An international businessman who has led a very rich life, Edwin Abela began from small beginnings and a LL 10,000 loan from the British Bank. From there, he and his brother Albert grew the Abela family business into a global name of renown in the catering industry. The brothers’ grandfather was originally from Malta but travelled to Palestine through his work. Later some of the family would return to Malta, while the rest settled in Lebanon. The move from a restaurant business into that of corporate catering came when the Abelas were asked to supply prepacked meals to Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC). Soon they would be supplying food to most of the petrol companies in the Arab world and Africa. With a base in Lebanon, business expanded to include a supermarket in Kuwait, import of meat and distribution of Kent cigarettes in the Arab world. When the Gulf was still in its construction infancy, they became contractors and helped to build offices, hospitals, houses, roads and motorways. In the 1950s the Abelas began contract catering to airlines and companies, a move that took their business to even greater heights. Edwin sold his shares in the company in the early 1980s and went on to invest in hotels and restaurants in the USA, France and Lebanon. The interview with Ricardo Karam took place in Beirut, Lebanon.