Best known for its rapidly growing group of acclaimed restaurants, Em Sherif is also quietly nurturing Lebanon’s creative soul through the Em Sherif Art Foundation. We spoke with Dani Chakour, co-founder of the art foundation, to learn more about how the non-profit is spotlighting Lebanese artists and preserving cultural heritage through art.

You have been quoted as saying that the Em Sherif Art Foundation reimagines dining as an “artistic exchange.” How do you see that playing out in practice, and what exactly does the “Art Menu” offer diners beyond visual appeal?

Art comes in so many shapes and forms. In essence it is a feeling, one that is transmitted through food, design and, of course, art. At Em Sherif, the dining room becomes a stage for this symbiotic artistic exchange between these three elements. Guests are offered an opportunity to explore, engage and savor in a welcoming, live environment surrounded by their loved ones.  

With more than 600 works in your personal art collection forming the backbone of the foundation, how do you, Mireille and Sherif decide which pieces best translate across Em Sherif’s global restaurant spaces?

There is also art in the curation; it is not a binary process. It involves many factors: the city, the audience and cultural appreciation. It is a conversation, and each of us comes from a different school of thought with a common desire to share with the world the incredible talent we have in our country. I must say, I always look forward to these brainstorming exchanges. I love the process of selection — it is both a national responsibility and the greatest cultural offering we can share across our spaces.

Given that each of your 24 Em Sherif restaurants across 12 cities will function as cultural salons, how do you balance maintaining local artistic relevance and preserving a coherent identity for the foundation?

It is certainly a delicate balance, one that requires patience and intention. Ultimately, it is rooted in the foundation’s unwavering mission to showcase the very best of Lebanese creativity. We consider each outpost as more than a restaurant — it is a cultural flagship. Ultimately, art is a global language, one that transcends geographic borders and traditions. This allows us to stay true to our identity while opening space for meaningful connection.  

Kiev, 2024 by Ziad Antar at Em Sherif Café Paris

The first international activation in Paris showcased Ziad Antar — a Lebanese artist with strong ties to memory and visual metaphor. How do you choose which artists to feature first, and what themes or messages are most important to you? 

The foundation looks for work that does more than simply represent. It must provoke reflection, spark dialogue and invite audiences, whether in Lebanon or abroad, to engage with the multiplicity of Lebanese experiences. Themes of resilience, belonging and the reimagining of cultural memory are central to our vision. By highlighting artists such as Ziad Antar, we aim to create encounters that are at once deeply personal and profoundly global, reaffirming Lebanon’s enduring role in the larger cultural conversation.

Em Sherif au Musée at Beirut’s iconic Sursock Museum brings your culinary vision into a museum setting for the first time. How does this new space reflect the foundation’s mission of merging Lebanese heritage with contemporary cultural expression? What was behind the decision to showcase the work of prolific Lebanese artist Hussein Madi?

The work of the renowned artist Hussein Madi for our Em Sherif au Musée at Beirut’s iconic Sursock Muesum was an obvious choice. His work perfectly reflects our intention of merging Lebanese heritage and contemporary cultural expression in this collaboration. 

What’s next for the foundation? Are you planning any exhibitions or events in Lebanon?

The foundation is actively developing its program of rotating showcases and exhibitions across its international network, with the aim of fostering dialogue between Lebanon’s artistic community and the global cultural stage. Lebanon remains at the heart of our mission, and we are committed to bringing this vision home through thoughtfully curated events, exhibitions and collaborations with local institutions and artists. By doing so, we not only honor our heritage but also ensure that Lebanese creativity continues to resonate both within the country and abroad. Our upcoming plans in Lebanon will reflect this commitment, offering new opportunities for artists to present their work, engage with audiences and contribute to the cultural narrative of the region.

If you enjoyed reading this, check out our article on art galleries in Beirut.