Zara’s Kitchenette: Home Cooked Food Never Looked This Good!
Our lives are getting faster. We spend most of the time outside of our homes usually working. And some us are also away from home for the sake of education or building careers in other cities. So what we miss the most about being away from home is the home cooked food. Because obviously, most of us are tired of eating the same old unhygienic food from roadside food vendors. And those who can afford good food will still miss the taste of ‘Ghar ka Khana.’
This is where Zara’s Kitchenette enters. It offers you fresh, healthy, and hygienic food that feels just like home cooked food. Because it is cooked at home with love and care. Their dishes are always fresh and look better than most of the famous restaurants working in Pakistan.
Team Orange Ink decided to interview Zara’s Kitchenette and here is how they replied.
How did you come to the idea of Zara’s Kitchenette?
People eat to live and I live to EAT. Food has always been a craze, passion to me and my family. I have always been a great admirer of quality food. I believe who eats good can cook good! I always loved cooking and it used to be my favorite pastime since I was 10 or 12 may be. I have always enjoyed sharing my cooking with others. So one day, I thought to change my hobby into a reality.
How did you make this idea into reality? Can you share something about your journey?
After my Master’s degree in Marketing from LSE, I worked as a Trade Finance Manager at a German-based Trade Finance Company. I’ve always been a career-oriented woman but I gave up my job because of my kids. My work demanded a lot of international travel and I couldn’t put my kids off the priority list. So I kept working on some home-based project and it was the best I could think of. And one day I made this page on facebook and thought a lot before publishing it. I kept it on hold for over a year or so, thinking and working on it. One Sunday evening over a family gathering, my sister in law pushed me to upload it. And I was sure it would be very slow for a long time but by the grace of Allah, I got three orders the next week. It was such a warm feeling and since then Alhumdullilah I have been receiving a lot of love from people.
There are many online food businesses currently operating in Pakistan. How do you think that Zara’s Kitchenette stands out among them?
Well I haven’t really tried a lot of home-based cooked food and I am sure all of them would be working very hard like me to provide good food but I do a lot of hostelling and I can tell if some food is amazing, average or below expectations. So what’s different about my food is that one will be able to taste all the flavors in a dish. It’s very detailed, and calculated… I guess people will know what I am talking about when they try it.
What was the first thing you ever cooked and how was it?
Haha, I remember I made Donuts when I was 10 and they were hard rubber and half burnt. But my parents made me believe that they were the best they have ever had. So from there, it started. I thought maybe I can cook someday, and now I’m cooking professionally. You see appreciation motivates you.
Do you think innovation is important in this business?
You see food is a very basic necessity, so I believe taste and quality are more important than innovation. There is a reason people still go to Waris and Mohammadi Nehari, or Phajay k Paye at dawn which is insanely amazing. So yea, as long as you sell high quality and tasty food, your business is not going down no matter who the new entrant is.
And as far as innovation in home-based food is concerned, I think there is a low probability that people will try it; they would rather go to a fancy restaurant and have it.
You make your dishes look and taste better than even some of the highly rated restaurants nowadays. What makes your food feel home cooked?
It’s very fresh and fresh will always taste good no matter what; it is made with a lot of care and not at all compromised on the hygiene.
What is the biggest challenge in running Zara’s Kitchenette?
Oh a lot of them. The one I dislike the most is last minute cancellations…. Every order is a challenge because you want your customer to be happy; it should be worth every penny they spend. A positive word-of-mouth is very important in any business. My prime goal is to retain my customers along with adding the new ones.
What has surprised you about business ownership?
To run your own business is not a piece of cake, it requires a lot of guts, sweat, and homework.
What is the most rewarding part of owning your own business?
The feel of success is so amazing, how it makes my loved ones feel proud of me; And above all how my little Zahra and Musa jumps around announcing about my creations.
Women entrepreneurs are rare in Pakistan. But trends are changing for women in Pakistan and they are moving ahead in the world. What do you have to say to the female youth of our country who wish to make achievements like yours?
To every woman, I would say, that as cliché’ as it may sound but nothing is impossible. It’s in your head. You have all what it takes to rule the world, so step up and make your dreams come true.
Source All Images: www.facebook.com/Zaraskitchenettee/