21grams, the Dubai-born Balkan bistro founded by Stasha Toncev, has partnered with Spinneys as part of The Chef’s Counter, an in-store initiative designed to give the UAE’s independent chefs and food founders a retail platform and access to new audiences.
The collaboration will see 21grams’ chocolate hazelnut baklava available at selected Spinneys Bakery locations from April 29 to May 5.
The Chef’s Counter is an initiative by Spinneys that brings a rotation of independent chefs and food entrepreneurs into its stores, offering them a platform for visibility and revenue beyond their own operations. The initiative has been running for two weeks, with 21grams featuring this week.
21grams Balkan Bistro brings Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava to Spinneys UAE
21grams holds a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand award and has built a following in Dubai for its approach to Balkan cuisine, drawing on family recipes and the cultural influences of the city. Founded by Stasha Toncev, the restaurant has become part of the Dubai dining scene since its launch.
“At 21grams, everything we create comes from a place of memory, emotion and community. We’re grateful to Spinneys for creating this initiative and giving us the opportunity to share something so personal to us – our chocolate hazelnut baklava – with more people across the UAE,” Stasha Toncev, founder of 21grams said in a statement.
The collaboration with Spinneys represents an extension of the restaurant’s reach beyond its physical location and into the retail space.
The chocolate hazelnut baklava began as a personal kitchen experiment by Toncev during her early days in Dubai. It was conceived as an alternative to the traditional baklava, substituting dark chocolate and hazelnuts for the conventional walnuts and syrup.
The recipe was developed into its current form by Executive Chef Milan Jurkovic and the 21grams kitchen team. It has since become one of the restaurant’s bestsellers and a fixture of its identity.
The Chef’s Counter is positioned as a mechanism for independent food businesses to access Spinneys’ store network, customer footfall, and retail infrastructure – resources that are typically out of reach for smaller operators.
“The Chef’s Counter is about conversation, connection and celebrating the individuals who make the UAE’s food scene so dynamic. At a time when many independent operators are under real pressure, we see a responsibility to use our platform to support them,” Warwick Gird, General Manager – Marketing & E-commerce at Spinneys added.
Through the initiative, Spinneys is offering local concepts a route to new customers and an additional revenue stream, with 21grams serving as this week’s featured partner.
