Putting the spotlight on local cuisine

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Updated 31 October 2023
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Putting the spotlight on local cuisine

  • Delivery app Lugmety brings fine dining to your living room table

Riyadh: Though the magic of fine dining was intended to take place in restaurants, Saudi-based food delivery app Lugmety is bringing the experience straight to your home.

The company was the official sponsor of InFlavour, Saudi Arabia’s top F&B event that was held in Riyadh from Oct. 29-31. Lugmety’s CEO and co-founder, Khaled El-Moselhy, told Arab News what it takes to make it in the food delivery industry.

Founded in 2017 by Faisal Sadagah and El-Moselhy, the company entered the market “in a disruptive manner,” the CEO said, by providing delivery services exclusively from fine-dining establishments and then eventually offering dishes from more accessible restaurants and chains.

“Initially, we had a lot of pushback. A lot of people said that they didn’t see the point of having fine food or fine dining at home. It was more of a thing that you go out too,” he said.

But the company grew in popularity after customers discovered they could access their favorite meals.

“The first year was just a proof of concept. It was just a website until we saw some traction and then we invested. We went all in and we invested in an app and it’s been great ever since then,” he said.

Now, the app offers much more than just restaurant deliveries, but also groceries, personal care items and features for table bookings. It has also expanded its services across the Middle East.

However, creating customized fine dining experiences is not all Lugmety is about. What sets them apart, the CEO says, is their commitment to quality delivery services, from level of control to monitoring various touch points.

He added: “It’s a vetting process. So (when delivery personnel) register, they have to come in, we interview them and we also actually train them before they’re allowed to deliver orders. Also on the same end, our partner restaurants — we also train them on the way we operate.

“It’s not a standard operating model that goes across delivery apps. We’re a bit more meticulous in the way we do things, and that helps the process, helps the end client and consumer get a quality service. And that’s, I think, the main differentiating point.”

As Riyadh grows to be a global food hub, hosting international level restaurants such as Wolfgang Puck’s Spago and the UK’s award-winning Nozomi, boasting elegant and elevated experiences for diners in the Kingdom, it seems at times that innovation can go no further.

“The marketing is going exponentially, especially in Riyadh, more than Jeddah. The fine or premium dining scene is exploding, and what you can expect to see is a lot more solutions-oriented or solutions focused on delivering these services to the fine dining (market),” El-Moselhy said.

“The F&B suppliers are focused on the mass market. I think the client behavior is shifting where they’re looking for more … focused solutions and delivering actual authentic flavors and authentic brands instead of just globalized brands.”

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic also bolstered these changes. Being stuck at home drove people to try different things instead of ordering fast food.

About 80-90 percent of Lugmety’s partners are local, which is what drove the app’s success.

“We really found that to be our calling card in this industry. It helped us support the local business, and in turn, they supported us because the word of mouth is basically what helped Lugmety grow,” he said.

In continuing their efforts to support locals, it was important for the entrepreneurs to sponsor InFlavour, a government-backed expo that plays an integral role in bridging Saudi food production ecosystems with worldwide partners.

“We are also one of the few F&B aggregators in the Kingdom that are literally bred and born through Saudi Arabia … we like to show our support and we like to be part of the future vision driving the country and driving the F&B industry,” El-Moselhy said.

“Egyptian cuisine has been around for many centuries. Lebanese cuisine is well known around the world, and great Syrian cuisine. It’s only a matter of time before Saudi cuisine is the same. And I think events like this and the explosion of F&B restaurants and F&B fine-dining will put more of a spotlight on local cuisine.”


KSrelief distributes food baskets to displaced people in Lebanon, Sudan and Afghanistan

Updated 15 July 2025
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KSrelief distributes food baskets to displaced people in Lebanon, Sudan and Afghanistan

  • The aid agency distributed 120 food baskets to Afghan refugees who returned from Pakistan and settled in Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing
  • Over the past decade, KSrelief has run thousands of humanitarian initiatives in nearly 92 countries

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed hundreds of food baskets to families in need in Sudan, Lebanon, and Afghanistan as part of ongoing efforts to alleviate the food security crisis in various countries.

KSrelief announced that 4,250 individuals will benefit from 700 food baskets distributed to displaced families affected by the armed conflict in Sudan, specifically in Al-Kamalin district of Gezira state.

In Afghanistan, the aid agency distributed 120 food baskets to Afghan refugees who returned from Pakistan and settled in Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing. At least 720 Afghans benefited from food baskets as part of a dedicated security and emergency project in Afghanistan for the 2025-2026 period.

Approximately 2,785 displaced Syrians living in Lebanon have received 577 food baskets from KSrelief volunteers in the western Beqaa Valley. This initiative is part of a project aimed at distributing food aid to support the most needy families in Lebanon, which has been significantly impacted by drought this summer.

