Sanam Gill shares how motherhood inspired her to open Dubai restaurant Mama Thai

Dubai: For 12 years, Sanam Gill devoted herself to raising her family in Dubai. A homemaker and mother of three, entrepreneurship wasn’t always part of the plan. But one spontaneous decision changed everything.

“After 12 years of being a homemaker or as we’re calling it now, a generation shaper, I decided to have a bit more fun,” Gill tells Gulf News. “I wanted to show my kids that Mommy can do more than just being a mom.”

That decision became Mama Thai, an independent restaurant tucked inside Dubai’s Neighborhood Food Hall, serving authentic Thai cuisine inspired by a lifetime of memories, family and travel.

For Gill, opening a Thai restaurant was deeply persona.

“If I had to choose one last meal, it would be Thai food,” she says. “I was born and raised in Singapore, and almost every holiday growing up was spent in Bangkok, Koh Samui, Krabi or Phuket. Thai food has always been part of my life.”

Although Singaporean by birth, Gill considers Dubai home.

Having lived in the UAE for over a decade, it’s where she built her family and found the confidence to pursue a lifelong dream.

“I had my three babies here,” she says. “Dubai is a city that really encourages people to step out of their comfort zone, build on their dreams and make their vision into reality. It’s honestly a city full of opportunities.”

That same spirit is reflected in Mama Thai. While the menu stays true to authentic Thai flavours, Gill believes the restaurant carries Dubai’s multicultural identity.

“We serve really authentic Thai food, but I believe our heart is very Dubai,” she explains. “We’re warm, welcoming, diverse and fast-moving.”

What truly sets the restaurant apart, however, is the story behind it.

Gill and her husband were married in the heart of Bangkok over a decade ago, making the country an important part of their family’s journey.

“I wanted to bring a piece of that to Dubai,” she says. “I wanted to show my friends, my family and my kids what I love. Feeding people has always been something close to my heart, and Thailand is also where my husband and I began our journey together.”

The restaurant’s name reflects both her identity and her purpose.

“I called it Mama Thai because it resonates with who I am. I’m a mum of three, and I believe mums make the best meals.”

Authenticity has always been central to Mama Thai’s kitchen, something Gill credits to her close partnership with head chef Nok, who is from Bangkok.

Their relationship goes beyond employer and employee.

“We’ve become such good friends,” Gill says. “The restaurant doesn’t feel like work, its so fun." Nok agrees.

“It’s like home,” she says with a laugh.

For Nok, working alongside someone who isn’t Thai but understands and celebrates Thai cuisine so passionately has been equally meaningful.

“Sanam really has passion for Thai food,” she says. “She knows the food profiles so well and truly appreciates our cuisine. Sometimes, when you’re born with something, you take it for granted. But seeing someone love it this much reminds us how special our food really is.”

She adds that Gill’s genuine appreciation has created something much bigger than a workplace.

“She’s not Thai, but she loves Thai food so much. It makes us feel like we’re part of one family.”

The restaurant itself mirrors the diversity of Dubai.

“A Singaporean owning a Thai restaurant in Dubai, that’s what ‘United in Strength’ means to me,” Gill says. “Our team comes from so many different cultures and backgrounds, but together we work beautifully as one. We give our customers the best of all of us.”

“Starting Mama Thai meant taking a leap of faith,” she says. “I wanted to show my children that mum can be career-focused and still be a mum. That’s really where the name Mama Thai comes from. It all just fit.”

She also credits Neighborhood Food Hall for creating an environment where independent restaurateurs support rather than compete with one another.

“It’s such a beautiful concept,” she says. “The community here is amazing. Every operator pours so much love into what they do. The days are long and the hours are tough, but we’ve really become family. Having that support makes all the difference.”

For Gill, Mama Thai is a reflection of the places that shaped her, the family she built, and the dream she finally gave herself permission to pursue.