Smartly lit and bursting with color, achingly trendy yet warmly approachable, Miss Lily’s feels like a collision of downtown New York cool and Kingston street energy. Funky, loud, and alive, it’s the kind of place you don’t just visit—you step into. And at the heart of its Dubai debut are two equally cool and welcoming friends turned business partners: Varun Khemaney and Khalil Dahmash.
When the pair met a decade ago, both already knew they wanted to build something different—something special. What neither could have predicted was that ten years later, an international pop star would be asking for a table in their restaurant.
“That was one of the craziest days,” Dahmash laughs. “It’s 11:30pm, I’m exhausted, and the receptionist tells me she needs a lounge table. We only have four, and they’re all taken. Then she says it’s for Rihanna. I said, ‘Rihanna who?’ She looks at me and says, ‘Khalil, you’re an idiot—it’s Rihanna. She’s outside.’”
Since opening less than a year ago, Rihanna hasn’t been the only star to pass through the buzzing space. Footballers, DJs, and sports icons have all dropped by, drawn by the energy, the food, and the reputation Miss Lily’s has quickly built in Dubai.
From New York roots to Dubai soil
Already a cult favorite in New York, Miss Lily’s is built around the spirit of a Jamaican street party—music, color, flavor, and soul. Now, in Dubai’s ever-evolving hospitality scene, the brand has found its first international home thanks to the passion of two young entrepreneurs who grew up in the city they’re now helping to shape.
Dahmash and Khemaney crossed paths through family connections and mutual friends, but it wasn’t until both returned home after studying abroad that business entered the picture. After graduating in Canada, Dahmash began a career in finance—but never felt at ease.
“Coming from an Arab family, you’re usually expected to be a banker, engineer, or doctor,” he says. “But I knew I was a people person. I wanted to work for myself.”
Ideas came and went—events, delivery concepts, anything entrepreneurial—until one thought stuck. “I kept bothering Varun,” he laughs. “Eventually I said, listen, let’s open a restaurant.”
Khemaney had been there before. After graduating in Boston, he moved to New York and co-founded his first F&B venture, Tribeca Canvas. Despite the buzz and a celebrity chef, it didn’t survive the city’s ruthless dining scene.
“I got burned in New York,” he admits. “But I learned a lot. I always wanted to do something on my home court.”
So when Dahmash came calling, Khemaney listened—carefully. “One thing led to another, and we started talking concepts. Miss Lily’s was something I’d already fallen in love with.”
Falling for the vibe
While living in New York, Khemaney was a regular at Miss Lily’s—drawn in not just by the chicken roti and corn, but by the atmosphere.
“The food was amazing, but it was the feeling,” he says. “You walked in and were transported to another world. The staff, the music, the people—it felt like Jamaica. I’d never seen anything like it.”
Dahmash felt the same. The next step was obvious: reach out.
A friend connected them to Miss Lily’s founders Serge Becker and Paul Salmon, who were already fielding offers from major hospitality groups in Dubai. For six agonizing months, the founders weighed their options.
“Our pitch was simple,” says Khemaney. “We’re not a conglomerate. We’re two guys who will make this our full-time lives. We’ll protect the authenticity, the rawness. If you trust us with Miss Lily’s, we’ll live it.”
They won.
Building the dream
Funded by their own capital and two silent investors, the work began. Four months in, opportunity knocked: a pop-up at Sole DXB, Dubai’s street culture festival.
“It was direct access to our audience,” Dahmash explains.
What began as a modest jerk hut quickly snowballed. “They asked us to take over the entire VIP lounge,” he says. “It was massive—a basketball court with a bar and tables.”
They flew in Becker, a New York chef, and assembled a temporary team, working around the clock to build a space that stayed true to Miss Lily’s DNA. The payoff was immediate.
“We served 1,500 people in two days,” says Dahmash. “That was our first win.”
Eight more months followed. Furniture shipped from New York. Tabletops hand-painted in Berlin. Local artists brought in to graffiti walls and craft custom artwork. Licenses, approvals, endless interviews. Every detail mattered.
In July 2016, Miss Lily’s Dubai officially opened—and the response was overwhelming.
“There were really dark times,” Dahmash reflects. “People didn’t believe in us. Now it’s a different story.”
“It was a long ride,” Khemaney adds. “But we stayed resilient. We lived and breathed Miss Lily’s, and that’s what kept the vibe authentic.”
What’s next
With their first success firmly established, the duo is already building toward the future under their new hospitality company, VKD.
“We want a platform to do what we’re passionate about,” says Khemaney. “Not just restaurants. Maybe hotels one day. But we’ll walk before we run.”
Details of their next project remain under wraps, though one thing is certain—Serge Becker will remain close.
“I see him as a mentor,” Dahmash smiles.
For now, they’re focused on growing thoughtfully.
“We’re grateful for what we’ve built,” Khemaney says. “But we don’t take it for granted. We’ll keep our heads down, work hard, and push boundaries—smartly.”
