Shams Al Qassabi: Qatar’s first female entrepreneur

Shams Al Qassabi is an icon for all Qatari women. The first female cook in Souq Waqif to have a restaurant revolutionize the role of women in Qatari restaurants and entrepreneurship. As early as 2002, Al Qassabi wanted to go against the will of the family by opening a spice shop. Later, her restaurant Shay Al Shoomous will make her a famous entrepreneur. She still runs the business with her daughters.

It all started when he tried to sell his own at a fair spices already appreciated by the neighborhood. Al Qassabi to collect the money from the fair registration, stripped his lemon tree to make preserves. At the fair she was allowed to have 35,000 rials in her pocket. However, along with criticism, the perseverance and courage of a strong woman prevailed.

Then in 2014, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his wife Sheikha Moza came to his small shop. They were hit by the long line at the entrance to the store, so they offered her a location in the center of the market. Even today, the emir and his wife are big fans of his dishes. Today Shams is a mother of five and has a point of reference for high-quality catering tourist. A delightful restaurant with an adjacent spice shop which is still very successful.