Over the past ten years, Christine Aswad Sfeir became known as a leading business woman in the Lebanese food service sector. She is the CEO of the 30 Dunkin Donuts branches in Lebanon and has just embarked in a new venture, a restaurant, “Semsom” in Ashrafieh, Christine Sfeir is known for her youthful spirit and energetic personality that helped her achieving so much in so little time.

iloubnan.info: Tell us more about your career start in food management
Christine Sfeir: I started as a Notre Dame de Jamhour student, then I did my BS in Nutrition at AUB and applied for a Master’s Degree in Food science in McGill, Canada. Later on, in 1996, I came back to Lebanon and started working and preparing for the Dunkin Donuts brand. The first outlet was opened in Zalka in 1998, and, since then, we started expanding. 

How much did your parents help you become a successful business woman at such a young age?
They helped me a lot! The best thing I ever had is my family, we all make a great team, anytime we need each other concerning any type of project and related advice, we join efforts to help each other and discuss the various suggestions. 

Why did you think about opening a branch of Dunkin Donuts in Lebanon in the first place?
Because I studied industry and I found out that I prefer the retail part, to import, produce, and market the product. When I was in Canada, my father asked me to look for different franchise, and Dunkin Donuts was really unique. It wasn’t something you can find in any place in Lebanon. In 1996, we did a study and we found out that no one had an idea about what donuts were, and now everyone is familiar with this franchise. 

Why did they trust Christine Aswad back then with their franchise, especially that it was the first time they open in the Middle East?
First, they trusted my parents, since my father has a wide experience mainly in food industry. Second, they wanted someone from our family to run this business, not to mention that my food science studies and the time I spent in the States definitely helped as well. 

Are there any lacks in Lebanon’s food industry and hospitality services?
Lebanon is extremely advanced in the food industry as well as in the restaurant business. However, the only thing which Lebanon lacks is political stability and that is it! You can notice how successful are the Lebanese restaurants branches opening in the Middle East, in addition to our great operators. But the sole problem is the political shakiness in our country which weighs on everyone. 

What distinguishes Semsom from any other Lebanese cuisine restaurant?
Semsom's concept is to be a Lebanese diner; it has an American service only offering Lebanese food. In Semsom, you can choose your own personalized Mezza along with your main order. This traditional Mezza platters arrangement appealed to all our customers who favored the idea of choosing their own Mezza. We also have our tasty modernized green and red Homos, mixed with our own secret herb ingredients. In addition, Semsom opens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers all the breakfast items. 

How does Semsom's name define the Lebanese traditional cuisine and culture?
The name is due to the fact that we use Semsom and Tahina (Semsom's paste) a lot in our cuisine. If you take a look at our menu you will notice that the semsom is an ingredient of most of our platters. On the other hand, we wanted a name that is easy to pronounce in Arabic, English, and French. 

Are you planning to inaugurate any Semsom branch in the Middle East?
Yes, we are currently negotiating to open a branch in Saudi Arabia, and, starting next week, in Qatar and Dubai. But we are planning to open Dunkin Donuts branches in Egypt and Jordan.