Away from the glamour of all the global gastronomy Dubai has to offer, the long-time UAE residents founded Frying Pan Adventures – a tour company that offers travelers and residents a taste of the city’s nostalgic flavors from its first settlers, served with a side of history, heritage, community, culture, sightseeing and spice shopping.
“Our small group walking tours celebrate ‘the constants’-the classic, traditional and cultural foods that have stood the test of time,” Arva Ahmed, cofounder of Frying Pan Adventures, said.
“We focus more on foods and stories that give people a sense of place in this rapidly evolving city, and less on what’s new or trending. The most memorable food tours are ones where the food gives you an insight into local history and culture.
We’re always thirsty for facts, personal anecdotes, food history and ingredient deep dives. Farida and I have grown up in the UAE, which is why we are so passionate about showcasing the older side of town and busting the myth that ‘Dubai has no culture or history’.”
Moving Dubai’s narrative beyond fine dining to be inclusive of the many humble cultures that recreated their classics in the emirate many decades ago, Frying Pan Adventures has served more than 16,000 guests across 2,000 tours since 2013 – about just eight people per tour.
Farida Ahmed & Arva Ahmed, Founders – Frying Pan Adventures
The tours feature out-of-theway eateries across neighborhoods that predate the city’s skyline of concrete and glass, offering mouthwatering street staples ranging from traditional Emirati to Lebanese, Syrian, Iraqi, Iranian, Palestinian and Indian cuisines.
Trails cover the spice souk, textile souk, the Old Fahidi neighborhood, and a ride on an abra, Dubai’s oldest form of water transportation across its historic Creek.
“We’ve never been focused on big bus-style groups,” Ahmed said.
“Our groups are small because we want that one-on-one interaction the same way that you’d have if a friend were showing you around their city.”
The sisters, of Indian origin, stay ahead of the game by building deep relationships with venues, which has sometimes resulted in rare backdoor access for tourists including being let into kitchens to learn to make knafeh, a popular buttery Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded pastry layers enclosing clotted cream or cheese, and pistachios.
Tours are also peppered with games like SPINGO – an interactive game of ‘Spicy Bingo’ that morph Frying Pan’s research on over 70 different ingredients at the local spice souk – and ‘Crack the Secret Chai Masala’ to decode a secret chai masala.
Food tourism represents one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global tourism industry.
According to Research & Markets, the culinary tourism market is poised to grow by $126.28 billion during 2023-2027, accelerating at a CAGR of 17.45% during the forecast period.
“[It’s important to] step outside your comfort zone and [not] just follow recommended lists or what’s been featured on social media,” Ahmed said.
“Keep an open mind to tasting through all parts of [a] city equally, old and new.”