• Nathalie Fakher Eddine is a Lebanese entrepreneur who co-founded a social dining platform.
• The platform connects home cooks with locals and tourists to promote Lebanese culture and offer women and underprivileged families a means to earn money.
• Nathalie completed the 2024 UNITAR “Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Promoting Food Security and Economic Development in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon” programme.
• Through the programme, Nathalie learned more about sustainable business models, financial sustainability, and community engagement.
• Nathalie emphasizes the importance of a solid support system for entrepreneurs and is grateful for the connections and mentorship offered by the UNITAR programme.

Nathalie believes food preserves Lebanon’s culinary legacy and unites people. After observing how many excellent home chefs – particularly women and those from marginalized communities – have amazing cooking abilities but no practical means of making money from those skills, she came up with the idea for an online social dining platform.

I believe in the transformative power of food, not only as a means of cultural exchange but also as a vehicle for economic empowerment. —Nathalie Fakher Eddine, entrepreneur and UNITAR alumna, Lebanon

The platform connects home chefs with visitors seeking an authentic Lebanese culinary experience. It allows locals and tourists to experience home-made Lebanese dishes while providing home cooks with a stable and scalable income stream. It rides on the growth of cultural tourism, whereby tourists meaningfully interact with the people, cuisine and customs of a country – a growth which Nathalie saw as offering the ideal setting for services like hers.

Nathalie believes that when individuals are given the right tools and opportunities, local economies can thrive and that community projects can help generate jobs and bolster economic resilience – exactly what she hopes to accomplish with her platform. She also hopes the platform will foster gender equality through economic participation.

Lebanon has been suffering from years of severe economic crises and insecurity, with some regions experiencing an escalation in conflict since late 2024. The political unrest, unstable economy and volatile currency make it a challenging place to operate a business. Many entrepreneurs find it difficult to secure capital, and long-term planning is curtailed due to the unpredictability of the business environment. Resistance to new business models is another issue, as Lebanon’s established sectors have been sluggish to adopt tech-driven innovations.

Given the circumstances, Nathalie wonders whether her initiative will be successful. But while political and economic volatility can be significant hurdles to overcome, it can also spur resiliency and inventiveness. Despite the challenges, Nathalie persists, adjusts, and continually looks for creative solutions.

To fellow entrepreneurs, Nathalie’s advice is straightforward: have faith in yourself, remain flexible and view obstacles as teaching moments. She stresses the value of establishing a solid support system and encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to look for opportunities like the UNITAR programmes that offer connections and mentorship.

Nathalie wants to continue developing as a business leader and finding new ways to generate funds to support the platform’s growth and the community at large. Her dream for the platform is to make it the premier destination for cultural dining experiences that link locals and visitors with home cooks. To support more environmentally friendly methods, Nathalie plans to start training home cooks on vertical farming and how to find local produce.

Nathalie’s long-term goals extend beyond food. Her hope is for the platform to increase its influence, add more jobs and contribute significantly to the preservation of Lebanese culture.

Entrepreneurship is not just about building a business – it’s about creating something meaningful that can positively impact communities. —Nathalie Fakher Eddine, entrepreneur and UNITAR alumna, Lebanon