{
  "id": 348476,
  "title": "From global kitchens to Dubai: Meet the couple behind Dubai’s viral cafe 'CRUNCH'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/from-global-kitchens-to-dubai-meet-the-couple-behind-dubais-viral",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-09T05:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/from-global-kitchens-to-dubai-meet-the-couple-behind-dubais-viral-cafe-crunch-1.500633179"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mukhtar Kosbayev and Anastassiya, a Kazakh couple with extensive culinary experience, opened Dubai's viral café, CRUNCH. The pair have worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across seven countries and lived in seven different nations, bringing a wealth of knowledge to their new venture. Their daughter, Aylin, plays a significant role in shaping the menu, as the founders believe that if their child can eat it, the food is ready for public consumption.\n\nCRUNCH focuses on honest ingredients, with each component carefully selected. The café's flagship dish, croissant cereal, was initially an invitation gift for guests, inspired by childhood memories of finishing cereal and drinking the leftover milk. The unique mix of perfectly baked bread and flaky croissants, served with house-made croissant-infused milk, has attracted attention and sparked conversations about the importance of texture in eating.\n\nDespite the café's success, Mukhtar and Anastassiya maintain a humble approach, resisting the urge to increase prices dramatically, as they simply want people to enjoy their creations. Their unique philosophy, emphasizing attention to detail and the satisfaction of a good crunch, sets CRUNCH apart in Dubai's bustling culinary scene.",
  "summary": "Dubai: What do you get when you mix Michelin-level experience, a newborn baby and an idea inspired by childhood cereal? One of Dubai’s most talked-about new cafés. Before they opened CRUNCH in Dubai, Mukhtar Kosbayev and Anastassiya had already spent years moving between kitchens, countries and culinary cultures. Between them, the Kazakh couple have worked across some of the world's most…",
  "key_points": [
    "Kazakh couple Mukhtar and Anastassiya open viral Dubai café CRUNCH.",
    "Daughter Aylin shapes menu, ensuring food is kid-friendly.",
    "Flagship croissant cereal blends bread, croissant, and house-made milk."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}