Tarryn‑Leigh Green is an accomplished chef, product developer, and visionary entrepreneur. She qualified at The Institute of Culinary Arts and built her career working with premium UK brands such as Fortnum & Mason, Bakkavor, Charlie Bigham’s and major retailers like Waitrose and Marks & Spencer.  Later she relocated to the UAE where she co‑founded Nyum Meals, a startup delivering chef‑made, nutritionist‑approved meals for children and families. Her entrepreneurial story blends culinary expertise, product innovation, and a deep commitment to real food made with integrity. Nyum Meals has earned acclaim such as ‘Entrepreneur Chef of the Year 2024’ and “Best for Nutritional Kids’ Meals” in 2025.  

TFS: Tarryn-Leigh, what inspired you to launch Nyum Meals during one of the most uncertain times in recent history — the COVID-19 pandemic?

Launching Nyum Meals during the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the boldest decisions I’ve made, but it felt like the right one.

At a time when the world was filled with uncertainty; lockdowns, remote work, homeschooling, and so much anxiety, I could see how overwhelmed families were. Mealtimes had become just another source of stress. I wanted to create something that made things easier, that brought a little comfort, joy, and nourishment to the table when people needed it most.

I had spent years developing recipes for global brands and leading food innovation in the region, but during the pandemic, like many, I found myself reflecting. I knew I had the experience and the vision, but it was Warren, my co-founder and confidant, who gave me the gentle nudge I needed to just give it a go. His belief in me and the concept of Nyum was the push that turned the idea into reality.

Together, we set out to build something purposeful. Meals that are chef-made, nutritionist-approved, and frozen to lock in goodness. We wanted to take the pressure off parents and provide children with real food they’d actually enjoy eating. Meals made with integrity, full of flavour, and free from anything unnecessary.

Nyum was created with heart, in a moment when so many needed support. And that mission, to make healthy, joyful eating easier for families continues to guide everything we do.

TFS: How did your experience with premium retailers and food service brands in the UK shape your approach to product development at Nyum?

My time working with premium retailers and food service brands in the UK had a huge influence on how I approached building Nyum and developing our products. I had the privilege of working with brands like Fortnum & Mason, Bakkavor London, and Charlie Bigham’s. Each of them taught me something different about what it means to create truly great food at scale.

At Fortnum’s, it was all about craftsmanship and storytelling. Every product needed to feel special, to evoke a sense of occasion, even if it was something as simple as a Beef Wellington. That attention to detail stayed with me. At Charlie Bigham’s, I learned the importance of consistency, speed, and values. How to develop meals that serve busy people without compromising on quality or ethics.

Working in food manufacturing gave me a deep respect for process, systems, and food safety. Things that become even more important when you’re creating meals for children. I also saw firsthand how disconnected some products can become from the end customer, especially when innovation is driven more by cost than purpose.

So, when it came to Nyum, I took all of those lessons; flavour-first thinking, beautiful presentation, clear labelling, operational discipline, and applied them with one goal in mind: to give parents and their children a ready-meal experience that didn’t feel like a compromise. Every Nyum meal is developed like a premium adult dish, just adapted thoughtfully for kids, packed with nutrition, full of flavour, and designed to be genuinely loved.

In short, my experience taught me that food can be joyful and functional at the same time. That’s what we aim for at Nyum, meals that are not just good for you, but good enough to feel proud of.

TFS: Nyum Meals promises “quality meals without compromise.” What does that phrase mean to you personally, and how is it reflected in your product standards?

“Quality without compromise” isn’t just a tagline for me, it’s a personal promise. As a chef, a product developer, and most importantly, a parent, I know how much trust it takes to hand over mealtime to someone else. So, when we created Nyum Meals, it had to meet the same standards I would expect for my own children no shortcuts, no fillers, no compromises.

To me, quality means more than just taste. It’s about using real, whole ingredients you can see and trust. It’s about nutritional integrity. Every Nyum meal is approved by a nutritionist, and we’re proud that all our meals fall within green and amber traffic lights with A or B Nutri-Scores. It’s also about transparency. Parents deserve to know exactly what’s going into their child’s body.

“Without compromise” means we don’t cut corners to save time or reduce costs. Our meals are handmade in the UAE by a dedicated team of chefs, gently cooked and flash-frozen to lock in goodness without the need for preservatives or additives. Even our packaging reflects our values, it’s biodegradable and thoughtfully designed to reduce waste and make serving easier.