Over the past decade, KSrelief has run thousands of humanitarian initiatives in 92 countries. Since its establishment in 2015, the aid agency has distributed food baskets to numerous countries, including Somalia, Mali, Bangladesh, Libya, and Palestine, among others.


Diriyah Dates Season celebrates sector’s growth and heritage

Updated 15 July 2025
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Diriyah Dates Season celebrates sector’s growth and heritage

  • Governor praises initiatives as exports hit $453m, production tops 1.9m tonnes
  • Ministry of Culture is also represented with a booth showcasing artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts

RIYADH: Diriyah Gov. Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Abdullah has praised the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture for developing the date production sector in the Kingdom and enhancing the quality of dates as a national product.

He highlighted the ministry’s support programs for farmers and initiatives that add value to dates, aligning with Vision 2030 goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

His remarks came during the inauguration of the Diriyah Dates Season and accompanying exhibition, which runs until July 24.

The event, organized by the National Center for Palms and Dates, aims to boost the sale of Saudi dates locally and globally, and provide an insight into Diriyah’s heritage through cultural and social activities.

The exhibition features booths for date vendors, processed date products, palm by-products and items from family-run cottage industries. It also has restaurants, cafes, food trucks, workshops for adults and children, a date auction zone and a horse parade.

The Ministry of Culture is also represented with a booth showcasing artisans specializing in palm-based crafts as part of the Year of Handicrafts.

The Kingdom’s palm and date sector is growing rapidly. According to figures from the General Authority for Statistics production surpassed 1.9 million tonnes in 2024, with SR1.7 billion ($453 million) worth of dates exported to 133 countries, up significantly from the previous year.

This growth reflects the Kingdom’s strong production capacity and government efforts to improve quality, expand global outreach and develop supply chains.


Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah

Updated 15 July 2025
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Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet, chaired by King Salman, on Tuesday praised the kingdom’s global ranking in the growth of international tourist revenues during the first quarter of 2025.

In its weekly session held in Jeddah, the Council of Ministers said the growth reflects the rapid development witnessed by the tourism sector in the Kingdom. 

The Cabinet also reviewed the Kingdom’s positions on regional and global developments, as well as efforts that achieve mutual interests and benefits, and contribute to addressing global challenges.


City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha

Updated 15 July 2025
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City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha

  • The event has already attracted attention in earlier stops, including Jazan, Alkhobar and Hail

RIYADH: Following the success of the City Hub event in Buraidah, Qassim region, the initiative has now reached Baha as part of a nationwide mobile entertainment tour.

The event has already attracted attention in earlier stops, including Jazan, Alkhobar and Hail, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Organized by the General Entertainment Authority, it runs in Baha until July 25, offering entertainment for all segments of society.

The initiative supports Saudi Vision 2030 goals to diversify entertainment and tourism, and improve quality of life, the SPA added.

City Hub in Baha offers live shows, electronic games, educational corners, family zones and food stalls. The event runs daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., combining local identity with modern elements to enhance the visitor experience.

The opening day saw strong attendance from residents and visitors, who enjoyed experiences new to the area. Tickets are available through the WeBook app, which also provides the daily schedule and show details, the SPA reported.

City Hub has become a successful model for mobile entertainment across the Kingdom, tailoring each edition to the host city’s character.

Its arrival in Baha reflects the authority’s commitment to diversifying entertainment, promoting local content, and fostering jobs and investment to improve quality of life.


Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety

Updated 15 July 2025
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Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety

  • Khalid Al-Fakhri, the society’s president, said the resolution marks major progress in strengthening legal and preventive protections for children against digital risks and violations

RIYADH: The National Society for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia welcomed the unanimous adoption by the UN Human Rights Council of a resolution on protecting children in cyberspace.

The society called it a significant step that strengthens international efforts to safeguard children’s rights amid the growing challenges of the digital world, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

It noted that the resolution aligns with the global initiative launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to protect children in cyberspace, reflecting a strong commitment to upholding children’s rights in the digital sphere.

Khalid Al-Fakhri, the society’s president, said the resolution marks major progress in strengthening legal and preventive protections for children against digital risks and violations, and establishes an international framework to support countries’ and communities’ efforts in this field.

He stressed that protecting children’s rights is a core priority the society actively supports and promotes, and praised the Kingdom’s mission to the UN and international organizations in Geneva for its role in supporting and engaging with the resolution.

Al-Fakhri highlighted the need to integrate national and international efforts to advance human rights, particularly children’s rights in the digital age, the SPA reported.

The society reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all international and local initiatives to protect children’s rights and raise public and legislative awareness of the dangers of cyberspace.

These efforts, it added, are crucial to ensuring a safe digital environment and advancing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for a cohesive and secure society.