Latest from CairoScene
CairoScene
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Khufu's Wins Global ‘Resy One to Watch' Award
Khufu's Wins Global 'Resy One to Watch' Award Khufu's — a fine dining concept serving reimagined local cuisine beside the Great Pyramid — has become the first Egyptian restaurant to win the prestigious Resy One To Watch Award. In an exclusive interview with SceneEats in 2022, Giovanni Bolandrini, founder of the Pier 88 Group – the pioneering hospitality powerhouse that brought Khufu's to life – said, 'My dream is to have Khufu's and the 'Egyptian Kitchen' recognised around the world.' In the intervening years, what once seemed like an outlandish dream has become a reality. Perched at the edge of the Giza Plateau, with one of the most monumental views in the world, Khufu's has been awarded the 2025 Resy One To Watch Award — a prestigious honour from The World's 50 Best Restaurants that signals the rise of a future heavyweight on the global fine dining stage. It marks the first time an Egyptian restaurant — homegrown and proudly Egyptian in both concept and cuisine — has claimed this international distinction. Beyond the ranking, this is a recognition that Egyptian food — in all its history and heart — can hold its own among the world's most elite kitchens, and do so on its own terms, in its own city, against the skyline of its own past. 'When we opened Khufu's beneath the Great Pyramid, it was more than a restaurant — it was a tribute to Egyptian soul, a celebration of heritage through world-class hospitality,' Bolandrini told us this morning, hours after the news broke. 'This award isn't just a recognition of our journey; it's a sign that Egyptian cuisine and storytelling belong on the global stage. I hope this moment inspires a new generation to believe that excellence can begin at home — and reach the world.' At the helm of Khufu's kitchen is Mostafa Seif, one of the most significant culinary figures to emerge from the region in the last decade. A Top Chef Middle East winner and a key voice in what is now being dubbed New Egyptian Cuisine, Seif's culinary imaginings have seen him reinterpret Egyptian favourites in myriad unexpected and wonderful ways — from his signature koshari with delicate, layered umami to smoked beef mu'ammar rice that's as technical as it is soulful. His work fuses precision with memory. 'Khufu's is proof that Egypt can deliver fine dining with vision, discipline and authenticity,' Seif told us, the emotion audible in his voice. 'We are not serving food under the pyramids — we are serving history, emotion and pride on a plate.' The award comes shortly after Khufu's was named the Best Restaurant in Egypt and placed No. 4 on MENA's 50 Best Restaurants list — an ascent that speaks to both the restaurant's artistic ambition and the growing appetite for contemporary local culinary narratives. But perhaps what's most compelling is that the Resy One To Watch acts as a kind of forecast — a nod to what's coming. And what's coming — if Khufu's has anything to do with it — is a new chapter for Egyptian dining: one that honours where we've been, and finally invites the world to the table.
CairoScene
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Where to Find the Best Refreshers in Egypt
These refreshers are cold, unhinged, and built to help you survive small talk, heat stroke, and pretending you're fine in group settings. It starts the same every time: you're standing in line, heat radiating off the pavement like it personally hates you, your phone is overheating in your hand, and someone just texted 'on my way' when they're clearly still in the shower. Your mouth? Dry. Your patience? Gone. Your soul? Desperately craving something cold, fruity, and unnecessarily dramatic. Enter: the era of the refresher. No longer just a sad iced tea with a lemon slice floating around like it regrets being born, refreshers in Egypt have become a full-blown genre. Some come foamed, others fizzed, a few are suspiciously pink and all of them are engineered to revive your will to socialize. They're for sipping while fake-laughing through a work crisis or recovering from a reckless Uber Comfort splurge. They are the plot twist of summer 2025. So we did the noble thing. We drank our way through berry bubbles, lime layers, matcha mischief, and way too much ice. Some gave us life. Some gave us a mild sugar crash. But all of them gave... personality. Amor Perfecto 18 Salah El Deen St., Zamalek, MAR.V. Mall, New Cairo & Open Air Mall, Madinaty A tiny spot with a big soul. The kind of place where the barista remembers your name, your order, and maybe your star sign. Stepping inside feels like a portal out of Cairo's oven, with refreshers so good, you'll forget you almost melted on the way there. Koffee Kulture Branches all over Egypt Koffee Kulture is that overachiever who's somehow good at everything. Espresso? Nailed it. Cinnamon rolls? Iconic. Refreshers? Just casually reinventing hydration like it's no big deal. Cult Branches all over Egypt Cult's refreshers are exactly like the people who go there—glowy, pastel, and suspiciously calm at 10 AM. It's all Pilates-core and soft life energy… but sometimes, all you need is a drink that looks like your mood board and has little flowers inside. 1980 Branches all over Egypt 1980's menu is overwhelming, from butter chicken to pistachio pancake stacks, but somehow, their refreshers still steal the spotlight like it's their origin story. Vasko Branches all over Egypt They claim to be the kings of coffee beans, but the refreshers? That's the real throne. Cold, bold, and low-key carrying the entire place on their citrusy backs. Lazy Lads The name says lazy, but the crowd says curated chaos. Three startups are being pitched, someone's journaling like it's a sport, and one girl's pretending it's her first time. The only reason any of them are functioning? The refreshers. Liquid coping mechanisms, really. CAF Branches all over Egypt CAF feels like it was built for people who treat their calendars like confessionals. Meetings, meltdowns, mild euphoria—all powered by their dangerously drinkable refreshers. Momochi Branches all over Egypt You came for the mochi, stayed for the aircon, and left with a drink that was somehow neon lavender. No one knows what's in it, but it matches your emotional instability. Sip 18 Kamal Khaleel St., Zamalek & Cinema Radio, Downtown This is for people who wear linen, water their plants on time, and have 'intentional living' in their bio. Your drink matches your tote bag and your moral superiority.
CairoScene
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Award-Winning ‘East of Noon' to Premiere in Egypt at Zawya Cinema
Following its Cannes debut and international festival run, 'East of Noon' by Hala Elkoussy will screen in Egypt for the first time at Zawya Cinema starting June 25th. Jun 20, 2025 Hala Elkoussy's award-winning debut feature 'East of Noon' will make its Egyptian premiere at Zawya Cinema on June 25th. The opening night will include a Q&A session with Elkoussy following the 7 PM screening, marking the film's first local showing since its international festival debut. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight, where it won the Société des Auteurs award, and was later selected for the Berlin International Film Festival. 'East of Noon' has since earned multiple accolades for its striking visual language and layered, allegorical narrative. Set in a timeless fictional world, the film follows 19-year-old Abdo, a gifted musician challenging an inert system governed by the ageing showman Shawky and the enigmatic storyteller Jalala. Through its symbolic framework, 'East of Noon' reflects on themes of power, resistance, and the role of creative expression under oppressive systems.
CairoScene
6 hours ago
- CairoScene
How Egyptian Explorer Ayten Tamer Built a Travel Movement for Mothers
Mama Retreats and Me is all about curated adventures where mothers and kids explore, learn, and make lifelong memories together. For most mothers, travel is a luxury, something to be penciled into the calendar once the laundry is folded and the school pick-ups are done. But for Ayten Tamer, travel is not a break from motherhood—it is an extension of it, a way to model curiosity, resilience, and a sense of wonder to her children. Her work, embodied in a quietly audacious venture known as Mama Retreats and Me, is a testament to this philosophy, a belief that motherhood need not be the end of adventure, but its deepening. Ayten's story begins in the folds of a family already steeped in the travel business. Growing up, she was the child who rarely stayed still, trailing her family through souks in Marrakesh, desert camps in Oman, and quiet fishing villages in Southeast Asia when the conventional family trip was simply Paris or the USA. 'Those were weeks-long immersions where the line between home and abroad blurred,' Ayten Tamer, founder of Mama Retreats and Me, tells Scenetraveller. Travel, for her, was never about escapism. It was about immersion, about standing barefoot in a rice paddy and understanding the world from the ground up. That ethos, rooted in experience over consumption, became the backbone of 'Gazef,' an Egyptian adventure travel company founded by Tamer in 2013. As Tamer's first venture in the world of exotic backpacking travel, the company specialized in immersive group trips across Egypt and beyond. Finally, she was realizing her vision of travel. But after stepping away from the company she built, moving to Australia, and becoming a mother, it seemed like her passport might get tucked away for good. Tamer, however, had other plans. Despite finding herself faced with the kind of exhaustion that turns even the simplest outing into a logistical headache, she decided to strap her six-month-old son onto her back and boarded a plane. The destination was less important than the act itself—proof that a baby carrier wasn't a leash, but a ticket. She often jokes that her firstborn had more stamps in his passport before turning one than most adults do in a lifetime. But the heart of her story isn't just the miles logged or the borders crossed. It's in the shifting logic of what a 'family trip' could mean. Where others saw obstacles—nap schedules, picky eaters, overstimulated toddlers—Ayten saw possibilities. 'The tantrum is part of the journey,' she says, with a smile that suggests she's learned this lesson many times over. To her, travel is a mirror. It shows you how your child reacts to novelty, to discomfort, to joy—and it reflects back your own capacity for patience, for adaptation, for openness. When the pandemic brought the world to a halt, Ayten, like so many others, found herself grounded. But stillness is not in Ayten's nature. She turned inward, literally. With borders closed, she began exploring Fayoum, a pastoral oasis southwest of Cairo. There, amidst the fields and date palms, she and her son harvested crops, learned about soil, and rediscovered the rhythms of local life. Soon, others began to tag along. What started as a personal experiment became, almost organically, a new form of retreat: one with more toddler diapers stuffed into backpacks, more sunscreen smeared on little faces, and way more snack breaks along the way. It wasn't about ticking off destinations but about slowing down, noticing the light on a field at dusk, or the way children's faces light up when they taste a fruit plucked straight from the tree. It was about recalibrating the relationship between mother and child—not in the frenetic context of modern parenting, but in a space where time stretched and expectations softened. And so, Mama Retreats and Me was born. From the volcanic landscapes of Bali to the rugged coastline of South Africa, these retreats now promise not just intimate time away, but transformation. 