power 50 2021.

He kindly spoke to the newsletter about his journey to success in F&B, challenges and resourcefulness during COVID, and offered words of wisdom for IC alumni and students interested in the industry.

Q: What sparked your interest in the F&B industry?

A: I have always been passionate about food and entertainment. I used to do a lot of cooking and was considered a bit of a ‘foodie.’ At AUB, I was actively involved in organizing events like Ramadan Suhoors, the football World Cup, and various other parties for different clubs and organizations. This sparked my interest in the industry.

In 2008, I joined British-American Tobacco (BAT) where I handled the HORECA accounts and was responsible for company events and hospitality relations in the Levant. On the side, however, I began silently investing in several bars and restaurants in Beirut, and in 2011 I opened my first bar, Faces, in Hamra. My journey started then. I started opening one bar after another, from Bigshot, to Checkpoint Charlie, to Walkman. In 2014, I decided to quit BAT and pursue a full-time career in F&B. I started 7 Management and opened Seven Sisters Beirut. That was our first mega project - followed by Antika Bar and Cafe Beirut. In 2018 we decided to expand outside of Lebanon, opening our first Seven Sister franchise in Dubai.

Now, we have eight concepts in Dubai, three in Beirut, one in Doha (with three more launching there soon), and two in Riyadh.

Q: Did your time at IC help stimulate your interest in hospitality and management?

A: Of course! I’ve been passionate about food and cooking since I was young. I still remember very well how we used to organize Kermesse, Carnivals, and bake sales at IC. I remember helping my mother bake cakes and selling them for Kermesse in particular. This sparked my interest in food and entertainment. At AUB, this interest became more of an opportunity, as I put more time into organizing events and parties and made some pocket money from it. I put that money into my savings, which eventually enabled me to invest and start my business.

Q: Many of your concepts, like the recently opened Cafe Beirut, are centered around bringing Beirut to the world… What makes Beirut’s food and beverage scene unique and exciting for you?

A: All of my brands are homegrown concepts. Most of them were started and launched in Beirut. Beirut, in terms of its food and entertainment scene, is one of the leading cities in the world. Lebanese cuisine is incredibly rich and diverse, and is beloved around the globe. This definitely inspired me a lot. Beirut is a city of aspiration, which has inspired me to approach my work creatively, resourcefully, and from multiple perspectives.

Q: How, in the midst of your outward expansion, are you bringing the world back to Beirut?

A: I feel I have a duty towards Beirut to highlight all of the city’s positive aspects. This is why I’m always trying to spread the concepts that started in Beirut all around the world. A: Keep dreaming, because the sky’s the limit. Especially for those interested in the F&B and entertainment industry, there are so many opportunities in the market. The scalability of our business makes it very attractive and interesting, and the potential is huge. Post-Covid in particular, people are hungry for concepts that stand out.

People have a lot of amazing memories in Beirut. Wherever I go, people tell me stories about how much they enjoyed the city’s food and nightlife scene. We are now in four cities and hopefully are entering Egypt, Greece, and the UK as well. It’s an exciting time. I’m helping people all over the world relive these memories, and experience Beirut’s vibrance and energy by giving them the best food and entertainment experience.

Q: How did COVID-19 impact your businesses? How did you leverage these challenges for your recent success and major expansion?

A: Our industry was one of the hardest hit by COVID. Especially at the beginning, people assumed the structure of our industry would completely change, that people would no longer eat out, sit at tables, or enjoy nice dinners. I strongly believe, however, that in every challenge there is an opportunity. Historically, people have always gathered around the table. It’s been part of our lifestyle since the beginning of humanity, people sitting and enjoying social gatherings. It always has been, and will remain, a foundational part of our human experience.

I was also lucky enough to capitalize on the opportunities in Dubai specifically. We expanded aggressively and bought six new locations because we managed to get great deals and commercial terms given the situation. I signed when most people had not yet seen the light at the end of the tunnel. I believed that life would eventually return to normal - and it slowly has.

Now, we are witnessing the rebound of our industry and we are really benefiting from this boom- not just in the UAE, but globally.

Q: What advice would you give to young IC Alumni or current students, interested in getting involved in the F&B and entertainment industry today?

The game has changed. People no longer want the traditional restaurant or entertainment experience. They are looking for lifestyle experiences. I call it ‘Netflix Syndrome.’ Previously, when we wanted to watch a movie we had to check movie times, book the tickets, and go to the cinema. Now you sit in your own bed, with Netflix in front of you, and can watch whatever you want, at the click of a button. People today want the ‘one stop shop.’ They want to go to places with good food and good entertainment, all in one. This is what 7 Management is now focused on and what all our new concepts are centered around. That was the driving factor behind our latest ventures, The Theater and Lucia’s. Lifestyle brands are the name of the game, as they say!

As long as you have imagination, creativity, drive, and commitment, nothing is impossible. That is my belief since day one. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved as a self made entrepreneur. I’ve always dreamt I would get here some day, but it was not by luck. I worked hard for it and I believe that everyone who is willing to work hard and dream, can achieve anything in life.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in 2022?

A: I’m looking forward to expanding and scaling up my business. Now that we are actively present, and dominant, in the GCC region, I’m looking to enter the European market and expand to London and Athens. This is something I’m very excited about. We have a big team at our Dubai headquarters (‘the ‘kitchen,’ as I call it), and we are all ready to conquer the world with amazing experiences that put smiles on faces. This is what we aim to do - to put smiles on people’s faces wherever they are and whatever they do.