In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year.​It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype.​​Chapters:0:00 Coming up...6:13 Navigating Expansion into Saudi Arabia10:01 Understanding Local Market Differences13:44 The Impact of Social Media21:19 The Role of Technology in F&amp;B25:12 Seeking Balance in a Digital World35:43 What comes next? 39:19 Keith McNally's book

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year.​&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype.​​&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chapters:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;0:00 Coming up...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;6:13 Navigating Expansion into Saudi Arabia&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;10:01 Understanding Local Market Differences&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;13:44 The Impact of Social Media&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;21:19 The Role of Technology in F&amp;amp;B&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;25:12 Seeking Balance in a Digital World&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;35:43 What comes next? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;39:19 Keith McNally's book&lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year.​

It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype.​​


In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year.​

It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype.​​

Chapters:

0:00 Coming up...

6:13 Navigating Expansion into Saudi Arabia

10:01 Understanding Local Market Differences

13:44 The Impact of Social Media

21:19 The Role of Technology in F&amp;B

25:12 Seeking Balance in a Digital World

35:43 What comes next? 

39:19 Keith McNally's book

The Lighthouse Conversations with Hashem Montasser

“Going into a new market requires humility. You don’t know the market well, and you have to accept that.”

“Going into a new market requires humility. You don’t know the market well, and you have to accept that.”

Description