Abir El Saghir did not initially set out to become a professional chef in the traditional sense. Her true journey into content creation began on TikTok in early 2021, a period that coincided with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdowns. As millions of people around the world found themselves confined to their homes, Abir was no exception. Instead of surrendering to isolation and boredom, she chose to transform her home kitchen into a space for creative experimentation.
At the time, her content leaned more toward fashion and outfit styling. However, the lockdown prompted her to explore her untapped passion for cooking, turning the kitchen into a canvas for artistic expression and discovery.
The Digital Turning Point
Her early content featured simple recipes and easy-to-prepare desserts. Abir recalls that the first video to achieve unexpected viral success was an extremely simple clip showing marshmallows with biscuits, filmed and posted without revealing her face. Within hours, the video garnered thousands of views—an impressive milestone for a newly launched account.
This early success ignited her enthusiasm and encouraged her to experiment with more creative and refined recipes. She began reimagining traditional desserts with modern twists, such as Kinder kunafa and cream-filled kunafa, which resonated strongly with audiences and motivated her to continue developing her unique style.
The Vibes Philosophy
(Vibes Over Recipes)
Abir quickly realized that standing out in the digital culinary space required more than listing ingredients and cooking steps. She developed a distinctive approach centered on delivering emotion and atmosphere rather than instructions. As she stated in one interview: “I don’t present recipes; I present feelings.”
She adopted a silent-content strategy, avoiding spoken dialogue in her videos and allowing high-quality visuals, expressive music, and natural cooking sounds (ASMR) to tell the story. This innovative approach enabled her to transcend language barriers, making her content equally engaging for viewers in Japan, Brazil, and the United States, just as it is for Arab audiences. This strategy played a crucial role in building her massive global following.
Professional Maturity
As her popularity grew, Abir transitioned from spontaneous cooking to a structured and professional “Cuisines of the World” concept. She set a personal challenge to prepare the national dishes of countries across the globe—a pursuit that demanded extensive and meticulous research.
Abir describes the research phase as the most demanding part of her creative process. She spends long hours studying the authentic ingredients, historical background, cultural significance, traditional music, and even the appropriate traditional attire to wear while preparing each dish. This deep respect for cultural accuracy made audiences from different countries feel genuinely represented and appreciated, strengthening her credibility as a cultural ambassador through food.
Challenges and Obstacles
Behind the refined visuals and cinematic storytelling, Abir faces significant behind-the-scenes challenges. She operates as a full production team on her own—handling ingredient shopping, preparation, cooking, filming, complex video editing, and account management. This demanding workflow requires immense physical and mental effort, often extending late into the night.
Despite the exhaustion, Abir emphasizes that the joy she feels when witnessing audience engagement and video success outweighs all fatigue. She considers passion to be the driving force that fuels her persistence and long-term commitment.
Media Expansion and Entrepreneurial Growth
Abir El Saghir did not limit her success to social media platforms alone; she strategically expanded her professional presence.
Traditional Media
She transitioned from mobile screens to television by hosting her own cooking show, “Abir’s Kitchen,” during Ramadan 2023. The program aired across leading platforms such as stc tv and Jawwy TV, featuring 10 professionally produced episodes.
Entrepreneurship
Leveraging her background in fashion and her distinctive traditional styling, Abir launched her own fashion brand, La Abirz, offering designs that reflect her artistic taste and cultural identity.
Inspirational Speaker
Abir has also participated as a keynote speaker at major international events, including the 1 Billion Followers Summit and the BRIDGE Summit, where she shared her expertise in personal branding and the creator economy with global audiences of professionals and digital creators.
