Years of Culture
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2025/03/25
For nearly four decades, Maymana has been a beacon of culinary excellence, creativity, and social impact, championing the emancipation of women in Morocco and beyond. Now, in the heart of Doha, the brand continues its mission by sharing the authentic flavours of Morocco with a new audience, offering an unparalleled dining experience that blends tradition with innovation.
In this conversation with the Manager of Maymana Shop, Tea room and By Moroccans concept store Mouna Aberchane, we delve deeper into the inspiring journey of Maymana, its presence within Dar Al Maghrib, and the special touches that make its Ramadan offerings so unique.
Maymana was born out of a beautiful vision — both for Moroccan cuisine and for women's emancipation. Looking back at how far you’ve come since 1985, what are you most proud of?
Maymana is a Moroccan House founded in 1985 by Naïma Berrada that combines gastronomic excellence, creativity, and social commitment in support of the emancipation of women. We take pride in having preserved and innovated Moroccan culinary traditions for 40 years, in Morocco and internationally while continuing to offer professional opportunities to women, thus contributing to their emancipation. Women now represent 80% of our workforce. We also take pride in having succeeded in making the brand and its teams shine internationally today.
How would you define Moroccan cuisine? How do you infuse this essence of Morocco into everything you do?
Moroccan cuisine is a sublime blend of tradition and ancestral know-how, ingredients from the best of Morocco's terroirs, and sweet and fragrant spices. But first and foremost, Moroccan cuisine is marked by generosity and sharing, and this can be felt in every dish we serve our guests. At Maymana, we honour this tradition by offering creations that are both authentic and innovative, and that reflect our DNA and rich heritage.
Maymana has grown beyond the borders of Morocco, sharing its flavours with the world. How do you feel when you see Moroccan pastry and cuisine appreciated overseas?
Seeing our creations appreciated abroad is a source of immense pride for us and the teams that support us. This is a testament to the universality and appeal of Moroccan culture and gastronomy around the world. The notion of sharing, which is so dear to our culture, is fully realised. We are very honoured to be ambassadors of traditional Moroccan pastry and gastronomy.
Can you tell us more about the collaboration with the Dar Al Maghrib Pavilion in Doha?
This partnership was born as part of the celebration of the Cultural Year of Morocco in Qatar. Maymana was chosen to represent Moroccan pastry, gastronomy, hospitality, service and savoir-vivre.
Bringing Maymana to Dar Al Maghrib in Doha is like bringing a piece of Morocco to the heart of Qatar. How do you feel about sharing this experience with a new audience, and how has it been received so far?
Maymana's entire team in Morocco feels immensely honoured to be representing Morocco in Qatar. We have been warmly welcomed since the beginning of this magnificent cultural event organised by Years of Culture in Doha.
We were able to share a little of our Morocco through our specialties, our traditional Moroccan delicacies, the most beautiful pieces of our crafts and the least we can say is that the welcome of the Qataris has been extraordinary. Our joy is immense at the idea of having been able to share this incredible experience.
You are currently offering beautiful Iftar and Suhoor menus at Dar Al Maghrib — can you give us an overview of what diners can expect?
Upon arriving at Dar Al Maghrib, guests at Maymana are immediately immersed in a culinary experience that is 100% pure Moroccan tradition, with a warm welcome worthy of the great Moroccan houses and Moroccan hospitality.
They can taste harira while biting into a chebbakia, drink milk with almonds and orange blossom, taste briwates, drizzle their baghrir with honeyed butter, spread their msemen with white cheese flavoured with thyme and of course enjoy the tagine of the day accompanied by a duo of traditional salads.
The dishes are based on more than forty years of know-how from a high-end Moroccan house, combining heritage and modernity, creativity, elegance and finesse, at the service of our Qatari guests.
Our emblematic dishes for this Ramadan include:
In your opinion, what makes Dar Al Maghrib such a special place to discover Moroccan culture?
First of all, the spectacular architecture inspired by the Ksar Ait-Ben Haddou in Ouarzazate, classified by UNESCO and secondly, the pavilion's emblematic location in front of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Finally, the organisation of the space that allows our guests to enjoy Moroccan culinary arts while discovering the best of its crafts and visiting the museum. It is a gustatory, olfactory, visual, auditory and tactile experience that plunges visitors into the heart of the Moroccan soul.
Everything about Dar Al Maghrib comes from Morocco — from olive trees to fabrics, ceilings and materials. How does it feel to see a real piece of your country come to life in Doha?
We feel immensely proud to see a part of the Moroccan territory in Qatar, where tradition and modernity blend so perfectly.
What special touches has Maymana brought to the pop-up experience at Dar Al Maghrib, and how does it reflect quintessentially Moroccan hospitality?
We wanted our guests to be immersed in our values of sharing and Moroccan hospitality. We wanted to highlight the authenticity, creativity and excellence of Moroccan local products through the selection of craftsmen and designers highlighting tradition and modernity at the same time. Jewellery, carpets, candles, caftans, djellabas, tableware represent this Morocco anchored in its traditions and imbued with modernity.
Within the pavilion, we are committed to sharing a Customer experience defined by authenticity and conviviality, so that our guests are received as they would be in a real Moroccan house, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Moreover, the slogan in our stores in Morocco is "Dar Darkoum!" (my home is yours).
What do you want visitors to take away from this experience?
A great moment of pleasure, sharing and serene happiness, a foretaste of Morocco, and an invitation to discovery, in the pure Moroccan tradition.
The new extended opening hours of Dar Al Maghrib are 5pm to midnight and reservations can be made by phone at +974 66 24 03 01 or +974 33 00 49 34.
Read more about the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture, or find out about upcoming Years of Culture events.
