Heba Jammal & Tarek Khaddaj

Industry: Food
Founded: 2007
www.elmatbakh.com

For working professionals in Cairo, accessing a freshly-prepared hot lunch is a chore.  Fortunately, husband-and-wife duo Tarek Khaddaj (32) and Hiba Jammal (31) have developed a satisfying solution with 'El Matbakh'  ('The Kitchen' in Arabic) - Cairo's premier executive lunch solution.

The Business

EL MATBAKH is amongst the first companies in Egypt to provide the Food / Equipment /Staff needed to run an on-site long-term Lunch and catering service. They chose not to maintain expensive retail outlets or restaurants. Instead the entrepreneurs focus exclusively on the corporate and institutions market, which allows them to develop a better understanding of the clients' needs thus meeting their culinary expectations.

El Matbakh's nouveau cuisine is complemented with a daily change in the menu using the finest ingredients in season. To keep offerings fresh El Matbakh develops an entirely new menu every three months. Students and Staff are guaranteed a variety of offerings changing on daily basis. They provide their clients' with a turn-key hassle-free cafeteria that encompasses all the necessary facilities and amenities from napkins to display fridge. They tailor their operations to the demands and cafeteria space of our partner corporation, while relieving them of the burden of managing such a space. That includes investment, over-head costs, cleanliness and payment logistics.

The Entrepreneurs

Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Tarek Khaddaj and Hiba Jammal left their home country in order to launch a business in Egypt's more enterprise-friendly environment. Upon arrival, Tarek and Heba studied the Egyptian food industry and realized that, unlike in their native Lebanon, business people in Cairo rarely took a lunch break. Leaving behind careers in hospitality, marketing, finance & management, in 2007, they decided to change the status quo, and founded El Matbakh. A powerful couple, Tarek and Heba bring a competitive mix of skills to El Matbakh. In Lebanon, Tarek managed and helped launch some of the country's most acclaimed venues, such as Voile Blue and SKY BAR. Heba worked in corporate banking and e-commerce, before starting El Matbakh.