21grams, the Dubai-born Balkan bistro founded by Stasha Toncev, known for its honest and soulful cooking, and deeply personal approach to hospitality, is collaborating with Spinneys as part of The Chef’s Counter, a new in-store initiative by Spinneys spotlighting the UAE’s homegrown culinary talent independent chefs and food founders by introducing them to new audiences.
A MICHELIN Bib Gourmand restaurant, 21grams is celebrated for its soulful approach to Balkan cuisine and its emphasis on connection through food. It has built a loyal following for its honest, flavour-driven dishes inspired by family recipes and influenced by the diverse cultural fabric of Dubai that made it a cornerstone of the city’s dining scene.
This collaboration brings that same spirit into a retail setting and marks a natural extension of this philosophy, allowing 21grams to reach beyond its restaurant walls and connect with customers in a new, accessible way, offering customers a taste of 21grams beyond the restaurant through a curated, signature creation – The chocolate hazelnut baklava – available at selected Spinneys Bakery locations from 29 April to 5 May.
What began as one of Stasha Toncev’s personal kitchen experiments in her early days in Dubai has since become the sweet signature of 21grams. The chocolate hazelnut baklava, rooted in tradition yet shaped by a contemporary spirit, started as Stasha’s idea of a richer, more indulgent take on the classic – layered with dark chocolate and hazelnuts instead of the traditional walnuts and syrup. Through the craftsmanship of Executive Chef Milan Jurkovic and the 21grams kitchen team, it evolved into the final recipe guests know and return for today: a long-standing bestseller and a dessert now inseparable from the restaurant’s identity
Available for a limited time, it offers customers a chance to experience the restaurant’s signature flavours in a new, easily accessible setting.
The Chef’s Counter initiative by Spinneys is designed to support independent restaurants and food founders across the UAE by offering them a platform for visibility and new revenue streams. Through its scale and reach, Spinneys is enabling local concepts like 21grams to showcase their stories and products directly to customers in-store.
“At 21grams, everything we create comes from a place of memory, emotion and community,” said Stasha Toncev, founder of 21grams. “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.”
“The Chef’s Counter is about conversation, connection and celebrating the individuals who make the UAE’s food scene so dynamic,” said Warwick Gird, General Manager – Marketing & E-commerce at Spinneys. “At a time when many independent operators are under real pressure, we see a responsibility to use our platform to support them.”
The Chef’s Counter has been running for two weeks, bringing together a rotating lineup of chefs and food entrepreneurs. This week, it features 21grams, a concept grounded in authenticity, craftsmanship and genuine culinary talent. Through Spinneys’ easily accessible, high-footfall in-store platform, The Chef’s Counter opens the door for local chefs to connect with new audiences.
