We Bangalis take our gastronomic affairs very seriously. And one local food shop is showing the world what it means to eat like a Bangladeshi.
For nearly five decades, Fakruddin has been one of Dhaka’s favourite purveyors of kacchi biriyani, synonymous with weddings and grand celebrations.
Their chefs were even flown to Jordan to cater the royal wedding of the daughter of Prince Hassan bin Talal and his Bangali wife Princess Sarvath al-Hassan.
On the BBC travel programme Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey, Stein travelled to Bangladesh and headed straight to Fakruddin’s biriyani kitchen in Moghbazar, Dhaka, making the shop a beloved tourist destination.
And now, Fakruddin has become a global franchise spanning 3 continents.
Going the distance
When you step into one of Fakruddin’s international outposts – be it in London, Sydney, Singapore or Dubai – the heady aromatic blend of basmati, meat and spices will transport you right back to Dhaka.
“Everything about the place can make you feel like it’s a [piece] of home away from home. The waiters here, mostly [fellow] Bangalis, come up and talk to you, giving you a special treatment,” said Madiha Mohsen, a Bangladeshi university student in Bloomsbury, London.
In 2009, Fakruddin opened its first franchise in Stratford, London, followed by the opening of three more outlets in Australia, Singapore and UAE. They plan to open two more stores in the US and Malaysia.
But launching a Bangladeshi company on the global platform has been full of challenges for the company. A major drawback, the owners said, is the lack of assistance from the government.
“In a country such as ours, entrepreneurs fit into the definition of self-made men and women. While companies in other countries receive government assistance, most Bangladeshi businesses that are not in the RMG sector are left to fend for themselves,” said Abdul Khaleque, the current managing director, and grandson of founder Md Fakruddin Munshi.
Royal ingredients
The late Md Fakruddin Munshi learned his craft directly from the source.
Muslim Miah, a chef for of the Nawab of Murshidabad, chose him for apprenticeship in the nawab’s kitchen. Fakruddin exhibited a natural flair for the culinary arts, and quickly learned the techniques of dum cooking and other nawabi delicacies.
After he left, Fakruddin took this knowledge to the canteen of Viqurannesa Noon School and College, and the kacchi biriyani became Fakruddin’s signature dish. In 1966, amid the blur of the crowds of Moghbazar, Fakruddin laid the foundations of his very first shop.
“Our method of promotion was simple. We gave our customers the best. We believe in unconditional hard work and quality. In order to give the best you need three things: quality, commitment and honesty,” Abdul Khaleque said.
Kacchi on ice
Homesick Bangladeshis living in the US have two exciting prospects to look forward to: a Fakruddin restaurant in New York, and frozen biriyani.
“We plan to launch our frozen biriyani in the US market, since the potential in that particular region remains the highest. Then we’ll introduce it elsewhere,” said Abdul Khaleque.
“We also have plans to give our cuisine an international spin by introducing different Arabian biriyani. Our future goal is to keep on growing, within Bangladesh, and all over the world.”