Ultimately, that phrase is a reminder of why we exist: to support families with food that’s just as nourishing as it is convenient, and to do it in a way that never sacrifices our standards. Because children deserve the best start, and parents deserve peace of mind.

TFS: Many brands claim to be nutritious, but Nyum puts vegetables at the core of its kids’ meals. What was the thought process behind that, and how has the market responded?

From day one, I was clear that vegetables wouldn’t just be included, they’d be the foundation of our meals. Every single dish has at least two of a child’s five-a-day, which means a minimum of 80g of vegetables, often cleverly blended to suit even the pickiest eaters.

That decision came from both personal and professional insight. As a mum, I know how hard it can be to get kids excited about vegetables, especially when you’re short on time or dealing with fussy eaters. As a product developer, I also know that vegetables are often the first thing to be reduced or hidden when brands focus on profit margins or shelf life. I wasn’t willing to compromise on that.

We took a chef-led approach to build real flavour from vegetables, like a base of slow-cooked onions, carrots, and courgettes in our sauces and ragouts, or incorporating within the assembly of our dishes, such as an incorporated layer in our lasagnes.

But even more than convenience or clever formulation, this approach is about building a solid foundation for healthy eating habits. We’re helping children develop a positive relationship with vegetables from an early age. One that’s built on taste, enjoyment, and trust. Because if kids learn to love vegetables now, it sets them up for a lifetime of better choices.

The market response has been incredibly encouraging. Parents tell us they love that their kids are eating better without a fight, and that they can trust what’s in every bite. Retailers and partners have also recognised the nutritional integrity of our meals, which helps us stand out in a very crowded category.

Putting vegetables at the core wasn’t a marketing gimmick, it was about solving a real problem for families, and helping raise a generation of healthier, happier eaters.

TFS: From Fortnum & Mason to MAF Carrefour, you’ve led innovation at both legacy and regional brands. What unique challenges did you face building your own brand from the ground up in the UAE?

Building my own brand from the ground up in the UAE has been one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of my career. Coming from legacy brands like Fortnum & Mason, where there’s centuries of heritage and structure behind you, or leading innovation at MAF Carrefour with huge operational muscle, it’s a completely different game when you’re starting from scratch.

One of the biggest challenges was the sheer scope of responsibility. At Nyum, I wasn’t just developing recipes. I was sourcing suppliers, navigating licensing, building the brand identity, setting up manufacturing, and learning the nuances of local compliance and regulation. Every decision, from packaging materials to character licensing to HACCP certification, came down to me and my co-founder, Warren. There’s no cushion when it’s your own brand, it’s personal, and the stakes feel higher.

Another unique challenge was market education. In a region where fresh often equals “better,” we had to educate parents and partners about the nutritional benefits of flash-frozen meals. That meant being crystal clear in our messaging: this isn’t just convenient food, it’s clean, handmade, nutritionist-approved, and designed to lock in goodness. We built trust through transparency, and that takes time.

We also had to think very strategically about what characters and flavours would resonate with children, and how to position ourselves in both B2C and B2B environments. Dubai is incredibly dynamic, but it’s also highly competitive and moves fast. There’s no time to wait for perfection. You have to be agile and brave enough to launch, learn, and improve quickly.

That said, starting Nyum here has also been a gift. The UAE is open to innovation and full of entrepreneurial energy. It allowed me to create something that reflects not just my culinary background, but also my values as a parent and a woman in business. Every challenge taught me something new, and every small win reinforced that this is exactly where I’m meant to be.

TFS: Nyum’s website emphasizes biodegradable packaging and local sourcing. How do you strike the balance between sustainability and scale in food manufacturing?

Striking the balance between sustainability and scale in food manufacturing is one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced with Nyum, but it’s also non-negotiable for me.

From the very beginning, I knew I didn’t want to build a brand that only focused on nutrition or convenience. It had to reflect the bigger picture: how we feed our kids today impacts not just their health, but the world they’ll grow up in. That’s why we committed to using biodegradable packaging and where possible sourcing locally.

We use compostable trays that make heating and serving incredibly easy for parents, while significantly reducing single-use plastic. They come at a higher cost, but for us, staying true to our values, from sourcing to serving, isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Of course, scaling with these commitments in place isn’t simple. As we grow, we constantly evaluate where we can streamline without compromising our values or lose sight of what Nyum stands for.