'The retreats are framed around themes—surfing, cooking, cultural immersion, environmental stewardship—but beneath the itinerary is a deeper promise: a chance to cross 20 things off your bucket list, yes, but also a chance to see your child in a new light.' Yet, the true beauty of these retreats lies in their diversity. There are single mothers traveling solo with their kids. There are mothers of autistic children, seeking a space where meltdowns aren't judged but embraced. There are teenagers learning to surf alongside toddlers building sandcastles. The eclectic mix, Tamer says, is intentional. 'It's when you're surrounded by people who parent differently, who have different lives, that you learn the most,' Tamer says. And the kids, exposed to peers of all ages and temperaments, learn too—about empathy, about sharing, about navigating differences. That spirit of flexibility carries through behind the scenes too—with a team made up entirely of mothers, or a 'super mama crew,' as Tamer calls them. There are no rigid hours, no office walls. The team knows what it means to pause a Zoom call because a child is crying, or to reply to emails after bedtime. This is a business built not in spite of motherhood but because of it. Of course, none of this is easy. Tamer will admit, with a dry laugh, that she sometimes feels like a juggler on a tightrope, balancing logistics, childcare, and the unpredictable chaos of travel. But she also believes in the power of showing up—of modeling, for her children and for the mothers who join her, what it looks like to pursue a dream while holding space for others. In the end, Tamer's work is about reimagining what it means to be a mother in a world that often tells women to shrink their desires. It's about rejecting the false choice between self and family, adventure and responsibility. For Tamer, the two aren't in conflict—they're intertwined. Her life is proof that you can hold your baby in one arm and a surfboard in the other—and that both matter equally.
CairoScene
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
The Desert Muse Edit with Moroccan Stylist Khaoula Chiga
From pleated silhouettes to windswept headscarves, Chiga—aka Zif Hayati—serves up a dreamy Desert Muse edit grounded in heritage, movement, and mood. If you've ever paused mid-scroll on a perfectly styled Moroccan scarf, chances are it was Zif Hayati . Behind the drape is 26-year-old stylist and image director Khaoula Chiga. A name that translates to The Scarf of My Life, Zif Hayati is Chiga's nod to the traditional headscarf worn at home or after the hammam. 'I started content creation to make Zif Hayati more visible in the fashion industry,' she says, 'and to challenge the idea that it's only meant for home wear.' Though her degree is in chemical analysis, fashion came first. 'My mom started studying fashion design when she was pregnant with me. I became her first model—whenever she learned something new, she'd try it on me,' she laughs. Today, she works from that same atelier, styling and sewing with a vision that blends heritage and contemporary fashion. 'We have such rich heritage, and it deserves international recognition.' Her references range from Moroccan classics to Mirror Palais and Jacquemus. 'If I didn't dress modestly, I'd probably live in Mirror Palais,' she says. Now, she's building Zifelle , her upcoming modestwear label: 'It's everything I've ever wanted to create in one place.' Look One | Sands of Time 'The flowy linen set mirrors the shifting sands, while the deep red leather bag and garnet necklace add richness inspired by Moroccan craftsmanship,' she tells SceneStyled. 'The golden makeup ties it all together.' Na-kd | Linen Wide Leg Pant Na-kd | One Shoulder Linen Blend Top Zila Russi | Terez Dark Red Leather Maayaz | Dahlia II Garnet Necklace Kiko | Golden Oasis Chic Lips Beauty Kit Look Two | Kasbah Nights 'Luxury is in each detail,' she explains. 'The Moroccan jewellery speaks to my style— it's where my love for heritage meets my obsession with clean, contemporary design.' 1309 Studios | Odelia Green Okhtein | Malleable Clutch in Gold Mekouar Joaillier | Pendants d'Oreilles 'Granada' Jimmy Choo | Zyra 50 Dior | Oud Ispahan Look Three | Dune Reveries 'This one feels like the desert's softness and sunlit warmth,' she says. 'Earthy tones, airy fabrics, and subtle handcrafted details– this look is timeless desert grace.' Zimmermann | Acacia Maxi Dress Kenzaklay | Green Zelij Set Dolce Vita | Kesha Sandals in Bone Leather Beauty of Joseon | Daily Tinted Fluid Sunscreen Longchamp | Le Pliage Filet XS Mesh Bag in Ecru Look Four | Palmshade Serenity 'This look reflects who I am. It feels like home to me—sunset tones, soft light, and that quiet beauty I grew up watching at the end of every day.' Mirror Palais | The Sunset Gown Zyne | Tory 45 in Orange Moonglaze | Sheers in Gilded Jacquemus | Le Bisou Perle Ivory Jennifer Fisher | Samira Huggies Look Five | Sirocco Soul 'The desert is never silent; it's the sound of the wind carrying stories of distant lands and endless horizons,' Chiga contemplates. 'Just like the breeze, these pieces flow with energy.' Bottega Veneta | Angle Cat Eye Sunglasses Hermès | Poivre Samarcande Eau de Toilette Bottega Veneta | Viscose and Linen Dress Chloé | Woody Mule in Vintage Khaki Chloé | The Chloé Peonies Square Scarf in Silk Twill
