Ali Abbase is the founder of Bread & Salt, a Syrian cuisine spot that quietly (and then very loudly) won the hearts of Ras Al Khaimah. What started as a love for street food videos turned into a mission: bring honest, high-quality Syrian flavours to a city he fell in love with. Ali doesn’t just run a restaurant — he answers WhatsApp complaints himself, guards his secret recipes like family heirlooms, and treats food as a way to support the community. Basically, if food had a love language, Ali speaks it fluently — in falafel.
Interview Highlights
🇸🇾➡️🇦🇪 Moved from Syria to Ras Al Khaimah in 2015 for a government job… then fell hard for the city and never looked back.
🤔 Everyone asked, “Why not Dubai?” — now those same people are watching RAK become the place to be.
🥙 Started Bread & Salt in 2018 with one clear mission: represent Syrian culture through food, not shortcuts.
⭐ Lives by the mantra: quality meets simplicity — simple bites, five-star standards, zero compromises.
📱 Personally handles customer feedback via WhatsApp (yes, the owner replies 👀).
🚗🔥 Epic moment: people drove from Dubai just for his falafel in 2021… traffic got so wild the police had to step in.
🍰 Big news drop: a new dessert concept Sugar & Salt is launching soon, bringing kunafa, baklava, and Syrian sweets to RAK.
🧭 Shoutout moment: encourages newcomers to explore RAK through WOW-RAK to understand the city, business scene, and future potential.
Pull Out Quotes
“Bread and salt it’s not only about money and business. It’s about how to support our community.”
“We never ever changed the quality since 2018. We always using the same ingredient.”
“Just come, the future is coming. We are waiting for you.”
Nominate a RAK Icon
Know Someone Who Deserves the Spotlight?
We’re always on the lookout for everyday legends, creative rebels, and behind-the-scenes changemakers. Nominate a RAK Icon who’s shaping the future!
NOMINATE NOW
Just send us an email with the following details to: 📧 info@wow-rak.com
Please include:
- Your name
- Nominee’s full name
- What they do (profession or passion)
- Why they deserve to be a RAK Icon
- Any contact info or social handles for the nominee
⚠️ Disclaimer: Submitting a nomination does not guarantee a video interview. All nominations are reviewed by the WOW-RAK x E-Find RAK team before selection.
About the Collaboration (WOW-RAK × E-Find RAK)
When storytelling meets discovery — you get a front-row seat to Ras Al Khaimah’s most inspiring journeys. That’s exactly what happens when WOW-RAK, the city’s lifestyle voice, joins hands with E-Find RAK, the digital compass for local talent and businesses. Think of it as your backstage pass to the people shaping RAK — with heart, hustle, and a whole lot of personality.
Together, we’re lifting the curtain on the movers and makers behind the emirate’s glow-up. From boardrooms to beach walks, RAK Icons brings you real stories from real legends — all rooted right here in Ras Al Khaimah.
Together, we’re putting the spotlight where it belongs: on the people behind the scenes — the dreamers, doers, and change-makers who are building, creating, and inspiring in Ras Al Khaimah. From accountants to artists, chefs to CEOs, RAK Icons is our way of saying, “Hey, have you met this amazing human yet?”
Because Ras Al Khaimah isn’t just about the views — it’s about the visionaries. And this collaboration is here to tell their stories, one incredible local at a time.
- E-Find RAK YouTube Channel
- WOW-RAK Homepage
- Submit a Story Tip (info@wow-rak.com)