Ultimately, I believe parents care not just about what goes into their child’s body, but what kind of future we’re leaving behind for them. Sustainability isn’t a trend for us; it’s a core part of how we operate, even as we scale.

TFS: As a chef and a mother, how do you balance creativity, nutrition, and taste when designing your ready-to-heat meals?

For me, balancing creativity, nutrition, and taste isn’t just part of the process, it is the process. As a chef, I’ve been trained to chase bold flavours and beautiful presentation. As a mother, I’ve learned the hard way that none of that matters if your child refuses to eat it. So, at Nyum, the challenge, and the joy is in designing meals that hit all three notes: exciting enough to make kids want to try them, nutritious enough to make parents feel good, and delicious enough to keep everyone coming back for more.

I always start with flavour. Kids have incredibly sharp taste buds, and they can spot a bland or overly “healthy” meal a mile away. We build flavour the way chefs do, starting with slow-cooked bases, layering herbs and spices, and never relying on sugar or salt to do the heavy lifting. Then comes nutrition. Every recipe is developed with a nutritionist to make sure we’re hitting the right balance of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats, and that we’re including two of their five-a-day in every meal, often through clever combinations of blended and visible vegetables.

The creativity comes in when we ask: how can we make this fun? It’s not about gimmicks; it’s about creating a sense of joy and connection at the table. We use kids’ favourite characters, such as Paw Patrol, Miraculous, and Sponge Bob Square Pants to make eating healthy effortless.

Ultimately, I design every meal as if I were serving it to my own children. That’s my benchmark. If it doesn’t pass both the chef’s test and the mum test, it doesn’t become a Nyum meal.

TFS: The UAE is a multicultural hub. How do you cater to such a diverse audience while still staying true to Nyum’s core brand values?

The UAE is such a vibrant, multicultural hub, and as a brand born here, we’ve always been mindful of how diverse our audience is. When we launched Nyum, we made a deliberate decision to start with a Western-style menu, not because we were ignoring the region’s cultural richness, but because we recognised that core comfort foods like mac & cheese, spaghetti bolognaise, and pizza are loved by kids across almost every household, regardless of background. In a city like Dubai, where school lunchboxes and dinner tables are often shared across cultures, these familiar favourites offer a sense of belonging and familiarity.

That said, we also know that to truly serve our community, our menu needs to reflect the people who live here. We’re in the process of expanding our offering to include more culturally diverse flavours, still staying true to our core values of nutrition, clean ingredients, and convenience, but through dishes that speak to a wider range of palates and family traditions.

For me, it’s about balance. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone, but we are deeply intentional about being inclusive. The beauty of the UAE is its melting pot of cultures, and that naturally influences how children eat and what they’re exposed to. Our job is to honour that diversity while still delivering meals that meet our uncompromising standards; packed with vegetables, nutritionist-approved, and loved by kids.

Ultimately, we want Nyum to feel like home for every family, whatever home tastes like to them.

TFS: Can you walk us through your product development process — from concept to shelf —especially for the kid’s meals line?

Product development at Nyum is where my experience as a chef and product developer, and my instincts as a mum, truly come together. It’s never just about creating something that tastes good, it’s about crafting meals that are nutritionally balanced, joyful to eat, and practical for busy families. From concept to shelf, every step is intentional.

It always begins with a problem we’re trying to solve, whether it’s getting kids to eat more vegetables or giving time-starved parents something they can feel genuinely good about serving. From there, I develop recipes rooted in the comfort foods children naturally gravitate towards, but with a Nyum twist: added veg, cleaner ingredients, and elevated nutrition.

Once I have a recipe, I’m confident in, I work closely with our in-house chefs to trial it in small batches. This is where we validate the concept, fine-tune flavours, and ensure any new ingredients are free from added sugar, preservatives, or anything artificial. But here’s the truth: if a child won’t eat it, the nutrition doesn’t matter. Every Nyum meal has to pass both the “chef” test and the “mum” test.

Next, we make sure it delivers on our nutritional promise: a minimum of two of a child’s five-a-day, a balanced mix of macronutrients, and alignment with green or amber traffic lights and an A or B Nutri-Score. Once it hits all those markers, we move into scaling, working with our production and quality teams to safeguard consistency, ensure the meal is freezer-stable, and rigorously test for safety, texture, and flavour retention.

