Emma Sawko remembers coming home from school as a child to find a fridge “only filled up with greens and grains,” as she told Lettre de Paris. At the time, she found it unfair not having soda or junk food like other kids. “Today, I am grateful of having had a mother who was already so aware of the importance of eating healthy, and that was 40 years ago!”
Born in New York and raised between Switzerland and Paris, Sawko worked in advertising for years before following her husband, an investment banker, to Dubai. Landing in the city was “very complicated” for her, as she told Day Plus. But it was also where she found her calling.
“When I opened the Comptoir 102 restaurant in Dubai with my recipes: organic stuff with seeds, seaweed and lots of vegetables, it was a crazy gamble,” she explained to The Socialite Family. “Fast food was king, and I arrived like a flower, explaining that there would be green juices but no sodas, chia puddings but no croissants.”
That crazy gamble, opened in 2012, became Dubai’s first concept store combining design, fashion, jewelry, and an organic restaurant. Harper’s Bazaar awarded it best furniture. More importantly, it proved a market existed.
From Comptoir to Wild & The Moon
“Later, I wanted to push this concept of healthy and respectful eating a little further with a sense of individual responsibility and a strong desire for a collective,” Sawko told Day Plus. “That’s how we launched Wild & the Moon.”
The name carries deliberate meaning. As she explained to Day Plus: “Wild evokes the original, organic, unprocessed, unhybridized ingredient. Moon evokes the cycle of Nature, of the seasons, of femininity. A subtle cycle; most humans live without worrying about the moon, and yet, if we take the time to stop, to be attentive to it, to tune into its rhythm, a new virtuous circle is established: of calm energy, of gentleness, of serenity, of benevolence for the planet.”
Wild & The Moon launched first in Dubai in 2016, then Paris in 2017. The concept was simple but radical: 100% plant-based, organic, gluten-free, ethically sourced food. No refined sugar, no additives, no GMOs, no soy, no dairy. Everything cold-pressed, leaving nutritive power intact.
As stated on Tripadvisor, Wild & The Moon describes itself as “a lifestyle movement created by a tribe of food lovers, chefs, nutritionists and naturopaths, who believe in the concept that food should be Good for you, Good for the Planet, Delicious.”
The Paris Explosion
When Wild & The Moon opened on Rue Charlot in Paris’s Marais in 2016, fashion took notice immediately. The rustic décor with encroaching ferns, wood tables, and contemporary music created what PAGE Magazine described as “the coolest vegan spot in town.”
Virgil Abloh was a frequent visitor. He commissioned Wild & The Moon to cater an Off-White pop-up at Le Bon Marché department store. Emma received the call on Christmas while on vacation with family. “Blue Magic” and “Better Than Botox” cold-pressed juices became hyped energy drinks during 2019 Men’s Paris Fashion Week, according to PAGE Magazine.
Stella McCartney tapped Wild & The Moon for catering at all her shows and events. Sarah Andelman, founder of the legendary Colette, sought signature juices for collaborations. ByRedo offered Wild & The Moon juices in their stores.
“Receiving a lot of press, 5 more locations opened within the next year,” PAGE Magazine reported. By 2019, Wild & The Moon had over ten stores in Paris, with the 180-square-meter flagship in Saint-Honoré representing a major expansion.
The Dubai Expansion
In Dubai, Wild & The Moon operates multiple locations: Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, Emaar Boulevard in Downtown Dubai near the Burj Khalifa, and additional sites across the city. According to OpenTable, it’s described as “a homegrown premium plant-based, organic, ethical, casual restaurant chain.”
The Alserkal Avenue location fits perfectly within the artsy, creative scene. As one reviewer noted on Postcard, “The vibe is chill and minimal, with earthy tones and plants everywhere – very calming.”
The Downtown location offers what Tripadvisor reviewers call “a dreamy greenhouse” with views of the Burj Khalifa. One visitor described it as “walking into a dreamy greenhouse. So calm, so pretty, and super clean. It actually reminded me of an old, cozy family conservatory – but make it chic!”
The Menu Philosophy
Wild & The Moon’s approach goes beyond simply being vegan. As Sawko explained to Rêve En Vert, “I think we are much more than a ‘plant-based’ restaurant which might sound a little reductive. I think we would have had a few problems trying to serve ‘tofu-nuggets’ to the French crowd! We spend a lot of time trying to create recipes that are exciting and new. Recipes that taste like childhood memories and far away places.”
The menu includes smoothie bowls, cold-pressed juices, nut milks, breakfast bowls, soups, salads, and plant-based versions of comfort food: pizza, burgers, tacos, waffles, pancakes. Signature items include the Moon Bowl, Golden Mylk, and “Black Magic” juice with activated charcoal.
According to Eater’s Dubai guide, quoted on Postcard: “Like many cities, Dubai has seen a shift toward plant-based eating, which is clear at Wild and the Moon, one of the first local vegan restaurants. All the ingredients are local, organic, seasonal, and ethically sourced.”
The Sustainability Commitment
Wild & The Moon’s environmental commitment extends beyond ingredients. “It has taken us months to source the right containers, straws, bottles and cutlery that are absolutely chemical or plastic free. As well as compostable or biodegradable,” Sawko told Rêve En Vert.
The company operates as carbon neutral and zero waste. Every container is biodegradable. Even packaging reflects the mission. As Sawko explained to Lettre de Paris, Wild & The Moon partners with charities to ensure “every time you eat at Wild and The Moon, someone less fortunate in the world eats too.”
The sourcing process is rigorous. “These days you find organic options everywhere. But the real difficulty is in finding good, tasty produce that aligns with our strict specifications. We go for wild or biodynamic as often as we can,” she told Rêve En Vert.
The Design Aesthetic
Sawko’s background in advertising and love of design shapes every location. “I have always had a taste for decoration. Since I was little, I have attached importance to places and what they give off,” she told Day Plus.
Observers note the aesthetic blends American cool with French chic, reflecting Sawko’s dual nationalities. Do It In Paris described the original Marais location as “a tea salon for the third millennium, designed like a very high tech Parisian style oasis, that twists the lab spirit, very wild vegetal touches and a raw decor.”
What’s Next
Wild & The Moon continues expanding across Dubai and Paris, with locations now including collaborations in unexpected places like Paris Saint-Germain’s Champs-Élysées merchandise store. The company offers franchise opportunities and has published a cookbook sharing Sawko’s recipes and journey.
Sawko’s cookbook opens with her full story, as she explained to Day Plus. Her favorite recipe? “Hummus tirelessly takes me back to the sweetness of life in Dubai. It’s truly ‘comfort food’: soft, creamy, regressive.”
The mission remains constant. As stated on the company’s LinkedIn: “Wild & The Moon is an innovative healthy ‘slow food’ quick service and catering concept in Europe & the Middle East offering 100% organic, plant-based, gluten-free and vegan food & beverages. Based on the simple belief that food should be good for you, good for the planet and delicious.”
Sawko lives between Dubai and Paris, maintaining hands-on involvement in both markets. “My HQ is Wild & The Moon of course! I eat there in the morning, at lunchtime and sometimes in the evening!” she told The Socialite Family.
From a childhood fridge full of greens to a lifestyle movement with locations across two continents, Wild & The Moon proves that healthy food can be delicious, that sustainability can be stylish, and that fashion and wellness aren’t mutually exclusive.
As the motto hanging in the refrigerator declares: “Eat Wise, It’s Gangster.”
