In the vibrant culinary landscape of Bangladesh, one name stands out because of his unwavering commitment to authenticity: Ayeman Ibne Amin. Based in the heart of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Ayeman has risen to prominence as a visionary restaurateur, owning a remarkable portfolio of several food joints around the capital that have left an indelible mark on the country’s food scene. Ayeman’s culinary adventure began with a passion for flavor and a sharp eye for culinary innovation. During an exclusive interview with TINDS, Ayeman shared his story of becoming a successful restaurateur and his journey to becoming one.
TINDS: Tell us a little about your childhood. Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
Ayeman: I was born and brought up in Dhaka and have been around here almost throughout my life. I moved to Thailand for my undergraduate degree and returned to Bangladesh in 2016. I’ve been here since, and I started working when I got back.
TINDS: What words would you use to describe yourself?
Ayeman: Positive and fun-loving.
TINDS: How did you end up getting into the restaurant business?
Ayeman: We got into the restaurant business around 2010 or 2011, and honestly, we only had a little experience in the industry. My family is involved in the printing business. I am very fascinated by food, and I love the idea of visiting restaurants and going out to dine with friends or family. The love for food is shared among my family members, which has inspired us to get into the business after all. I often visited Thailand for vacations with my family and even completed my undergraduate studies there, and we loved the cuisine. We only thought a little before we started our first restaurant; needless to say, the industry was not as evolved as it is today. It was solely the love for food that showed us the directions.
TINDS: Tell us a little about the brands you own and how they all started initially.
Ayeman: The first restaurant we started with was Thai Emerald in Uttara, which we began in 2010. Currently, we have 16 outlets and 11 brands in total. There are two other branches of Thai Emerald in Gulshan and Dhanmondi, respectively. We got Kiyoshi in Gulshan, which serves Japanese cuisine. We have Terracotta Tales in Tejgaon in partnership with Aarong, within which we also have a bakery called the Dough Diaries. We have the Grove Bistro and Red Chamber situated in Gulshan 2. We also own a French franchise in a partnership called the Comptoirs Richard Bangladesh. We also got the Emerald Bakery in Banani and Gusto & Trouvaille in Uttara. It might sound like a lot when naming all of them at once, but it doesn’t feel like too much work because being involved in all the activities from scratch makes it more accessible.
TINDS: How would you say you’ve been able to manage so many ventures successfully throughout all these years?
Ayeman: The one thing that worked well for us was our very intimate involvement in every level of activity in the restaurant. We have tried our best to be very involved with our customers, and we have always prioritized their feedback and visited the restaurant daily. We had an open kitchen, and people appreciated the back-and-forth communication. Also, we are customers of our restaurants, and we dine there as well; we’ve always tried to make sure that there is no compromise with the quality.
TINDS: How did you think of opening one venture after another?
Ayeman: The first restaurant we owned was Thai Emerald in Uttara, and the next was Fool’s Diner in Banani. We fell in love with the process once these two were up and running. We felt highly connected to our customers, and it was phenomenal. Social media wasn’t used as much ten years ago, so hearing from the customers about their feedback was inspiring. We fell in love with the process of thinking something through in your mind and implementing it in real life.
TINDS: How do you manage your professional and personal time when you have to look into so many ventures?
Ayeman: Our entire family is more or less involved in our food business, my mother is the person who started the business and plays a major role in running the business as well. We have the work departmentalized among us, which makes things easier to look after. And once you do business, most people would agree that you no longer have a thriving personal life; the weekdays and weekends are all the same.
TINDS: Do you cook yourself?
Ayeman: Not really. I did cook when I was living alone in Thailand because then I had to; the ones who couldn’t cook had to do the dishes. YouTube was a lot of help back then. I can and do like to cook a bit of Thai food when I can, for example, at family gatherings. But honestly, I like to eat more than cooking itself.
TINDS: What would you be if not a restaurateur?
Ayeman: I’d probably be involved in some business. Not necessarily any particular profession, but I’d have been involved in doing business because it intrigues me. It aims to keep on changing as we grow up, and that’s evident; I wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid, just like every other kid. It’s not us who choose; it’s the profession that chooses us.
TINDS: What makes a restaurant stand out in a saturated market like ours in Bangladesh?
Ayeman: It is essential for the restaurant to have a solid character. Every aspect should be considered timeless; what’s trending now might not be of much value going forward. For example, theme-based restaurants are doing very well abroad, but they’re not working correctly in our country, and we have a few struggling instances as well. We visit restaurants to eat, and the food should have the ability to leave a mark on the customer. We provide our customers with an experience they want to return for, spend time on, and make memories of.
TINDS: Coming this far, what would you say you’ve had to struggle with?
Ayeman: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of worry for us and the entire industry. Many couldn’t get up, suffering from the loss of that time. We had to keep running on our savings, and we made sure not to lay off any of our employees because they are what make us. Also, currently, the situation in our country where importing products has become a hassle is becoming challenging for us to cope with because most of the products we use are from overseas. The prices of commodities are crazy high, and the situation is tense due to the upcoming election.
TINDS: What would your advice be to young entrepreneurs?
Ayeman: You must be very clear about what you want to do. Things should be thought of, analyzed, and given time to devise the perfect plan. Getting into a business doesn’t necessarily mean earning profits; there are numerous examples of significant people in business losing money. Loss is a part of the process, and you should be able to tackle it. A few setbacks should not be able to stop you from continuing. Things work out once you stick to what you want to do and if you are dedicated enough. There’s a lot more to it and many variables to consider. Being in the right place at the right time is the key.
| Thai Emerald
Address: House 24, Road 2, Gulshan 1 · Dhaka,, Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01766-293935 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaiemeraldgulshan/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1016153905/thai-emerald-gulshan/?hl=en Kiyoshi Address: house 24, Rd No. 2, Gulshan 1, Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01707-009543 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KiyoshiByThaiEmerald/ Terracotta Tales Address: 210/B Tejgaon – Gulshan Link Road, Dhaka- 1208, Bangladesh Call: 01300-488127 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Terracotta-Tales-100076751167184/ Dough Diaries Website: http://doughdiaries.com/
The Grove Bistro Address: Level 12, Hamid Tower, Gulshan Circle 2 , Dhaka, Bangladesh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mycozygrove/ Call: 01315-063084
The Red Chamber Address: Level 13, Hamid Tower, Gulshan Circle 2, Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01316-048262 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theredchamber/
Comptoirs Richard Bangladesh Address: Main Lobby (gate 1) Gulshan Centre Point (the Unimart building) , Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01747-173172 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ComptoirsRichardBD/ E-mail: info@cwresourcesbd.com
Emerald Bakery and Cafe Address: Banani 11, house 80, Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01832-398120 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Emerald-Bakery-and-Cafe-100083085169091/
Gusto Address: House 2, Road 2, Sector 1, Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh Call: 01730-426541 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustomoments/
Trouvaille Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trouvaille.aluckyfind/ Call: 01767-727160 |