Finally, we bring the meal to life through character-led packaging and storytelling. We know how powerful it is when a child sees their favourite hero on the box and gets excited about what’s inside. We work closely with licensors, like Paw Patrol and Garfield, to build positive, playful associations with healthy eating.

So, from spark to shelf, every Nyum meal is developed with care, creativity, and a deep understanding of what real families need.

TFS: How did your collaboration with Warren Bond, your business partner, influence the direction and growth of Nyum Meals?

Collaborating with Warren Bond, my co-founder, business partner, and trusted confidant, has been one of the most defining aspects of building Nyum. While I bring the culinary creativity and product development expertise, Warren brings a sharp financial lens and the experience of a successful serial entrepreneur who knows what it takes to grow a business from the ground up.

As a Chartered Accountant, Warren has a deep understanding of how to build financial structures that support sustainable growth. But more than that, he brings a mindset shaped by years of launching and scaling businesses, he sees opportunities where others see obstacles and has a real talent for keeping the bigger picture in focus while making smart, strategic decisions.

From the start, he believed in Nyum and in me. In fact, it was Warren who gave me the gentle nudge to stop overthinking and just go for it. His confidence helped me move from concept to action, even in the middle of a global pandemic.

Warren has played a crucial role in shaping the direction of the business. Challenging ideas, grounding decisions, and always ensuring we stay aligned with our purpose: creating nutritious, joyful meals that genuinely support families. Our partnership works because we bring different strengths to the table, but we’re united by the same vision and values.

Having someone like Warren in my corner who not only understands numbers but truly understands what it takes to build something meaningful, has been invaluable. Nyum wouldn’t be where it is today without him.

TFS: You’ve launched the Women’s Culinary Chapter with the Emirates Culinary Guild. What drove you to create this platform, and what change do you hope to see in the regional culinary landscape?

Launching the Women’s Culinary Chapter with the Emirates Culinary Guild was deeply personal for me. I’ve worked in kitchens, food manufacturing, and corporate environments across multiple countries, and one thing has always stood out, women are drastically underrepresented, especially in leadership roles. And in this region, where the industry is evolving at such a fast pace, I knew it was time to create a space where women in food could not only be seen but truly supported.

The idea was born out of conversations with other women working in F&B, chefs, entrepreneurs, managers, and students, all who felt isolated, unheard, or simply unsure of how to break through in a male-dominated industry. I wanted to build a platform where we could connect, share experiences honestly, learn from each other, and grow together. But I also wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a support group, it had to be a catalyst for real change.

Through the Women’s Culinary Chapter, we’re pushing for gender parity within the Guild, advocating for more inclusive kitchen cultures, and addressing topics that often go unspoken, burnout, motherhood, mental health, and the pressure to constantly prove your worth. We’re also highlighting success stories, because visibility matters. When young women see others thriving in roles they didn’t think were possible, it changes what they believe is achievable.

What I hope to see in the regional culinary landscape is a shift, not just more women in kitchens, but more women leading them. I want to see employers value balance, not just resilience. I want us to create kitchens and operations where women aren’t asked to fit into outdated moulds but are empowered to lead on their own terms.

This isn’t about equality, its’ about equity and the future of our industry. When we lift women up, we raise the standard for everyone.

TFS: You’re not just selling meals; you’re promoting a lifestyle of wholesome, accessible, and inclusive food. How do you see Nyum evolving in the next 3–5 years?

That’s exactly it! Nyum has never just been about selling meals. From the start, we’ve been driven by a bigger purpose: to make wholesome, accessible, and inclusive food a way of life for modern families. Food that’s nutritious but joyful, convenient but never compromised. And over the next 3–5 years, I see Nyum evolving into so much more than a meal brand and looking at how Nyum can show up beyond the plate.

We’re building a lifestyle, one that supports parents in raising healthy, happy eaters from babyhood through childhood and beyond. That means expanding our product range to include more culturally diverse meals that reflect the incredible community we serve here in the UAE.

