Martha Stewart visits old Dubai

Cook, author and businesswoman visits the UAE for the first time to promote her books and television shows.

Martha Stewart and Youssef El Deeb tour the UAE.

DUBAI // American television personality and businesswoman Martha Stewart visited Dubai's historic cultural quarter yesterday to learn more about the history of the city and its people.

Stewart is in the UAE as part of a two-day visit to promote her range of cookery shows and magazines.

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The visit was organised by Takhayal Entertainment, which is publishing her Martha Stewart Weddings and Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazines and promotes her Fatafeat show.

"It's a pleasure to come to the UAE and meet with the team who have done such an impressive job of bringing my food and wedding magazine titles and television shows to countries throughout this region," she said.

"This is my first visit to the UAE and I've been impressed with what I've seen so far.

"This creek-side area of Dubai is steeped in history and we've enjoyed the tour and textile souq immensely."

During her stay she will also visit the capital and be given tours of some of the main tourist hot spots.

"We still have some of Abu Dhabi's cultural heritage to look forward to," she said.

"It's an absolute honour to host a woman of the magnitude of Martha Stewart," said Youssef el Deeb, Takhayal Entertainment's chairman.

"All she has achieved in the world of cooking and business is an inspiration to women throughout the world and complements everything our organisation stands for, so we're delighted to be showing her around during her visit."

Stewart's magazine titles are published quarterly across the GCC, Egypt and the Levant and her cooking shows are screened on Fatafeat, the Middle East's television food network.

Stewart developed her passion for cooking, gardening and home keeping during her childhood in Elm Place, New Jersey, with her six siblings.

Since then her business empire has grown to become Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which includes websites, radio shows, books, and the "How-To" television show.

She also created the Martha Stewart Center for Living medical centre in New York to helping the elderly.