The Flavor of Success

Asmat Faridi at the LedBy Foundation’s networking event in the American Center New Delhi. (Photograph courtesy Asmat Faridi)

Delhi-based Asmat Faridi’s culinary journey began within the walls of her home, where she honed her skills over the years. A former teacher, she tried to re-enter the workforce. However, faced with a decade-long gap in her resume, she encountered challenges in finding opportunities. Starting her own venture had long been a cherished dream, and Faridi has now transformed her love for cooking into a thriving business, known as Asmat’s Kitchen. Faridi’s turning point came when she met the LedBy Foundation, an organization that is dedicated to the professional development of Indian Muslim women, with the goal of enhancing their participation in the workforce. She has not looked back since.

Redefining possibilities

The networking event for Muslim women, held in December 2023 at the American Center New Delhi, motivated Faridi to leverage her culinary skills and embark on a business venture. “I showcased my special dish, sheer (vermicelli), at the event. I learned how to interact with people from diverse sociocultural backgrounds and how to effectively present my products,” she recalls. “This experience significantly boosted my confidence.”

“As my children were growing up, they wanted new things to eat every day. As a result, I learned to cook the same items in a variety of ways,” says Faridi. “To utilize my years of experience in satisfying my biggest fans, yet my toughest critics—my children, I launched Asmat’s Kitchen.”

Asmat’s Kitchen offers offers mouth-watering dishes like biryani, nargisi koftey and sheer khurma during the holy month of Ramadan. (Photograph courtesy Asmat Faridi)

While exploring one’s culinary strengths is important, understanding what customers want is equally essential for an entrepreneur. “My forte lies in dum biryani and sheer khurma, a dessert made of milk, vermicelli and dry fruits. That’s why I paid special attention to both of them. Additionally, nargisi kofta and chicken achari are also popular,” says Faridi. “There is a huge pan-India market for biryani. Biryani is even shipped from one city to another within the country.”

While her passion for cooking was undeniable, it was her daughter Uzma’s marketing experience that helped Asmat’s Kitchen expand its visibility and reach. She devised a competitive pricing strategy and explored various marketing avenues to broaden their customer base. As Faridi rightly says, “Experience and time teach you a lot.”

During the holy month of Ramadan, Asmat’s Kitchen offers mouth-watering dishes such as masala biryani, potato biryani, nargisi koftey, achari chicken and sheer khurma. Faridi is also considering registering with food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy to reach more customers across the city.

Faridi’s concluding message is inspiring as she quotes the famous Allama Iqbal, “Sitaron se aagey jahan aur bhi hain” (There exists a vast world beyond the stars). “We can accomplish a lot,” she explains. “But the only prerequisite is to take the initiative. The rest falls into place.”

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