Sara Katanani, General Manager and Owner, Yawmiyat by Dalal
Every home-cooked meal tells a story of tradition and love. For Sara Katanani, who owns and manages Yawmiyat Catering (now Yawmiyat by Dalal), her story started at home. Growing up, the amazing smells from her mother’s cooking made her feel deeply connected to food and family. Sara’s journey, with its surprising career changes and tough times, shows that real success often comes from a strong passion and clear purpose.
A Journey from Home Kitchen to Business Leader
As a child, Sara loved watching her mother turn simple ingredients into big feasts, even making fancy 3D cakes. This lively home kitchen sparked Sara’s own love for food, starting with sweets and then growing into a passion for savory dishes. “I found it was so easy and so fulfilling,” Sara remembers.
Life, however, took a different path first. With a degree in Psychology, Sara spent years in banking in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. She had a successful career, but she felt a stronger pull towards something else. Then, in 2020, Sara made a big choice: she left banking and returned to Saudi Arabia to help her parents with their new catering business.
She didn’t just walk in as a boss. Instead, Sara worked her way up, learning every part of the business. She handled everything from serving customers and taking orders to managing money and suppliers. “I did everything,” Sara says, truly learning the basics of the business. When her father retired, Sara stepped in, determined to make the family business strong.
The Growth and Challenges of Yawmiyat by Dalal
Yawmiyat Catering began as a home service and grew into a popular restaurant known for its warm atmosphere. In 2022, Chef George Chartouni joined the team. He brought a lot of experience and helped the business run smoothly and grow fast. Together, they lovingly changed the name to Yawmiyat by Dalal. This new name honors Sara’s mother, Dalal, by including her image in the logo. It’s a promise that every dish is made with a mother’s love.
But the path wasn’t always easy. Sara openly talks about the difficulties of mixing new ideas with old ways in a family business. She also faced unique challenges as a woman working in Saudi Arabia, like dealing with suppliers and making sure customers were always happy. Yet, through every problem, Sara’s dedication to her business and customers never faded.
The Heart of Yawmiyat: Family, Food, and Community
The real magic of Yawmiyat is its promise to bring “the warmth of home” to every meal. This isn’t just a saying; it’s what the business is all about. They use the same good ingredients you’d find in any family kitchen, giving the food a true, comforting taste. Customers often say the food reminds them of their own childhoods. It’s food “made with love,” just like a mother cooks for her children. The restaurant feels like a family place, too, with regular customers becoming “like family to us” and even making special requests directly to “Auntie Dalal” (Sara’s mother). This mix of realness and personal touch makes Yawmiyat special for all ages. While the main taste stays “very authentic,” Chef George has helped make the food look even better, appealing to younger generations without losing tradition.
Sara’s leadership style is like Yawmiyat’s family spirit. She believes in “befriending my team,” treating her mostly young staff not just as employees but as valued family members. This creates a place where everyone supports and truly cares for each other. “We share everything together as a team,” Sara explains, describing how staff greet the owners with real smiles, showing a respectful and happy workplace.
Constant Work and How to Recharge
Running a busy catering business means always being on alert, “from opening till closing.” Weekends are often spent working. Even with such demands, Sara has found ways to take care of herself. Quieter days offer short breaks, and travel after big events helps her mind reset. Her ways to relieve stress are simple: trying new sweet recipes (often calling her mother for help!) and, most importantly, taking “time off alone” to think and recharge before jumping back into the busy but fulfilling work.
The Future of Flavor: New Ideas and Lasting Legacy
Looking ahead, Yawmiyat is excited for new things. The team is developing “Yawmiyat Bistronomy,” a new idea that mixes bistro food with gourmet dishes. This plan will continue to connect food traditions, combining Chef George’s modern touch with Sara’s mother’s rich, traditional cooking. The promise remains firm: the taste will always be true, even as the look of the food becomes more artistic. This is just one of many ideas planned, showing a lively future for the brand, always keeping its main values.
The True Meaning of Success
For Sara Katanani, success is more than just money. It’s deeply personal and rewarding: “It’s the joy of seeing the people, how happy they are, their comments, their love for us.” It’s also about the whole story: her parents starting with nothing, her own brave career change, and Chef George, a former customer, loving the idea so much he joined the family’s mission.
Most importantly, Sara says that lasting success requires constant attention. “You need to be on top of your business every single day as an owner.” The steady presence of Sara, her mother Dalal, and Chef George is the “biggest factor” in their ongoing success. This hands-on commitment ensures that even when they are not there, their “trustworthy team” works with the same care, knowing how to make every customer happy.
A Guide for Future Business Owners
To those dreaming of starting a food business based on tradition and feeling, Sara’s advice is simple and powerful: “Don’t be afraid of change.” She speaks from her own experience, having completely changed careers and countries, stepping far outside her comfort zone as a banker. Believing in herself, her family, and the good heart of the business was most important. “Loving the business and giving it that love, it’ll love you back and it’ll give you that amazing outcome.”
The story of Yawmiyat Catering is a strong example of passion, adapting to change, and strong dedication. It’s about turning a family tradition into a thriving business, built on real flavors, caring service, and a leadership style that truly brings the warmth of home. For business owners everywhere, Sara Katanani’s experience at Yawmiyat by Dalal is a clear reminder that success, when based on real love and strength, can create something truly special.