How pop-ups became a fixture of Cairo’s food scene

🍴Pop-up restaurants and culinary experiences have surged in popularity worldwide, seeing 105% growth within a single year in the US following the pandemic, with Om El Donia matching pace. Even as Covid’s “new normal” levelled out, the pop-up industry endured — across Cairo, an increasing number of ephemeral dining concepts have drawn attention from food lovers and industry insiders alike.

Natureworks, an Egyptian farm promoting sustainable farming practices, has made a habit of hosting pop-up dinners in collaboration with some of Egypt’s — and occasionally the world’s — most celebrated culinary talent. These names include Chef Mostafa Seif of Khufu’s, award-winning international Chef Irfan Malek, and culinary entrepreneur Chef Wesam Masoud — seasoned professionals with established careers, not newcomers chasing quick recognition or revenue.

Why would successful industry players carve a slice out of their already-grueling schedules for a pop-up dinner? The answer is quite simple, and quite human: passion. “I really wanted an outlet for creativity,” Masoud tells EnterpriseAM, recalling his pop-up days alongside 3al7atab’s Ayman Samir and Zooba’s Moustafa El Rafaey. “My pitch to them was ‘Let’s do it as [creative fulfillment], and if it pays for our staff and ingredients, we’re happy.”

For Masoud, pop-ups offered a way to experiment freely — serving dishes like beef tongue tacos — while connecting directly with diners. Though the days of Chef’s Table are behind him, Masoud continues to participate in pop-ups despite now having a well-established career.

That said, passion doesn’t mean neglecting the bottom line. In Masoud’s experience, if pop-up dinners aren’t profitable, “you’re doing something very wrong.” By serving a set number of guests over a defined period, operators face less uncertainty — supply, attendance, and fixed costs become manageable variables. “It’s still an investment,” adds Omnia Adel, founder of pop-up dinner series Culture on a Plate. “But once you know your ins and outs and have realistic expectations, you can break even or [find yourself in the black] from your first dinner.”

In 2023, Cairo Food Week (CFW) marked a turning point. Introduced by the multidisciplinary collective Flavor Republic, CFW set out to showcase Egypt’s culinary scene through collaborations with globally renowned chefs, resulting in pop-up dinners hosted across Cairo at established venues that paused their own operations to participate. It’s about showcasing what Egyptian culture has to offer, and how much passion its chefs possess, says CFW co-founder Hoda El Sherif.

The 2024 edition expanded significantly — dinners appeared across the city, including atthe Grand Egyptian Museum — and introduced the When We Eat market, bringing together Egypt’s leading producers and culinary innovators. In 2025, Flavor Republic launched The Corner Shop, a Downtown Cairo café operating for less than a month per edition, each day featuring a different chef’s specialty alongside a menu of reimagined Egyptian classics.

The logistics of impermanence: Brick-and-mortar restaurants benefit from operational consistency — the kitchen remains the same, as do workflows and equipment. Pop-ups rarely occupy the same venue twice, requiring adaptation to different spaces and regulations with each iteration.

In this context, inconsistency is a feature rather than a flaw, according to Adel. “How many restaurants change their menus every two weeks? None.” Pop-ups are designed to offer something different, exclusive, and fleeting. Perihan Saleh, founder of Latin-American kitchen Gracias and host of Peri’s Popup Dinners, never repeats a menu, instead curating dishes with ingredients sourced during her international travels.

Location, location, location: For Reem Khamis and Akram Lotfy — content director at Flavor Republic and feature kitchen manager at CFW respectively — their joint venture The Early Bird Club presents a different challenge. The Saturday morning breakfast experience rotates across locations with a new menu each week, making venue selection an ongoing consideration. “Some venues are beautifully equipped and would be the easiest to cook in, but they don’t have the right aura we’re looking for,” the pair tells us.

For Khamis and Lotfy, aesthetic and atmospheric vision takes precedence over operational convenience — they would rather navigate a more challenging space than compromise The Early Bird Club’s identity as an innovation-driven breakfast in a calm, sociable setting.

What’s in it for diners? “Everyone wants something to talk about; a unique experience to share in a conversation,” Adel notes. Masoud points to the fear of missing out (FOMO) as a significant driver. But the deeper appeal lies in exclusivity — and not necessarily of the expensive variety. “In a pop-up, you’re sitting for [hours] sharing an experience with a limited number of people. You’re part of the action and that inner circle,” Adel explains.

Are pop-ups trial runs for more permanent ventures? The evidence suggests otherwise. Saleh runs Gracias while continuing her pop-up series; Masoud has built a portfolio of ventures yet remains committed to temporary dining experiences; Adel’s Culture on a Plate exists to foster human connection, not to seed a future restaurant; Khamis and Lotfy maintain thriving culinary careers alongside The Early Bird Club.

Pop-ups are independent ventures in their own right — not stepping stones toward brick-and-mortar ambitions. At their core, they exist to satisfy a craving that transcends commerce: the desire for human connection and culinary artistry, distilled into a single, unrepeatable evening.