From Wok Boyz to Kakao Guy: Why Dubai food brands are expanding to Canada

An appetite for diverse cuisines and halal dishes in the Great White North has led some UAE restaurants to make their foray

Wok Boyz founder Gaurav Sabharwal opened a branch of his Asian food chain in Toronto this year. Photo: Wok Boyz

Be it hole-in-the-wall hideouts or fine-dining concepts, the UAE’s home-grown restaurants have been cooking up a storm.

Contrary to a few decades ago when the culinary scene was led largely by international talent, today it is local entrepreneurs and boutique brands that have been tantalising taste buds and gaining a bigger portion of the regional pie. Many home-grown players have even expanded globally. Other Middle Eastern countries aside, London is a prime playing ground: Jones the Grocer now operates at Heathrow Airport, while Kinoya, The Maine and Gaia all have outposts in the UK capital.

However, over the past three years, a handful of Dubai restaurants have set their sights on the Great White North, and are braving the cold to bring their flavours to Canada. And this is just the beginning, say restaurateurs, much to the delight of discerning diners.

A lot of potential

Haiya Tariq is one of them. The food blogger and founder of artisanal tea brand Haiya Tea, regularly travels between Dubai and Canada, specifically Toronto and Mississauga.

While she’s a huge fan of the food scene in the Emirates, the ones she’s visited in Canadian cities are not really her cup of tea. “There are some halal and ethnic options, but nearly no hipster ‘vibey’ coffee shops, matcha cafes, lounges or fine dining, at least in Mississauga,” she says, adding that the Toronto scene is a bit better for upscale food.

It’s one of the reasons she’s aiming to bring her brand to North America. “Opening a teahouse and matcha cafe in Mississauga is an active dream and we have already registered the company there. Our initial focus will be matcha,” she says. “We see a lot of potential for high-quality but also higher-priced matcha to be well received. It would be a matter of pride to be the owner and founder of a Dubai-born export to Canada.”

Until that dream comes true, the UAE’s food scene leaves her feeling nostalgic. “I’d love to see Pickl and Eleven Green here,” she admits.

Dubai-like demographic

Luckily, Tariq might not have to wait long before she sees some familiar names popping up. The Kakao Guy, launched in Dubai in 2019 by Mhon Lee, is a growing presence in Toronto. It gained prominence during the pandemic thanks to its delicious burnt Basque cheesecakes and delivery-only model.

Lee says the launch in Canada happened by chance. “My family got the opportunity to move, so we tried it out while still continuing to operate in Dubai,” he says.

After moving, he discovered Toronto’s dessert scene was more welcoming than his family expected. “We tried a few cheesecakes and were surprised by how well they were received.”

With the help of a food-selling platform called Cookin, the family were soon selling up to 60 cheesecakes a week. “And that’s just doing it part-time,” says Lee.

So they expanded to pop-ups and farmers' markets and are now in the process of collaborating with a Toronto coffee shop. The icing on the (cheese)cake? Due to immigration, they already have an audience familiar with the brand. “Just in my neighbourhood, we have seven people who know The Kakao Guy and have been supporting us,” he says.

Lee credits some of his success to Dubai and Toronto being expatriate hotspots with diverse customers and a curiosity for different flavours. “If you close your eyes and just listen, sometimes you feel like you’re in Dubai,” he says.

So what’s next for The Kakao Guy? Lee says he’s been experimenting with delivering cakes in other Canadian provinces and that the US might not be far behind. “They are neighbours, so the logistics make sense,” he says, adding that if delivering to Canadian provinces is possible, crossing over to New York might just be, well, a piece of cake.

Appetite for international concepts

Lee isn’t the only one with plans for North America. Asian-inspired concept Wok Boyz has also been scaling up in a big way.

Having opened on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai in 2017, the brand made the conscious decision to bring its stir-fries to other markets, with its first global outlet in Ghana opening in 2022, followed by a branch in Oman in 2023 and Canada’s first outlet in Toronto in 2024, with more on the way.

Founder and chief executive Gaurav Sabharwal says he was drawn to the market as he has a Canadian passport. “I have vested interest,” he says. “I lived in Canada for five years and every time I would visit, I knew or hoped I’d have the opportunity to come back with a business interest. Wok Boyz gave me that avenue.”

Another part of Canada’s appeal, he believes, is that while the market always appreciated international brands and diverse cuisine, it was overlooked for a long time. “Things are changing now,” he says, pointing out that international brands such as ShakeShack are starting to take notice. The burger chain opened its first Canadian branch in Toronto in June 2024.

Appreciation for halal food

While there are some similarities between Dubai and Toronto, every country has its set-up, supply chain and sourcing challenges, Sabharwal says. “You have to customise for every new market,” he adds.

“We made the conscious decision to remain halal when launching in Canada. There is not just demand but also great appreciation for halal food,” he says. “Even though it meant a few dishes needed to be taken off the menu, we are sticking to our guns on that.”

With diverse audiences driving up demand for halal options in Toronto, brands are rushing to plug the gap. Case in point, ChickQueen, part of the ChicKing family of brands that originated in Dubai, has been expanding rapidly. The halal fast food chain opened its first Canadian location in Mississauga in 2022 and, according to its website, plans to launch 50 more locations across Canada in the next few years.

The two branches currently operational serve grilled and fried chicken and, in the fusion twist Dubai is famous for, also offer a tandoori flavour.

Sabharwal agrees there’s an appetite for international flavours and halal concepts in North America. “We’ve received enquiries from Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax. By the time we are ready to open our second Canadian location, we might be in a position to entertain discussions about the US as well.”

There’s a lot of ground to cover, but Sabharwal is grateful the UAE gave him a start. “Dubai is one of the most competitive food markets because of its high population-to-restaurant ratio. It’s tough but thriving, and offers plenty of opportunities to learn.”