Agent Woman Emma Sawko
Agent Woman
[ey-juhnt woo m-uh n]
adjective
A woman who embodies the spirit of truth, authenticity and ingenuity. She lives her potential, embracing her unique gifts and shining her light to consciously create a better world. As an Agent of beauty and inspiration, she is a woman admired by our founder, Jena Covello.
Meet Agent Woman, Emma Sawko. Emma is the founder of Wild & the Moon, one of the coolest plant based cafes in Paris, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi; as well as Comptoir102, a premier lifestyle concept store in Dubai. Emma’s cookbook, Wild Recipes features over 120 insanely good plant based, gluten free recipes crafted by Wild & The Moon’s team of chefs, nutritionists and naturopaths.
Name: Emma Sawko
Instagram: @emmasawko
Daily Uniform: A good pair of jeans and some cool sneakers.
AM ritual: For the past 15 years I have had the same ritual : one hour of vinyasa or kickboxing every morning! Not only does it give me the energy I need for the day, but it also really makes my body and mind feel good and centered. After that I jump under the shower and prepare some plant-based smoothies supercharged with superfoods for the family. Lately I have been adding a scoop of holi (mane) in mine and my skin, hair and nails have never looked so healthy (Jena, are you aware you managed to reverse the signs of aging ?!! You should run for President! ☺)
PM wind down: A nice walk down the beach during the sunset when I’m in Dubai, with my favorite playlist in my ears! This is where my imagination comes to life. Where creativity shows the way. When in Paris, I bike home from work always trying to have positive thoughts, even though things have been really (REALLY) rough lately with the whole Covid situation.
Something that helps you stay in a positive mindset: I’ve always had a very positive mindset. It takes a lot to break me. Yoga, meditation and practicing gratitude has helped me a lot. But all this doesn’t go without food. My diet (natural, unprocessed and cooked in the most simplest form) plays an important part too. It’s even a major asset. Eating modern, industrial, packaged food is just as good as filling your car with water mixed with petrol. It may seem cheaper and you may get more volume but you get less mileage. If any at all! Your body will feel lethargic and your brain will move at the speed of a racing snail. Eating healthy and mindfully impacts your ability to plan, think, (re)act, process and do. Really, your brain is what you eat.
A life changing realization that you’ve had: Comptoir102; my first venture. It is the concept store I created while living in Dubai. You can find a curated range of cool, fashionable, stylish things from brands not yet available in the city, as well as a healthy, organic, and mainly plant-based restaurant. When I first arrived in Dubai, the idea of pursuing a “chic yet green” project seemed totally impossible, but I knew all along this was my life project. Soon Comptoir 102 was full and received several prizes, including best healthy restaurant of the region. This made me want to promote the importance of a plant-based diet on a larger scale and consider its benefits for our planet. I decided to think big, to fully incorporate an ecological side into my upcoming plans. It would be clean, virtuous, constructive, and positive. I made a commitment to myself that I would not contribute to the widening of gaps – the gaps between what is beneficial and detrimental to the planet or to our health. I was convinced that there is no better business than a business that does good. This gave birth to Wild & The Moon.
A wellness expert who has significantly helped you: I don’t have a guru, but I was lucky enough to have a mother who’s core ethos was “health through diet”. She drew inspiration from German naturopaths and soon turned raw, organic, local, and mainly plant-based. So I grew up with greens and grains everywhere. I also had the chance to live very close to nature. Not everyone is lucky enough to become aware at such a young age of the importance of all living things and of the inseparable link between the Earth and its inhabitants. Feeling the energy from beneath its surface, grasping the importance of living things, sensing the strength and force of the elements -all of these gifts have undoubtedly played a significant role in what I do today.
Favorite wellness/beauty book: Well I guess my cookbook! ☺ Not only because it’s mine, but because you’ll find 126 easy recipes that are plant-based, gluten-free, prepared with organic and seasonal ingredients, and bursting with flavors. Food that respects our bodies and our planet. The book includes reflections on the state of our world, on the doors we can open, the lines we can shift, the paths we should take and the happiness that comes with imagining a different future. I have also featured a guide to 18 superfoods, as well as my favorite addresses for veggie-friendly food, shopping and activities in New-York, Paris and Dubai!
Go-to stress remedy: Our Wild & The Moon CBD oil and a good hug.
Supplements you can’t live without: Spirulina, reishi, chaga, maca, vegan proteins and holi (mane).
Three things you’re really into right now: Work, work, work (yes, it is this time of my life…)
Top three favorite online shops: Comptoir102, Pangaia, and some silly websites for sneakers because I have an addiction…!
Top three Instagram accounts for inspiration:
Your ultimate indulgence: TAKING A BREAK! I mean a real one, where I don’t have to pick up my phone, spend my day on my laptop or on zoom calls! (Ok truth being told this never happens but it’s in my 2022 agenda, or maybe 2023?!:) And I would go for a retreat in the middle of nature surrounded by my girl-friends and some good laughs.
Three things you’re grateful for: My family, good health and happy hours ;)
Must-have Agent Nateur product :
holi (mane) (ok ok you got that! ☺)
