PR consultant at bespoke luxury management firm RR & Co., Noreen Wasti lives in DIFC with her husband. The 28-year old American of Pakistani heritage is the founder of a culinary and lifestyle blog, Nonisplace.com – Noni is her childhood nickname. She settled here in Dubai last year after getting married, having been travelling back and forth between US and Dubai prior to her move. Noreen loves entertaining over weekends, arts and crafts, and DIY projects.

About the blog

I was working in PR for luxury brands and started to feel drained from the lack of creativity and meaningfulness involved in the job. Food has always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl and I was struggling to maintain that passion. I started Nonisplace.com as a true outlet for my aesthetic inclinations and it became such a big part of me. I try and focus on various aspects of food from an entertaining angle covering topics such as how to make the perfect cheese plate or the proper way to set a table. Readers can also find a selection of international recipes on my blog.

Secret ingredient

Almond meal! Whenever I make desserts that involve a crust, I sneak a bit of almond meal into the dough to give it texture and nuttiness.

“I love street food and believe you can learn so much about culinary traditions from street vendors and stalls. The sights, smells and sounds are such an inspiration and seeing how different cultures use everyday ingredients is so fascinating.”

I could snack on baguette and butter all day!

Favourite food culture

Mediterranean – from Spanish to Turkish. There is such a strong focus on quality produce as vegetables and herbs are in every meal. I love their use of yoghurts and cheeses. There is also a sharing tradition to the cuisine, which gives such a hospitable and inviting feeling.

My 10-minute meal

Wild mushroom, caramelised onion and goat cheese frittata. Whenever I am pressed for time, eggs are my go to. It’s hearty enough to fill you up and easy enough to keep thing stress free. I love to have frittata with farmers toast and sliced avocado on top.

Culinary icons

The American chef and restaurateur, Grant Achatz – he’s one of the leaders in molecular gastronomy. One of the most unforgettable dining experiences I have ever had was at his restaurant Alinea in Chicago.

I’d love to dine with…

Anthony Bourdain. He knows his food, so I would probably be terrified to cook for him. But if I had to make something, it would be duck confit ravioli with shaved black summer truffles.

I’m a cheese-lover!

There are so many different varieties and ways to eat it. An elegant cheese plate is my go-to appetiser when entertaining as well. Most times I crave Humboldt fog (a soft goat’s cheese with an ash rind only produced in Humboldt County, California) – it’s divine on a cracker with a drizzle of honey.