Raphael Stevens

This week, we speak to Samyukta Nair, restaurateur and founder of London and Dubai’s Jamavar and MiMi Mei Fair.
Welcome to the Emirates Woman weekly series ‘How I got my job as…’ where we speak to some incredible entrepreneurs and businesswomen both based in the UAE and globally to find out about their career paths that led them to where they are now; what their daily routines look like; the advice they’d give to those starting out; and the hurdles they’ve had to overcome.
With a discerning eye for detail, passion for gastronomy, and a business pedigree, Samyukta started her journey as a Design & Operations Associate at The Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts, founded by her late grandfather Captain CP Krishnan Nair, where she worked her way up to become the Head of Design and Operations. Afterwards, she then pursued launching a luxury sleepwear and lifestyle label, Dandelion, in 2015. From 2016 onwards, Samyukta launched design-led restaurants in London, from fine dining Indian concept Jamavar to MiMi Mei Fair, a discreet dining destination, which has then been recently added to Dubai’s dining scene in 2024. Here, we delve deeper into Samyukta’s entrepreneurial vision, lessons learned, and how her journey in the industry began.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Literature. I was always drawn to the way stories could transport, inform, and transform. That love for narrative never left me—and today, I weave that same sense of storytelling into the spaces I create, whether it’s through design, menu curation, or the atmosphere of a restaurant. Story is my starting point, and literature taught me how powerful it can be.
What was your first job?
My first job was within the family business—I apprenticed under my mother at The Leela, learning the intricacies of design and operations. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was foundational. I spent my time learning how to balance form with function, and how the smallest details—like the way a cushion is placed or the way light touches a plate—can completely alter a guest’s experience.
What eventually brought you to Dubai?
Dubai felt like a natural next chapter after London. It’s a city that sits at the intersection of ambition and aesthetics, and it resonated deeply with my vision. Much like London, it welcomes global voices and ideas, but what drew me in was its appetite for emotion-driven hospitality. It’s a place where you can be bold with design, generous with service, and unafraid to build worlds that are theatrical yet grounded.

What inspired you to enter the F&B space and launch MiMi Mei Fair and Jamavar in Dubai?
Hospitality is part of my legacy, but I wanted to reinterpret that inheritance in my own voice. Jamavar was born out of a desire to honour India’s culinary heritage with global finesse, while MiMi Mei Fair offered a canvas to explore whimsy, mystery, and Chinese gastronomy through a contemporary lens. Dubai offered the right audience—curious, cultured, and emotionally attuned. It gave us the opportunity to introduce something not just new, but meaningful.
What are the key elements of your role?
Vision and detail. I shape the narrative spine of each concept—its story, its soul—and then work with the team to bring it to life across food, interiors, music, and service. I’m also deeply involved in strategy and brand evolution, but what I value most is staying connected to the emotional core of each restaurant. No matter how many projects we’re running, the experience has to feel personal.

Talk us through your daily routine.
No two days are ever the same. Mornings often begin with creative reviews—menu tastings, design revisions, or branding work. Afternoons are for operations, strategy, and team check-ins. Evenings are usually spent visiting our restaurants, experiencing them as a guest, and observing the energy on the floor. I try to carve out small moments to recharge—a walk, a book, or a quick meditation—because creativity needs space to breathe.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?
Lead with feeling. This industry is about creating emotional connections—through food, through people, through space. You must have a clear point of view and an unwavering commitment to detail. Also, surround yourself with people who are better than you at what they do, and never lose sight of the guest’s perspective. And above all, be patient—great restaurants are built one moment, one memory at a time.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for everything.” My grandfather, Captain Nair, said that often—and it stayed with me. It reminds me to lead with conviction and to hold onto purpose even when the road gets complicated.
And what is the worst?
“Just follow what’s working.” I think in hospitality, replication dilutes magic. What works for one brand, one location, or one audience may not always translate elsewhere. Our most successful moments have come when we’ve taken risks and built something from a place of emotion and originality.
Tell us more about the dining experience at MiMi Mei Fair.
Jamavar Dubai is a celebration of India’s rich culinary tapestry—rooted in tradition but presented with elegance and precision. It’s regal, refined, and layered with flavour. MiMi Mei Fair, on the other hand, is playful and enigmatic. It’s imagined as the private residence of a fictional Chinese Empress, filled with antique chinoiserie, silk wallpaper, and theatrical flair. Both restaurants are deeply immersive in their own way—they don’t just feed you, they transport you.

What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?
Scaling without losing soul. Expanding across geographies means adapting to new rhythms and expectations. The challenge is to remain agile while fiercely protecting the emotional DNA of each concept. That tension—between evolution and authenticity—is something I’m constantly navigating. But it’s also where the magic lies.
What are your goals for the future?
To continue building restaurants that tell powerful, personal stories—spaces that become part of people’s lives and memories. I want to keep evolving with intention, exploring new cuisines and narratives, and perhaps even stepping into adjacent creative disciplines. But most of all, I want each project to be rooted in feeling. Because at the end of the day, that’s what lingers – how you made someone feel.
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