Hussein Samhan & Il Forno Bringing Out The Delicious Italian Food In UAE

Hussein Samhan, the Founder, and Owner of Il Forno, established the company to provide a better life for his wife and kids. Thus, one of the first true Italian restaurants in the UAE back in 2000, serving the first authentic oven pizza in the country, was born.

The Italian restaurant started its journey in 2000 and continues growing exponentially. They have a delicious taste of Italian food in different dishes and are a pioneer in the industry having over 20 years of experience.

Let’s learn more about Hussein Samhan and Il Forno through our interview below.

Explain the background of you and the company in detail. 

Il Forno is a family-built business, one of the first ever truly Italian restaurants in the UAE, especially inside a mall serving the first authentic oven pizza in the UAE, hence the name Il Forno. We specialize in creating the best-ever scratch-made pizza.

What are your goals? 

To have 100 branches of IL Forno across the UAE. Il Forno aims to grow like it’s a newly established venture where one has a hunger and passion for growth by providing a better quality of food and service day in and day out and eventually transforming into a corporation.

What do you feel is the biggest strength of yourself/company right now? 

Loyalty, consistency, and family and togetherness.

What was the path you/your company took to get to where you are today? 

Belief in my Lord, love for my work, employees, and people beside me. I feel like my hard work paid off eventually when one branch expanded to 2, and over the course of 22 years, Il Forno has over 21 branches spread across the UAE.

Why did you start (or want to be the head of) this company? 

I started this business to provide my family and kids with a better life.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome? 

One of the biggest challenges I had to overcome was pushing myself every day to do better to a point where it is instilled in me.

Give us one word that describes you the best. 

Persevering

What makes you excited about Mondays? 

Every day is a Monday. To be the best, you don’t get the weekend off. We stay organized and work to the fullest every day of the week to ensure that we offer the best-in-class services to our customers.

What do you value most about your culture and vision? 

Religion, keeping my religion close to my heart, is what has helped me push through the challenges that life has put forth on me.

Tell us about a project that forced you to be innovative and creative.

Creating a sister company to provide us with a reliable and consistent supply (Excellence Food Stuff Trading) or menu creation. It was a wonderful experience for us, and we got to create something valuable for our business.

What are your company’s strategies, and how do they stand unique from your competitors? 

Il Forno thrives on providing a family environment to its employees where they are satisfied and secure. The company consists of many loyal employees that have stayed and contributed to the growth and success of Il Forno throughout the years with their hard work and dedication.

What are the key values which helped you to overcome the roadblocks/challenges in your career? Tell us something about your memorable incident in your leadership. 

When Covid-19 hit the country, and a nationwide lockdown was implemented, it was a hard time for everyone. While many companies were ruining homes by firing people, Il Forno saw to it that none of the employees were let go and provided a safe space for them.

How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change? 

As I discussed earlier, we hope to have over 100 branches in the future. I see us getting bigger than what we are now. Further, as we opened last week, I see us transforming into a young and hungry company. I see our quality getting better and my restaurant becoming a corporation.

Where is your leadership going? What benefits do your clients get from your company in this competitive world? 

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. I aim to bring out the best in all my employees and bring out the best in them.

My clients indulge in flavourful and quality food prepared with great craftsmanship and perfection with fresh ingredients.

What are your company’s services/solutions or products on par with the current industry standards? Tell us something about your upcoming products or services. 

Il Forno looks to it that the customers are served with quality and a quantity that no one can finish in one sitting at reasonable pricing.

With the World Cup 2022 approaching, Il Forno is curating a menu that is an international limited edition with dishes from all over the world that the people can endeavor in and will be transported to the country in every bite.

Connect with Il Forno on LinkedIn and on their Social Media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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