Not one to let anything get in her way of making waves in the industry, Luma Makhlouf is at the helm of local-favourite eateries
“The food industry is quite male-dominated, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. I am currently looking for female chefs”
You started out in tech start-ups, how did you end up in F&B?
I wanted to be a chef since I was a kid and have worked in restaurants since I was 14 years old – it is legal in Chicago with parental consent. I then studied finance and worked in the start-up industry in Dubai, which I loved. When I became financially stable, I finally enrolled in culinary school after my now-husband, Haider, encouraged me to pursue my culinary journey. We had always dreamt of “hopefully one day starting a business together”.
What is your role as a woman in this industry?
It’s all about being a role model to someone. I can’t imagine my daughter not having somebody to look up to and say, “This girl is also brown, she’s also Palestinian, she did it so I can do it, too.” The food industry is quite male dominated, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. I’m currently looking for female chefs; if one of my waitresses asks me to work in the kitchen one day, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. There’s something powerful about giving back and sharing your knowledge with somebody else.
How do you go about creativity and how do you handle its challenges?
As long as I can keep doing things that nobody else is – even if it might sound ‘crazy’ – I’ll take the risk. For that, I keep an eye out on market trends, listen to our customers and trust in my taste – this wouldn’t be my job if I didn’t. When faced with a challenge, it’s important to think on your feet. We were in the weeds in the kitchen one busy night, with chicken breasts on the grill that weren’t moving. I made the decision to sub them for chicken thighs right then and there; the feedback in the following days was incredible.
What is the secret to your success?
It’s about remembering your values and objectives and staying true to them. What works for Haider and I is running a family business, which means never serving customers something we wouldn’t eat at home. We knew that we would always be a 100% fresh, preservative free brand, which means having the best suppliers. At Maiz Tacos and Good Burger, we only use the best ingredients
You’re a mum to a beautiful young girl, Ayla; what is one thing she’s taught you?
We opened Maiz Tacos the day before she was born; it was really important for me to be okay with not seeing the fruit of my labour while my husband handled the launch. I realised that staying home with my baby daughter was what I was supposed to be doing at that moment; it was exactly where I was supposed to be. Ayla taught me that the world wouldn’t end if I slowed down.
Speaking of your husband, you share your successful businesses with him. How do you keep things balanced?
Find someone whose skillset complements yours. My husband is great at admin work and loves the operations side of things whereas I handle the creative part. Maiz Tacos and Good Burger are both our babies, so it took us time to understand each other’s place in the equation. Owning a business is not easy, but it pays off when you put in the effort of working together – that’s the most important part.
