In this edition of Homegrown Tables, where we spotlight local businesses, Natasha Sideris, CEO & Founder of the Tashas Group, discusses the importance of community, comfort, and resilience in hospitality during uncertain times

What made you decide to keep the restaurant open during this time?

For me, hospitality has always been about showing up for people—especially during uncertain times. Restaurants are places where people gather, where conversations happen, and where, even if it’s just for a little while, you can step away from everything going on outside.

All of our concepts are very rooted in community. Our spaces are part of the everyday rhythm of the neighbourhoods around them, and during times like this that connection becomes even more important. Of course, we are being very thoughtful and responsible in the way we operate, and we’re following all official guidance to ensure our guests and our teams are safe. But at the heart of what we do is creating a place where people can connect, share a meal, and spend time together. In moments like these, that sense of community really matters.

Restaurants are often places people turn to for familiarity and comfort.

For almost 12 years, our spaces have become part of everyday life in the UAE. We’ve watched families grow up in our restaurants—parents bringing their children, and now those same children coming back as adults with friends of their own. Many of our regulars still come in during times like these, and that continuity means a great deal to us.

What I’ve noticed is that people become a little more intentional with how they spend their time. When they go out, they want it to feel meaningful—whether that’s catching up with friends, sharing a meal with family, or simply enjoying a quiet moment away from everything else. There’s something very comforting about sitting down to a meal you love, being looked after by familiar faces, and feeling that sense of warmth and normality around you.

Have you noticed guests approaching dining out differently lately?

Guests are looking for places where they feel comfortable and genuinely looked after. Many people are also choosing locations closer to home—neighborhood spots where they can easily step out, relax, and enjoy a meal without travelling too far.

Are guests gravitating toward dishes or flavours that feel more comforting or familiar?

Guests are gravitating towards dishes they know and love. So many of them have been coming to us for years, so they naturally return to their favorites—the meals they’ve enjoyed time and time again. In moments like these, people tend to look for food that feels familiar and satisfying. There’s something very reassuring about returning to a dish you know and love.

Is there a dish on your menu that feels especially meaningful to you?

One dish that feels especially meaningful to me is our Chicken Vol-au-Vent. It reminds me of my childhood. There were days when my mother would make chicken pot pie after I’d had a rough day, and it always felt like the ultimate comfort—warm, nourishing, and made with love. Dishes like that stay with you. They remind you how powerful simple, comforting food can be.

How are you and your team showing up for each other?

We’ve been very open and transparent with our teams throughout this time, and they have really appreciated this. What has stood out to me is the incredible support everyone has shown each other. The team has really rallied together, and people are genuinely looking out for one another. They also know how difficult situations like this can be on me personally, and the loyalty and support I’ve felt from the team has been incredibly moving. It reminds me every day that we’re much more than just a workplace—we’re a family.

What would you like to say to your community?

When I think about our community, it’s our teams in the restaurants, our head office, our partners, landlords, suppliers, and, of course, our guests. It’s an entire ecosystem. What we do is supported by so many people, and I am so grateful for the support that we have had from everyone during this time.

I am especially grateful to our guests and our teams on the ground who keep the spirit of our restaurants alive every day, and that means everything. We really believe we’ll come out of this stronger. And we’re so grateful for the UAE’s leadership and the sense of stability and care it brings to all of us who call this place home.

Find your nearest tashas Café here or order takeaway by searching tashas To Go or Avli by Tashas on Deliveroo.