Grubshack founder suffers heart attack as Dubai restaurant closes down, daughter vows revival

Dubai: “Yesterday, our world came to a sudden standstill,” says Marushka Coelho, daughter of Grubshack founder Gemma Mascarenhas.

“My mum suffered a heart attack and was rushed into emergency surgery. By God’s grace, she’s stable now, but it was a frightening reminder of how much she’s been carrying on her shoulders — especially over the last month," she added in an exclusive interview with Gulf News.

That weight was Grubshack — the beloved Goan restaurant Gemma built from scratch in 2012. For nearly a decade, she poured her heart, soul, and family recipes into every dish served.

Its recent closure last month, after weathering pandemic-related losses and an exhausting financial battle, has left the family gutted — and its matriarch broken in more ways than one.

“The restaurant wasn’t just a business,” says Marushka. “It was her second home. Her legacy. Her dream. To see it shuttered — after nurturing it day in, day out — shattered something inside her.”

As customers mourn the end of an era, many are unaware of the toll it has taken behind closed doors. Gemma was the beating heart of Grubshack. Not only did she run the kitchen — cooking nearly every dish herself — but she also woke up early on weekends to hand-pick fresh fish, ground every masala at home, and made sure not a single plate went out without her final touch.

“This wasn’t a commercial setup,” Marushka adds. “It was our mother’s home, just extended to the public. Everything inside — from the mismatched furniture and old Bombay-style window frames to the guitars on the wall — was her. People felt like they were stepping into someone’s living room. That was the whole point.”

I remember that feeling vividly. During my twin pregnancy, one of the reasons I chose City Hospital was because Grubshack was next door. In the thick of prenatal stress and uncertainty, the thought of diving into their chilli chicken or crab curry gave me an odd sort of comfort. And the moment I got the green light post-delivery, I hobbled straight to Grubshack — because some meals stay with you longer than others.

Grubshack started as a 12-cover hole-in-the-wall in Sharjah, with customers willing to queue outside for hours. In 2016, it moved to Dubai’s Health Care City — and quickly became a cult favourite for its soul food and nostalgic charm. “We had people driving down from Abu Dhabi just for a takeaway,” recalls Marushka. “It was that kind of love.”

But the pandemic and a bad business deal changed everything. “Just before COVID, we brought in investors who promised to expand the brand,” she says. “They took 60% equity, and when COVID hit, everything collapsed. We were closed for almost a year. My dad got COVID and was in ICU for 60 days. We almost lost him too.”

With mounting medical bills, exhausted finances, and no sustainable path forward, the family had no choice but to let go. Staff were let go. Lights were turned off. The kitchen that once smelled of fried mackerel and coconut stew fell silent.

Still, Marushka and her husband Leon refuse to let the story end here.

“As her daughter, I just can’t watch it all fade away. We want to bring Grubshack back — not for profit, but for purpose. This is our heart project now. We’re open to investment, collaborations, or simply anyone who believes in what Grubshack stood for.”

The tagline “From Bombay to Goa” wasn’t just branding. It was their story — a culinary journey rooted in heritage, emotion, and grit. And maybe, just maybe, there’s still one more chapter to be written.