Top Food UGC Creators in Dubai, UAE

Among many things, the UAE has always been known for its hyper-competitive food and beverage industry. With its fine dining culture, hotel restaurants, pop-ups, cloud kitchens, and busy street joints, the market is crowded and constantly changing. Such constant churn makes discovery the real battle; people want to know what to try, where to order, and what will feel worth the price and the time.

In that chase for attention, it’s not the brands or restaurants in front of the line, but the Dubai food content creators filming their meals, sharing honest reactions, and making others crave a bite through a 20-second clip. They drive discovery in a crowded market.

• Their short tasting clips, unboxing videos, menu walkthroughs, and honest comparisons make exploring menus seamless.

Brands are noticing this because of its several benefits.

• A short video can introduce a dish, increase orders, and then be reused across channels. Restaurants, hotels and hospitality, and FMCG brands use this creator content as social feed content, paid social ads, landing page assets, in-app creatives, etc.
• Unlike polished ads, these videos provide sensory detail, the crunch of a bite, the portion size, and the packaging, all of which help viewers picture the experience, reduce uncertainty, and nudge buying decisions.
• Viewers see creator videos as genuine experiences, and such a sense of authenticity builds social proof and audiences trust what feels real, which naturally increases engagement and purchase intent.
• Food UGC creators in UAE understand a different audience mix. Their bilingual and culturally aware content connects with different segments, which helps brands communicate with diverse communities. This hyper-localized storytelling and cultural fit increase relevance and trust for local consumers.

Hence, food brands and restaurants are highly collaborating with the best food UGC creators in Dubai, as this fast-growing food economy creates demand for discovery content, and these UGC creators are the best marketing assets for that.

That being said, these food brands are also partnering with the top UGC agency in Dubai to leverage their knowledge of the industry and execute campaigns that help them gain trust, credibility, and immense visibility.

Below is the list of the best ones in the industry.

List of the Best Food UGC Creators in Dubai, UAE

• 1. Ahmed Mohamed Younes

  Followers: 851k

  Engagement Rate: 0.36%

  Ahmed Mohamed Younes is one of the top famous food UGC creators in Dubai. On Instagram, he tries out recipes, experiments with ingredients, and shares approachable food content. He stands out because his content is simple and easy to follow, and his experiments with food give his audience a new perspective. His audience describes his content as more relatable personal cooking.

• 2. Chahrazads Cuisine

  Followers: 828k

  Engagement Rate: 0.18%

  Chahrazad Al Hajjar is a Dubai-based baker, dessert creator, and one of the favourite UAE food content creators. Her content centres around macarons, cakes, desserts (including sugar-free and gluten-free), and a stylish bakery experience in the UAE & region. She also shares recipe videos, “how-to” style content, and variations like sugar-free and gluten-free desserts.

• 3. Joyce Mrad

  Followers: 704k

  Engagement Rate: 1.01%

  Joyce Mrad is based in Dubai and has built a strong presence as a food-content creator, especially in the plant-based and vegan dessert space. Her focus is heavily on desserts, sweet treats, baking, and plating with a strong visual flair. For example, vegan cakes, beautifully plated desserts, and “food as art” style posts. She also works with plant-based ingredients and promotes healthier alternatives. Joyce also shares trending and seasonal recipes with her audience.

• 4. Thasneem Thaj

  Followers: 567k

  Engagement Rate: 3.7%

  Thasneem Thaj, famously known as ‘That Hungry Belly.’ Her feed is focused on restaurant, café reviews, and food adventures across the UAE. The creator loves exploring and sharing the reviews of restaurants, cafés, and other street food spots in the city. She usually focuses on affordable food options and culinary flavours from different parts of the globe.

• 5. Anthony Rahayel

  Followers: 541k

  Engagement Rate: 1.34%

  Originally from Lebanon, Anthony Rahayel shares food & travel content in the UAE now. He is known for his restaurant reviews and culture-and-food connection storytelling. Anthony has accumulated numerous accolades, including NGNO (his creator brand NoGarlicNoOnions) was awarded “World Best Food Account of 2020”. He explores restaurants, markets, and lesser-known food spots.

• 6. Just Food

  Followers: 367k

  Engagement Rate: 0.19%

  Alex Augusti, creator of Just Food, has a passion for food and helps people find the best hidden eats in Dubai and support local restaurants through honest reviews. The feed is heavily about restaurant and café reviews, hidden gems, street food, and affordable eats. From mouth-watering street food to fine dining experiences, Just Food strives to provide an exciting culinary journey to its audience.

• 7. Hesa Al Khalifa

  Followers: 258k

  Engagement Rate: 0.10%

  Hesa Al Khalifa is a Bahraini-Emirati chef, menu developer, and food creator based in the UAE. She has worked for various restaurants and pop-ups in the UAE, specifically designing menus and dishes with a modern twist on Khaleeji cuisine. On her Instagram, she showcases dishes she’s created, especially for restaurants and pop-ups with traditional Khaleeji flavours. She also shares reviews and recommendations of eateries, styling, etc.

• 8. Shabina Shamsudeen

  Followers: 103k

  Engagement Rate: 0.33%

  Shabina Shamsudeen is Indian by origin, but was brought up here in Dubai. She shares easy-to-follow recipes, like South Indian dishes and “home-style” cooking. Her content on Instagram includes baking, grilling, oriental dishes, festival specials, and more. She shares food-making at home, cooking tutorials, and recipe posts with every little detail about the dishes.

• 9. Meghana Rao

  Followers: 93k

  Engagement Rate: 0.5%

  Meghana Rao shares restaurant and hotel reviews, food features, and travel stories like “10 Dubai Food Influencers Your Restaurant Should Follow”. She also explores both well-known places and hidden gems in the UAE and sometimes, beyond. Meghana focuses on a variety from luxury to casual, i.e., vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore-friendly.

• 10. Kim & Den

  Followers: 93k

  Engagement Rate: 0.23%

  Kim & Den are a Dubai-based foodie couple operating ‘Where My Food At.’ Their content is mainly dining-out and food-discovering style. They visit restaurants and cafés and explore varied cuisines across the UAE. They’ve been recognised in multiple award categories like BBC Good Food Blog of the Year in 2016, Cosmopolitan Food Influencer Award in 2018, among others.

Bottom Line

All in all, food brands in the UAE are heavily using the content of these food UGC creators in their marketing efforts, like social media content, paid ads, emailers, website videos, and so much more, for their ability to support every step of the customer journey. Their content creates awareness, nurtures interest, and leads audiences to make a purchase.