Ask Muskan where her love for food began, and she will tell you about a dining table. It wasn’t an extravagant table or one reserved only for celebrations. It was where life unfolded every single day. Happiness arrived there. Arguments found their way there. Silence sometimes sat beside laughter, and every emotion had a place at the table. Yet through every season, one thing remained constant: food was the language that held everyone together.
Growing up in Dubai within a multicultural community, Muskan was surrounded by cuisines, traditions, and people from every corner of the world. But while the city introduced her to diversity, home taught her something far more valuable. Food was never simply nourishment. It was comfort, memory, celebration, and love.
Years later, that lesson would become the foundation of Simmer, the catering company she founded to create experiences where every dish tells a story.
Today, Muskan is not only a chef and entrepreneur but also one of the creative forces reshaping Dubai’s hospitality landscape by proving that exceptional catering can be deeply personal, beautifully designed, and emotionally unforgettable.
When Passion Found Its Purpose
For Muskan, choosing hospitality was never about following a trend.
It was about following a feeling.
She discovered early that cooking offered something few professions could. It combined creativity, business, storytelling, and human connection in equal measure. Every menu became a new canvas. Every event became an opportunity to create lasting memories.
She also believes something many chefs quietly understand.
People can taste energy.
Meals prepared with patience, care, and love carry those emotions onto every plate. Likewise, rushed cooking tells its own story.
That philosophy continues to shape every experience her team creates.
Whether designing elegant corporate dining, preparing meals for international film productions, or catering intimate celebrations, the intention behind the food matters just as much as the ingredients themselves.
Building Simmer One Step at a Time
Muskan’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2011 when she and her cousin, Shaguna, opened Indulgence, a café that introduced them to the realities of building a hospitality business from the ground up.
Years later, she expanded her vision by launching food trucks serving baos and Asian street food, embracing Dubai’s vibrant culinary culture while experimenting with bold flavors and fresh concepts.
By 2018, another opportunity arrived.
The film industry.
Through Simmer, Muskan entered film catering, supporting major Hollywood productions across the UAE and GCC while simultaneously creating bespoke experiences for corporate clients, private gatherings, and luxury events.
The early years demanded resilience.
She learned every part of the business herself before gradually growing the company into a close-knit team of nearly thirty professionals.
Looking back, she considers that growth meaningful not because of numbers but because of the people who grew alongside her.
Building Community Beyond Cuisine
When asked about her greatest achievement, Muskan doesn’t mention business milestones.
She speaks about relationships.
The friendships built through long production days.
The clients who became lifelong supporters.
The collaborators who transformed ambitious ideas into unforgettable experiences.
The team members who now feel like family.
For her, these connections define success far more than awards or financial growth ever could.
Because while businesses may serve food, communities nourish people.
That perspective has shaped both her leadership style and the culture inside Simmer. She often describes her team as the backbone of the company, the people who stood beside her through challenges, growth, long hours, and ambitious projects. Every milestone Simmer has achieved is a reflection of their dedication, trust, and shared commitment to excellence.
Changing Expectations Around Catering
Today, Muskan continues expanding Simmer with a clear vision.
She wants to redefine what catering means across the Middle East.
Rather than being viewed as functional or predictable, she believes catering should become thoughtful, creative, beautifully presented, and genuinely memorable.
Food should surprise people.
Spark conversations.
Celebrate cultures.
Create experiences guests remember long after the final course.
Beyond commercial success, however, her ambitions reach even further.
She dreams of establishing skills centers across India and Nepal, providing children and young adults with practical culinary education, career opportunities, and proper nutrition while they learn.
It is a vision rooted in opportunity rather than charity.
Teaching people skills capable of transforming lives.
A Legacy Served With Heart
Entrepreneurship has taught Muskan that growth rarely follows a straight line.
Challenges often become better teachers than victories.
She has learned to trust the process, rely on her team, and remain unwavering in her commitment to quality, creativity, and authenticity.
Looking back, she would encourage her younger self to trust her instincts, embrace bigger risks, ask for help sooner, and never underestimate the value of her own work.
Perhaps most importantly, she would remind herself not to lose sight of who she is while building everything else.
Because behind every successful business is a person whose values shape every decision.
For Muskan, those values are deeply connected to family. Through Simmer, she hopes to build more than a successful catering company. She hopes to leave behind a legacy for her daughter, her nephews, and her nieces, showing them that passion, hard work, creativity, and kindness can be transformed into something meaningful that touches the lives of others.
As Dubai’s hospitality industry continues evolving, Muskan is building far more than a catering company.
She is creating a brand where food becomes memory, creativity becomes connection, and every meal carries the same emotion that first inspired her journey around her family’s table. Through every experience Simmer creates, she hopes that legacy will continue inspiring future generations long after the final dish is served.
To follow Muskan’s culinary journey and discover the creative work of Simmer, follow Muskan on Instagram to see her latest food experiences and projects.
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Aditi Goyal is a Relationship Manager at UAE Stories, based in Dubai, with over a year of experience in connecting people and narratives. She focuses on business, real estate, lifestyle, startups, and human stories, bringing each profile to life with clarity and purpose. Aditi believes every journey has value, and her work reflects a genuine effort to highlight growth, resilience, and real experiences. Through her contributions, she aims to create meaningful content that informs, inspires, and builds strong connections with readers.
