ISLAMABAD: Sabika Qureshi had been teaching at various schools and colleges in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad for around six years before her son was born in 2019, making it difficult for her to manage employment outside the home while also looking after her family.
After more than a year of commuting to work while leaving her infant son with her mother who lived at the other end of town, Qureshi realized that this was not working out. The 34-year-old economics graduate and now a mother of two teamed up with her mother Shabnam Qureshi and grandmother Shireen Gul to launch the Three Cooks food delivery service in 2020, as COVID-19 lockdowns ravaged the restaurant industry globally.
The idea not only worked for Sabika, helping her to start her own business, but also financially empowered her mother and became a means to preserve the legacy of her grandmother’s cooking.
“I came up with this idea with my mom and my Nani [grandmother], that let’s move to a house together, and let’s live together, and maybe we can just do something,” Sabika told Arab News at the cooking facility for Three Cooks.
The food business was not new for the family.
In the early 2000s, Shabnam had launched a home catering venture due to financial troubles but discontinued the service once the family’s finances improved. Now, with the encouragement of her children and husband, she is back in the business.
“The real thing is that other than a need, passion is very important, in this profession, you can only cook [good] food if you have a passion,” Shabnam, 55, said. “If you don’t have an interest [in cooking], then you can’t do anything at all.”
Three Cooks is now mainly run by Shabnam and her husband and son, and employs five full-time staff as well as riders to deliver food. Sabika remains involved in customer care.
“When we started this [Three Cooks], I had interest and still do, but in reaching this far, my children have played an important role,” the mother said. “The confidence, it came from my children.”
Meanwhile, Sabika has branched into opening a bakery in Islamabad called Dough Jo, which she manages with her husband and in-laws, employing 20 people.
Shireen Gul, Qureshi’s grandmother, said seeing her daughter and granddaughter work was her reason for “happiness.”
“This is life. Sitting idly, that doesn’t bring joy. The real joy is when a person works,” the grandmother told Arab News.
“And one more thing. A woman who cooks food from her heart, the flavor in that, that flavor cannot be found in anything else.”
Three generations of women serve up ‘homemade goodness’ with food delivery service in Islamabad
https://arab.news/mp3ac
Three generations of women serve up ‘homemade goodness’ with food delivery service in Islamabad
- Sabika Qureshi worked as a teacher for years but had to give it up after her son was born in 2019
- In 2020, she launched ‘Three Cooks’ with mother and grandmother amid COVID-19 lockdowns
Saudi traditional meal anchors Al-Balad’s culinary scene
- Slow-cooked sheep’s head is drawing new generations and visitors to Jeddah’s historic district
JEDDAH: In the streets of Al-Balad, where centuries-old buildings frame one of Saudi Arabia’s most storied districts, culinary heritage continues to draw visitors as powerfully as architecture.
Among the area’s enduring attractions is Al-Shadwy for Sheep Head Meat, a family-run restaurant that has served one of the Kingdom’s most traditional dishes since 1958, turning a once-necessity meal into a symbol of Saudi food culture and hospitality.
Tucked into Baba Makkah, Al-Balad’s historic core, Al-Shadwy began as a modest corner table before becoming a landmark destination for locals, food enthusiasts and tourists seeking an authentic taste of the past.
Now run by the third generation of the Al-Shadwy family, the restaurant remains devoted to a single specialty; sheep’s head, slow-roasted over charcoal using a recipe unchanged for decades.
Eating sheep’s head has long been rooted in Arab culinary traditions, shaped by the principle of using the entire animal and avoiding waste. In Saudi Arabia, the dish evolved into communal meal associated with generosity, warmth and social gathering.
Sixty-five-year-old owner Ghalib Naji Al-Shadwy, who inherited the restaurant from his grandfather and father, remains a familiar presence at the restaurant, overseeing the service and greeting customers.
FASTFACTS
• Al-Shadwy for Sheep Head Meat is a family-run restaurant in Al-Balad that has served one of the Kingdom’s most traditional dishes since 1958.
• It began as a modest corner table before becoming a landmark destination for locals, food enthusiasts and tourists seeking an authentic taste of the past.
He told Arab News that the dish has been central to Saudi culinary culture for generations.
“The sheep’s head has been a staple in Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries culinary culture for centuries,” he said. “Traditionally, it was a meal served during cold winter mornings to provide energy and warmth. In many regions of Saudi Arabia, the sheep head (is) always on the top of the main plate for guests, and families festive holidays gather in restaurants or at home to enjoy the sheep’s head, making it a social and festive occasion.”
Speaking about its significance in hospitality culture, he added: “Serving it to guests is considered an act of generosity and care.” Rich and filling, it is most commonly eaten as breakfast or an early morning meal.
Preparing sheep’s head is a slow, careful process. According to Al-Shadwy, the heads are cooked at low temperatures to soften the tendons and connective tissue, resulting in tender meat and deep flavor.
The preparation includes curing and slow cooking, a method that has remained largely unchanged at the restaurant for more than six decades.
Being a family-owned restaurant here for so many years makes us a part of Jeddah’s history.
Ghalib Naji Al-Shadwy, Al-Shadwy for Sheep Head Meat owner
“I’ve cooked many sheep heads a while back and I still enjoy it,” he said. “Most of the customers actually prefer the head and the brain.”
Despite its small size and somewhat tucked-away location, the restaurant’s popularity is unmistakable. Long queues form outside each morning, often guiding first-time visitors to its door. A sign reading “Al-Shadwy Mandi” in Arabic marks the entrance, while the steady crowd confirms its reputation.
Over the years, the restaurant has attracted officials, celebrities and social media figures, with photographs of notable guests lining the walls. Al-Shadwy said the steady attention reflections Al-Balad’s growing appeal as a cultural and culinary destination.
He said that interest in sheep’s head is no longer limited to older generations. Younger Saudis, he said, are increasingly curious about traditional dishes, while tourists often see it as an adventurous experience.
“For many visitors, trying sheep’s head is considered ‘extreme food’ or a challenging dish,” he said. “But it gives them a sense of adventure and a unique story to tell.”
Inside the lively restaurant one morning, longtime customer Abu Samer Al-Sulami, who has been dining there for 40 years, described it as a rare example of authentic Saudi cuisine.
“I am a regular customer here and always come early in the morning because when you eat the sheep’s head it really gives you energy for work,” he said.
Demand is highest in the early hours, particularly on Fridays. Al-Shadwy said the restaurant often sells out by mid-morning, making early visits essential.
“The number of sheep heads our restaurant sells daily varies but it reaches around 200 heads,” he added.
As he works alongside his two sons, Al-Shadwy says preserving the family legacy is as important as serving the fish.
“Being a family-owned restaurant here for so many years makes us a part of Jeddah’s history,” he said.