It means evolving our offering across multiple formats; frozen, chilled, and ambient, so we can meet families wherever they are and adapt to whatever their routine looks like. International expansion is also a key part of our vision. The need for nutritious, convenient kids’ meals isn’t unique to the UAE, it’s a universal challenge faced by parents everywhere. That’s why we believe Nyum is perfectly positioned to meet this need beyond our borders and become a trusted partner for families around the world.

But most importantly, we’ll continue to evolve with the needs of families. Our promise is to grow without ever compromising our values, meals made with care, full of nutrition, and created with kids in mind. Because when we get food right in the early years, we’re setting up a healthier generation and that’s the legacy I want Nyum to leave behind.

TFS: With a background in private label development, how do you now view branding and customer connection from the founder’s lens?

Having come from a private label background, I used to see product development through a very commercial lens, a focus on margin, speed to market, and meeting a retailer’s brief. It was about building products that fit within someone else’s brand world. But stepping into the founder’s role with Nyum completely changed the way I think about branding and customer connection.

Now, it’s personal. I’m not just creating a product, I’m building a relationship. Every decision we make, from the ingredients we source to the characters we feature on our packaging, is rooted in earning the trust of parents and bringing joy to children. It’s about doing what feels right for the families we serve, listening closely to their feedback, and being willing to adapt when needed.

With Nyum, I’ve learned that a brand is more than a logo or a product on a shelf, it’s a promise. And that promise has to be lived out in every touchpoint: the way we communicate, the transparency of our labelling, the way a child lights up when they see their favourite character on their dinner. That emotional connection is everything.

Private label taught me discipline, process, and how to bring quality products to life efficiently and consistently. But building Nyum has taught me heart. It’s shown me the power of brand storytelling, community, and values, and how those things, when done with authenticity, build loyalty far beyond the product itself.

TFS: What has been your proudest moment since launching Nyum — whether from customer feedback, product innovation, or a business milestone?

There have been so many moments I’m proud of since launching Nyum, but if I had to choose one, it would be hearing from a parent who said, “The convenience, the quality, the peace of mind… 10/10! I recommend Nyum to all my mum friends.” That kind of feedback means everything to me, because it reminds me why we started this in the first place: to make parents’ lives easier without compromising on what they feed their children.

We’ve had some incredible milestones along the way, launching in iconic hotels like Hilton on the Palm, so that even on holiday, families can access delicious, nutritious meals their kids will actually eat. Winning ‘Chef Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2024 and being named MENA’s Best for Nutritional Kids’ Meals in 2025 were also huge moments. Recognition not just of the product, but of the mission behind it.

But what makes me proudest is that we’ve done all this without ever compromising our values. We’ve taken an idea born during a global crisis and built a brand that’s trusted by families, respected by industry, and still rooted in the same purpose: real food for real families.

Hearing that our meals give parents peace of mind, or that their picky eaters are finally clearing their plates, that’s the kind of impact I’ll never take for granted. It means we’re not just building a business, we’re building a brand that truly supports everyday family life.

TFS: For aspiring female entrepreneurs and chefs in the region, what advice would you give about turning culinary passion into a sustainable business model?

For any aspiring female entrepreneurs or chefs, especially in this region, my biggest piece of advice is this: your passion is your fuel, but your plan is your foundation. You need both. It’s one thing to love creating food but turning that into a sustainable business means learning to wear every hat; operator, marketer, financial planner, negotiator, salesman (woman) and more.

But even with the best plan in the world, if you don’t truly believe in what you’re building, it won’t work. Your idea has to come from passion, not just a desire for a certain end result. Because building something from scratch, especially something that matters, is a roller coaster. There are ups and downs, sharp turns, and some dark, lonely patches along the way. You need to be agile, strong, and incredibly determined to stay on the ride and make it to the other side.

With Nyum, I didn’t just want to make kids’ meals, I wanted to solve a real problem for real families. That clarity shaped every decision we’ve made, and it’s what kept me going when things got tough. You have to be grounded in your “why”. It’s the only thing strong enough to carry you through the unpredictable days.

And for women in particular, I’d say “Stop waiting for permission.” This industry still has its barriers, but that’s exactly why we need more women building, leading, and showing what’s possible. That’s why I launched the Women’s Culinary Chapter, to create space, support, and visibility for women who are ready to do things differently.

So, lead with passion. Build with purpose. Stay close to your customer, ask for help when you need it, and back yourself. Always. You don’t have to do it the way it’s always been done. You can build something bold, meaningful, and entirely your own.