FARAH GOKAL-GHAZZAWI
CO-FOUNDER AND CO-OWNER OF SWEET STUFF “There’s nothing like a good home-made lobster mac‘n’cheese! I adore making comfort food when I get time in the kitchen,” divulges Farah Gokal-Ghazzawi, founder of American dessert emporium Sweet Stuff and mother of four. It comes as no surprise that Dubai’s answer to Nigella Lawson, who “loves cooking”, is a dab hand in the kitchen, as well an all-round domestic goddess who skilfully avoids any meltdowns when the staff have the day off. “Daddy and the kids take over the kitchen on weekends. My husband’s must-have creation is raspberry cream-cheese French toast... it has tonnes of sugar and syrup, but I pretend not to notice. Chocolate chip pancakes are another classic. We are all pretty creative in whipping things up.” When glammed up for events, Farah dons 106
EMIRATES WOMAN
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Ayesha Depala, but seeing as she tries to “never to leave home before all the kids are asleep” being on time can be tricky. “I’m always fashionably late to evening functions. That’s also why my make-up and hair is always done at home.” The only way Farah, who claims to live “mostly in track-pants,” can juggle everything is to base her work out of home. “My office is the dining table, a few propped pillows on the bed, the floor during playtime, and under the tree at the park,” she says. “My trusty MacBook, iPad, BlackBerry and iPhone are my support staff! I’m lucky that my parents help out with the kids so my husband, Adel, and I get time to travel together.” Aside from trips with her husband, she relaxes by watching TV. “Our evenings
are filled with our favourite shows. We are addicted to Alias and 24.” Far from being a serene haven, she admits her home is simple, cosy and always filled with lots of noise. “With the kids and their friends, at any given time you will find a tea party in one corner while a sword fight or Wii game is happening in another.” Keeping lists of tasks helps her stay in check, especially when it comes to the mammoth task of grocery shopping for six, which,“is done on a mass scale every week”. This goes some way to explain her ultimate foodie wish; “I wish there was a WholeFoods in Dubai! I would be in heaven as it’s my absolutely favourite place to eat and shop.” Farah’s top tip for those trying to achieve it all? “Everything has to have its time, but remember to breathe when things don’t go according to plan. It doesn’t always work out the way it’s supposed to, and that’s when I have to remember to laugh!” ■ WWW.LOVESWEETSTUFF.COM
MAKE-UP COURTESY OF INGLOT. HAIR COURTESY OF TED MORGAN
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