The Woman Behind Dubai’s Most Viral Food Series | Laura Lai Coughlin (E156)

Send us Fan MailThis episode of the Chef JKP Podcast features Laura Lai Coughlin, one of Dubai’s most recognizable voices in food media, for a conversation about food, storytelling, journalism, and the path that took her from family kitchens to the centre of the city’s dining scene.Chef James Knight-Paccheco sits down with Laura, food writer, presenter, content creator, and host of Best of Dubai, to unpack her journey from growing up with two parents who cooked professionally, to studying marketing, moving to Shanghai, and eventually building her editorial career in Dubai across titles like Explorer and What’s On.Laura reflects on rising to Head of Content, why she chose to step away from full-time publishing, and how that opened the door to a more personal chapter of work. The episode also explores the thinking behind Best of Dubai, the changing nature of food media, and why championing chefs, restaurants, and the wider hospitality community matters so much to her.At its core, this is a conversation about instinct, reinvention, and building a career around people, stories, and the culture of food.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• Laura’s childhood food memories and how growing up with two cook parents shaped her relationship with food• Why she studied marketing, even though storytelling and journalism were always close by• How moving to Shanghai changed her life and opened the door to freelance writing• Why Dubai became home and how her early publishing years shaped her career• What it was like rising through the ranks to become Head of Content at What’s On• Why she stepped away from full-time media in 2022 to build something more personal• How Best of Dubai started and why the format connected so quickly• What she has learned from interviewing chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality people across the city• Why Dubai’s food community stands out for its support, energy, and collaboration• Her thoughts on the future of dining in Dubai and across the wider Middle EastCHAPTERS00:00 Laura thought she had been cancelled after a Best of Dubai video blew up04:00 Childhood food memories, congee, and growing up around food09:40 Studying marketing, loving theatre, and finding her voice16:40 Moving to Shanghai and the internship that changed everything26:00 Freelance writing and the start of her journalism journey27:30 Moving to Dubai and building her editorial career34:20 Joining What’s On and rising to Head of Content45:00 Why she left full-time media in 202249:00 The story behind Best of Dubai and how the series took off01:25:00 Her views on the future of dining in Dubai and across the Middle EastFOLLOW THE GUESTLaura Lai CoughlinInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/bylauralai/?hl=enFOLLOW CHEF JKPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcastLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpacchecoPROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY VALRHONAValrhona partners with chefs and artisans to elevate chocolate through craftsmanship, innovation, and a commitment to a more sustainable cocoa industry.Website:https://www.valrhona.com/en/valrhona-middle-east-africa-and-indiaSUPPORT THE SHOWStay hydrated with the Chef JKP thermos flask.Get yours here: https://pay.ziina.com/chefjkp/RKwVHDfpNSupport the showFollow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE