{"id":70404,"date":"2026-03-03T21:59:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabmediaagency.com\/?p=70404"},"modified":"2026-03-03T21:59:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:59:06","slug":"exclusive-interview-saad-el-harami-the-thief-the-emperor-of-fava-beans-who-outsmarted-the-king-of-the-screen-at-dominoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arabmediaagency.com\/?p=70404","title":{"rendered":"Exclusive Interview | Saad \u201cEl-Harami\u201d (The Thief): The Emperor of Fava Beans Who Outsmarted the “King of the Screen” at Dominoes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Cairo – By Mostafa El-Masry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a narrow alley scented with the authentic Egyptian Tahbeesha (special spice blend), and within walls that have witnessed generations, sits Saad Mohammed Sayed\u2014famously known as Saad El-Harami. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His life is not merely the story of a fava bean vendor; it is a saga of struggle, innate wit, and coincidences that usually only exist in cinema scripts. His journey began in the far south, hailing from the New Valley as a young man carrying his ambitions in a small bundle, eventually settling in the heart of Khedivial Cairo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From working in the Mostawqad (the traditional bean-stewing furnace) under the searing heat of the fire, to standing behind a bean cart in the Ataba district, “Uncle Saad” managed to impose his dominance with a unique flavor that forced neighboring restaurants to close their doors in the face of his superior “Daqqa” (secret dressing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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However, the dramatic turning point in his life was not just due to a “secret recipe.” It featured the “King of the Third Class” (Malek El-Terso), the legendary actor Farid Shawqi, and a historic dominoes match in the Qantarat El-Dekka area that concluded with the title “El-Harami” (The Thief). This nickname became a registered trademark pursued by newspapers and coveted by investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Saad El-Harami is no longer just a bean vendor; his name resonates across the Arab world as a target for investors\u2014a legal and human success story proving that a true “brand” is not just a billboard, but a life\u2019s legacy.The Ascent: From the New Valley to “Qantarat El-Dekka”Tell us about the beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did Cairo receive a young man coming from Upper Egypt in the seventies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I came from the New Valley and stayed in the “Bab al-Bahr” area. I worked in the Mostawqad and on bean carts. Although I only held a middle-school certificate, I mastered the “craft” of fava beans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started by renting a cart in Ataba. Thank God, I made a massive impact\u2014to the point where the surrounding restaurants couldn’t start their business until I had finished my day\u2019s sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did you move from Ataba to the Naguib El-Rihani and Emad El-Din theater district?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I moved due to harassment from some local restaurants and relocated to stand near “Taysir al-Halawani.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the traditional furnaces were closed, I rented a room in “Qantarat El-Dekka,” next to the Republic Theater and Naguib El-Rihani Street, to slow-cook the beans using a Babour (kerosene stove). That room was a hub for craftsmen, artists, and painters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n