LARGER THAN LIFE
LANEWAYS, DOCKS AND WAREHOUSES are the location of choice for Knafeh Bakery, the cult-favourite pop-up serving the iconic Middle Eastern dessert with a generous side of flair. "With every person that comes to Knafeh, we give from the heart," says Ameer El-Issa, a founding member of the Bearded Bakers, the family team behind the concept. "There’s a big difference between customer service and genuine hospitality.
It has to come from within!"
This approach has earned Knafeh a global following. "We’re in Sydney, Melbourne, New York and the Middle East. In Australia we operate full time, and our overseas ventures are based on tours – we’ll fly a team over and do three or four months abroad," Ameer explains. "We want to showcase Middle Eastern culture in a way that hasn’t been done before and it’s amazing to see how the brand has reached other countries.
"We use food as a way to connect with people," he says.
"It’s our conversation starter, and from there we take people on a journey with us." At Knafeh, that journey means a lot of food, and a lot of noise – two things that come naturally to this family. "What we do at Knafeh is no different to what we do at home – the laughter
