Hi there – I’m Courtney, the American expat behind the blog A to Za'atar. My articles seek to share unique culinary and hospitality experiences from the UAE and beyond. I’m currently living in Dubai and have lived in the GCC since 2007 (including stays in Doha and Abu Dhabi). If you need an expert on the Middle East, then you should definitely contact me.

To date, I've been published with the following outlets: Elite Daily, The Forward Feed, Wine & Style magazine, A Luxury Travel Blog, Matador Network, JustLuxe, Travelettes, Citizen Femme, Khaleej Times, Roads & Kingdoms, Expat Post, and Eat this Poem. I have spoken and presented at various conventions and panels, including The Restaurant Show, SIAL, Gulf Host, SMSummit Jordan, and New York University Abu Dhabi.

I am a Zomato Ambassador and member of the Association of Food Bloggers. I'm also a contributor to a local television series, What's Cooking, UAE, and have been accepted as an attendee for the Google Local Guides summit later in the year. Finally, I am currently a recurring contributor to a local food and travel report on our local talk radio station, Dubai Eye 103.8.