Escaping Syria's civil war, Abdulhadi Al Saadi recreates the flavours of his homeland in Singapore

As civil war was escalating in his native Syria, Abdulhadi Al Saadi's family decided to leave. Hadi was only in his mid-teens then, and would spend the next three years moving between three different countries to rebuild their lives. A chance encounter with a special customer brought him to Singapore, where he opened a Syrian shawarma eatery in 2023. Damascus Delights has since grown in popularity in its Tampines neighbourhood and beyond. Hadi, now in his late-twenties and married with a growing family, reflects on his journey and the deep lessons it's taught him about love and resilience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.