Sharjah, UAE: She had one dream growing up. Lourds Adalia-Evertse, a Filipina expatriate from Laguna province in the Philippines, wanted to run a restaurant since she was 12. What she didn’t know, was that her dream would one dat come true. Today, she co-owns and runs a successful restaurant by the Sharjah waterfront.
Mum, entrepreneur, athlete
It’s motherhood that keeps her grounded and moving forward, says the 39-year-old mumpreneur.
“Cooking with my kids is one of the best parts of my days… It’s about spending time with them, teaching them to be independent, and sharing quality moments together. At the end of the day, I am working hard for them and their future,” says Adalia-Evertse.
For her, even big dreams start with small actions. From cooking with her children to running the restaurant, the idea of process and intention is central to her journey. It helps her take right decisions.
In 2020, she decided to take a big leap, letting go of the financial security of having a full time job, to follow her dream and create a space where her vision and family values could come to life.
She arrived in the UAE at 19, starting from the bottom in the corporate world. For years, she had followed a path that promised stability but not ownership. “The next step would never be mine,” she realised.
So, she took a decision. She left her job in early 2020, preparing to co-found a restaurant with her friend and partner, just weeks later.
Then, the pandemic hit.
“We finished in February. We were supposed to open in April. But in March, lockdown,” she recalls. It could have ended there. Instead, it became a test of vision. Spicy Grill eventually opened in October 2020, in the middle of global uncertainty, a risk that demanded both courage and clarity.
The testing experience only made her more resilient and determined.
“I’m shaping a woman with resilience,” she says. “Someone who can stand in front of everyone and be proud of what she has achieved.”
Her personal transformation mirrors this determination. After 18 years of smoking, she quit the habit and turned her focus into sports, becoming a marathon runner and a triathlete. Today, she balances multiple identities: entrepreneur, athlete, and mother, with a personality defined by discipline and persistence.
Her pride, however, is most meaningful when reflected through her children. She recalls a moment when her son proudly shared with friends that she had completed a half Ironman and would attempt a full Ironman in the coming months. For context, an Ironman is a single-day endurance race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon run—140.6 miles in total, usually completed within 17 hours. “I’m proud because my kids are proud of me too,” she says, smiling.
In person, Lourds carries this strength with a calm, grounded presence. Soft-spoken yet assured, she moves through the restaurant with an instinctive ease. Her interactions with staff are measured and warm.
There is no rush, no performative hospitality, only quiet attentiveness that reflects humility and confidence. It is the kind of energy that sets the tone for the entire space.
As the afternoon sun shifts over the water, the quiet of Spicy Grill holds the same rhythm she describes at home with her children: deliberate, shared, and full of care. Just as she guides them through the steps of cooking, the space guides its visitors through flavors, textures, and time spent together, a reminder that whether at home or at the table, thoughtfulness and engagement are the truest ingredients.
“I want families to feel they are at home at Spicy Grill”
