By Nisha Ali
Photos: Reaz Shariar Rahman
“The starting point of all achievement is desire” – Napolen Hill
Ideas are a dime a dozen – even the great ones. But it only matters when you can churn that idea into something substantial and make it flourish. Breaking conventions is always difficult, sometimes even considered a taboo, although true success lies when you can tough it out and come out victorious. This month we bring to you men who dared to do it differently and we bring to you their riveting tales of success. Read on as they discuss their achievements and passions.
Owing to the success of his food joints, Melange, Mirage, Wow Burger and recently Tokyo Express, Nafees Reza Vicky has become a popular name in the food industry. His journey in the food service business began five years ago when the sector was relatively untapped. Although several food joints in Dhaka kicked off with a bang in the last five years, many had to close shop due to the tremendous competition in the industry. Fortunately, none of Vicky’s ventures had been a part of this trend. He has established that despite all the competition, the fluctuations in the food service sector and all other odds, his ventures have the capacity to stand strong and he is definitely here to stay.
“Back in 2009, when I was in London, I used to regularly visit cafes and lounges. I was overwhelmed by the extraordinary service and treatment I received from such places. This was something that was missing in Dhaka. That’s when I planned to own a food joint that gave customers such an experience of warmth and comfort,” shares the thirty-three year old food entrepreneur. Upon completing his MBA and another Master degree, when he finally returned to Dhaka in 2010, he noticed that people hardly had anything to do for recreation. Even though his father wanted him to join the family business, the young graduate decided to follow his heart, taking a huge risk in an unfamiliar territory. “I’ve always been a risk-taker; I knew that this is what I wanted to do. After my mother agreed to use the land where Melange stands today, I called my close friend Tanvir Azad to discuss plans. My family members lent their full support,” says Vicky. The two began to look for other potential partners and eventually joined hands with Zafar Iqbal to begin their journey in food industry with Melange.
“Melange became an instant success on its inception. We pulled in a diverse crowd, starting from young individuals to corporate professionals. From the very beginning, we strictly followed certain rules, such as ensuring that customers are of minimum twenty-one years if they wanted to order sheesha. We are proud to have created a fuss-free environment with Melange and Mirage. Despite having no idea about the kitchen initially, I quickly learned the ropes from my partners. Other than training the staff, we handled marketing, accounts, and customer service. Soon we reaped the benefits as a team,” expresses Vicky.
Managing a restaurant wasn’t all about the success and profits either – during peak hours Vicky lent a hand in taking orders and even washing plates. “It’s something I do, even today when required. I still take orders from customers and collect their bills. When I was abroad, I learnt that doing your own work and helping out the staff makes things smoother,” Vicky candidly expresses. According to him, it’s not enough to just open up a plush restaurant; it’s vital for owners to be deeply involved with the business in order to ensure its smooth operation, understand consumer behaviour and estimate the finances.
“Customer service is crucial in the success of restaurant business. If, in rare circumstances, customers are unsatisfied with the food or the service, we either don’t charge them or offer discounts to make sure we retain our clients,” elaborates Vicky.
Once the business was stable and the partners at Melange had gathered enough experience, they conceived the idea of doing something on a larger scale. In 2013, Mirage was opened in affiliation with Kabir Reza, owner of Dhaka Regency Hotel. Mirage consisted of three sections – café, lounge and fine dining.
On the topic of customer satisfaction, Vicky shares, “Our employees are a crucial part of customer satisfaction and we wouldn’t have been so successful without them. Maintaining the staff is very important as customers expect to see familiar faces. Other than commissions, we try to help our staff as much as possible, like financial aid for their weddings or rebuilding their village homes,” informs Vicky.
Two years ago, Vicky along with a few partners entered the food cart business with Wow Burger. There were about thirty carts, competing vigorously with one another. Among them, Wow Burger gained a loyal fan base. “It’s a small enterprise which caters to people of all ages at an affordable rate,” says Vicky. Last year, Wow Burger started their own shops in Banani and Uttara, while the cart operation continues.
Nafees Reza Vicky’s latest venture, Tokyo Express is quite different from his previous ones. It’s a posh Japanese restaurant in Banani which, despite being a month old, has gained immense popularity. One of his partners at Tokyo Express said, “Apart from the hard work and business insight which every partner brings, Vicky’s strong social network has been a tremendous forte for us.”
“I’ve been blessed with supportive partners, employees, and the prayers of my family and loved ones,” says Vicky, “The supportive nature and encouragement of my wife who is a barrister and understands work pressure at ungodly hours, has been vital to my success. There are several other things in the pipeline and I hope they become equally successful.”
When asked to express his opinion about the growing competition in food business Vicky responds with a smile, “Greater diversity in choices for consumers, isn’t that a great thing? As for the owners of such joints, we have to constantly be on our toes to ensure that we’re keeping our customers happier than our competitors. For me, the increased competition is a positive sign because it helps raise the bar.”