For Lebanese sisters Farah and Nour Ghannam, food has always been about more than what is on the plate.
Known online as the Hungry Sisters, the duo began their journey with a shared interest in cooking, travel and discovering new flavors. What started as a food blog in 2017 has since grown into a broader platform covering food, lifestyle, travel and family-friendly experiences across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.
The idea began taking shape long before the blog.
Growing up, the sisters spent time experimenting in the kitchen and developed a shared dream of eventually opening a restaurant. Their travels added another dimension to that ambition. Each destination introduced them to different cuisines and cultures, giving them new experiences to explore and share.
Their academic backgrounds also gave them skills that would later prove useful in building the business. Farah and Nour studied at universities in Lebanon and France, with areas of study including Food Science, Marketing and Advertising.
A Blog Built Around Discovery
The turning point came during a visit to Dubai’s Global Village.
The sisters were drawn to the variety of food and cultures represented there. The experience encouraged them to start Hungrysistersleb in 2017, at a time when food blogging was still a relatively new concept in Lebanon.
Their first post featured churros with Nutella.
From that modest beginning, the platform gradually expanded. Food remained central, but the sisters began covering restaurants, travel experiences, entertainment and activities suitable for families.
The change reflected the way their own interests had developed. Exploring food naturally led to exploring the places and experiences surrounding it.
From Lebanon to a Wider Regional Audience
One of the defining aspects of the Hungry Sisters platform has been its regional focus.
Farah and Nour have built a presence covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Their content brings together food and cultural experiences from each market, giving their audience a view of different destinations through a shared culinary lens.
The sisters have also worked with brands and media outlets, developing collaborations around food, travel and entertainment.
Their background in marketing and advertising has been useful in this area. It allows them to approach content creation not only from the perspective of food enthusiasts but also from that of people who understand how brands communicate with audiences.
A Setback That Tested the Business
The growth of the platform has not been without challenges.
At one point, the sisters lost control of their page for about a month after it was stolen. Recovering the account became a difficult moment in their journey and reinforced the importance of protecting the digital business they had built.
They eventually recovered the page and obtained a professional E-Trader license from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism.
The experience added another layer to their understanding of running a digital business. A social media page may begin as a creative project, but once it becomes a source of professional opportunities, protecting that platform becomes part of the work as well.
Family Behind the Journey
The sisters credit their family and close friends with playing an important role throughout their journey.
Building a digital platform while developing it into a business has required support, advice and encouragement. Their family has remained involved as they navigated the challenges of growing the brand and moving beyond their original comfort zone.
That support has also helped the sisters maintain their partnership at the center of the project.
Working together gives them a shared creative direction while allowing them to approach different parts of the business as a team.
Managing a Growing Platform
As the Hungry Sisters platform expanded, organization became an important part of their routine.
Farah and Nour use schedules and to-do lists to keep track of content, deadlines and professional commitments. They also follow social media trends, event launches and new openings across the markets they cover.
The sisters recognize that building an audience is a long-term process.
The platform has developed over several years rather than appearing overnight. Their approach has been to continue producing content while adapting to changes in social media and audience interests.
More Than Food
Although food remains at the heart of their work, the Hungry Sisters platform has continued to broaden.
Lifestyle content, family-friendly activities and travel now sit alongside restaurant and food coverage. The expansion reflects the interests of an audience looking for experiences rather than food recommendations alone.
That wider focus has also created opportunities for collaborations with brands.
Farah and Nour continue to explore partnerships while maintaining the food and cultural interests that shaped the platform from the beginning.
The Restaurant Dream Remains
Despite the growth of their digital platform, the sisters have not abandoned the ambition that brought them together in the first place.
They still hope to open their own restaurant.
Their vision is to create a space that brings together food, culture and community. The restaurant would represent another step in a journey that began with experimenting in the kitchen and discovering new flavors during family travels.
For now, the Hungry Sisters continue to document their experiences across the region.
What began in 2017 as a food blog has become a platform connecting food with travel, lifestyle and family-friendly experiences. Farah and Nour Ghannam are still working toward the restaurant they once imagined, but the journey itself has become an important part of their story.
Their experience shows how a shared interest can evolve into a digital business through persistence, organization and a willingness to adapt.