Meet UAE’s youngest twin chefs: From cooking omelettes at four to exotic saffron delights at 17

Once upon a time, two four-year-olds helped their family make an omlette. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but just the joy of pottering around in the kitchen and cooking gave idea to a new dream: Becoming a chef and cooking up happy-ever-afters.

 It’s what twins Abdulrahman and Maitha Alhashmi are aiming for: The duo, now known as the youngest qualified Emirati chefs, still guided by that same quiet rhythm they formed in the kitchen over an omelette.

 Twins are right when they say that they have their own secret, and unspoken language. They just know each other’s thoughts. As the twins explain to us over email, “We don’t even need to speak sometimes, we can read each other’s pace and energy.”

 Both of them play to their strengths.  One of us focuses more on flavour development, the other on technique and presentation. Together, it becomes one balanced vision,” as they say.

Of course, that closeness can spark creative disagreements, after all, what are siblings for? But even those moments turn constructive. “We test both ideas, taste everything together, and let the flavour decide. The best idea wins, not the person,” they add.

 That sense of balance wafts into their collaboration with The Coffee Club, a project that excited them precisely because it challenged expectations.  It excited them, as it was the sheer though of removing barriers between Emirati cuisine and everyday dining.

The reasoning is simple: Emirati flavours, they note, are often reserved for special occasions or home gatherings. Instead of keeping them there, the twins imagined weaving them into daily rituals, morning coffee runs, casual meet-ups, weekend brunches. Culture, made accessible.

A Karak gelato. Maybe a hibiscus one. This isn't delirium; these are the actual dishes the twins can conco

These are the flavours that feel familiar. They bring comfort, and pair well with the café experience, as the twins say. So, they chose dishes and gelato profiles that carry the strong Emirati identity, and yet can be enjoyed casually without needing a full traditional setup.

 The aim was authenticity without heaviness: An 'authentic taste with a modern international presentation' that didn’t require tradition to be explained, only enjoyed.

You hear the word saffron gelato. It sounds distinct. Unusual. And then you understand the twins fondness for the saffron touch. It’s a childhood flavour that has stayed with them for as long as they can remember. “We grew up eating many dishes with the saffron flavours,” they say.

And so, turning it into gelato allowed them to hold on to that old, safe emotion.  It carries the warmth of childhood, the familiarity of family gatherings, and their first memories in the kitchen.

Working with The Coffee Club pushed them to think globally and move faster, without losing meaning. Traditional flavours had to become approachable, light, and quick to serve, refining their sense of balance, presentation, and flow.

“We honoured the flavours but evolved the format,” they explain. “Instead of changing what Emirati food tastes like, we changed the way it’s experienced.”

There’s always joy in trying something different. Their menu reflects that spirit, offering gentle surprises, like a date meat blend in the Date Meatballs, a familiar Emirati flavour presented in a new manner. Even the saffron and hibiscus gelato feels fresh, transforming traditional ingredients into something modern and experimental.

For many diners, these may be first encounters, but never unfamiliar ones.

Cafés, they believe, are among the most powerful gateways to culture. Relaxed, social, and approachable, they invite curiosity without pressure. For someone tasting Emirati flavours for the first time, a café offers the perfect setting.

They’re open, friendly, and experimental. It’s where culture quietly enters everyday life.

As the youngest qualified Emirati chefs, the twins are deeply aware of the responsibility they carry. They feel honoured to represent their cuisine and their culture, preserving its roots while pushing it forward for the next generation. “Every dish we create is a small message of pride in being Emirati.”

And perhaps that message has been there all along, since that imperfect omelette, cooked by two children who found not just a love for food, but a lifelong partnership.