Dubai, UAE: It’s Friday afternoon, 17-year-old Abdullah Al Janahi is back from school. Once again, his friends call him “to go hang out” at a nearby café, but Janahi politely declines.
He has something more important to do – a giant piece of fresh Wagyu brisket is waiting in his kitchen, ready for Janahi’s magic.
For many Dubai teenagers, weekends might be about video games or catching up with friends. But for this Emirati youngster – a high school student –weekends mean firing up the smoker and perfecting his craft: a juicy, melt-in-your-mouth, Wagyu brisket.
What started as a childhood fascination has blossomed into Abdul’s BBQ, a budding business serving premium barbecue to discerning fans across the city.
The Spark: From mum’s kitchen to YouTube tutorials
Abdullah’s journey into the culinary world began surprisingly early. At just 11, long before the thought of entrepreneurship, he found himself drawn to the kitchen, often helping his mom cook. By 14, he was already experimenting with flavours. “The first time I cooked, I was about 14 years old and I used to help my mom in the kitchen,” he told Hotels of UAE in an interview.
We met at a small restaurant in Al Quoz called Bahraini Kebab Restaurant. It’s where Janahi packs his takeaway orders on Sundays, when he has enough pre-orders.
Before delving into the world of barbecue, Abdullah’s primary interest was robotics. A top student in school, he even secured second place at the VEX IQ robotics competition a few years ago.
The shift came during the COVID-19 pandemic. With robotics activities on hold, Janahi was once again drawn to his passion for cooking, particularly the intricate science behind Texas-style BBQ brisket.
Thanks to the worldwide web, it was YouTube that helped him learn the complex art of smoking brisket. “I would keep watching different YouTube videos of how to make the perfect brisket,” he shared.
When he told his father about his interest, it was met with support. “My dad bought me my own smoker, and I had a workspace to use it. I started trying to marinate and smoke the brisket and feeding my family. Once, we all fell ill because the brisket wasn’t cooked right.”
After countless YouTube videos and failed trials at home, Janahi finally emerged victorious. His family loved the taste of his brisket, and Janahi knew it was time to introduce his art to the world.
With his family’s support, he launched his brisket venture in December 2022, at the age of 15.
“I started this business because I always loved cooking,” he said. “I saw the business would improve my passion in cooking.”
Setting up the business
He started posting on Instagram and would cook only based on pre-orders.
“I started this business from home, and later started serving out of the Bahraini Kabab restaurant on weekends.”
Now, when Janahi is not in school, he is busy planning his culinary venture.
His early days involved taking pre-orders from home, a crucial period for learning and refinement.
Abdullah was keen to hear all comments and reviews, and using customer feedback to improve his product through many trials and errors.
He even applied skills he had learned from his robotics background—problem-solving, critical thinking, and precision—to perfect his barbecue.
His new challenge wasn’t winning robotics competitions, but outshining popular Texas barbecue joints with his premium brisket.
A Three-Day Brisket Masterpiece: The Process
Abdullah’s commitment to quality is evident in his meticulous process. “The process of cooking the brisket takes three days,” he explained. “The smoking itself takes sixteen hours.” He emphasizes the quality of his ingredients: “I use a high-quality brisket.” Abdullah is proud to be among the first to serve Wagyu brisket with a marbling score of 7+ in the Dubai food industry.
In beef cuts, marbling refers to the visible white streaks and layers of intramuscular fat. A greater amount of this fat typically indicates a higher quality grade for the beef cut. This higher marbling directly contributes to the meat being more tender, richer in flavour, and notably juicier when cooked.
Janahi’s preparation starts with sourcing the best beef, followed by trimming excess fat and seasoning it overnight.
The next day, it’s smoked for 16 hours. The final product is ready on the third day. This dedication ensures the brisket, smoked at a low temperature for at least 14 hours, never loses its juices or tenderness. “Since I prepare everything from scratch, I only open on weekends,” he added.
