NBC (Naushad the Big Chef restaurant)
Queens Residency
M G Road,
Narakathra Road, Opposite Shenoy`s Junction, M G Road, Ernakulam, Kerala
680035, India +91 84 82 365775
Contact Naushad the Big Chef :
+91
8086995350, 0484 4433110
This BIG story of
Naushad the big chef started small
around 50 years back in Thiruvalla. “Those days biriyani was not common in Central Travancore. Kozhikode
was known for its biriyani and Kollam too. My father used to have a hotel in
Thiruvalla those days. And my mother belongs to Kollam. When they got married,
he took an expert biriyani maker from Kollam back home. And…”
Naushad
or Naushad Big Chef, as he is better known as, narrates his version of how
biriyani came to Central Travancore. He is the
man behind a cookery show which has been on for almost seven years now; a
catering business; and a budding chain of restaurants, Naushad Big Chef (NBC). Bangalore will get one soon and also one in West Asia. And it all started with his father's catering
business, Naushad Catering. The ‘Big' refers to his girth and he is a good
sport about it too, “I have always been like this.”
We
are at the NBC, Sahodaran Ayappan
Road with Naushad. Presiding deity-like, he
observes the lunch time crowd in the restaurant, a smile here and a nod there.
“When plates are cleared we have the indication of how the food is,” he says
with a smile.
He
goes on flashback mode. “I was interested in cooking when I was young. Later
on, I did a hotel management course from Bangalore
and learnt more. For instance, baking or Chinese cuisine or the importance of
presentation,” he says. While there he understood the potential of the catering
business and “made things more professional at his father's catering business”.
With a cookery show on TV that has been on for almost seven years, and a ‘BIG'
fan following, a chain of restaurants was inevitable.
Professional
he clearly is. Although the menu in the two eateries, the one on SA Road and MG Road, is more or
less the same, each caters to a niche clientele. The MG Road NBC lunch buffet
is a Central Travancore style ‘meal'. At SA Road, on the
other hand, here is no ‘thali' meal because “our customers here are
predominantly North Indians. We did a market survey.”
Talk
veers to standardisation which is crucial for a chain of restaurants. For
instance, his biriyani, which is the current flavour of the town, had better
taste the same at both the places. How does he ensure it? “A centralised
kitchen. Since the biriyani is ‘dum-cooked', there is a firewood/charcoal stove
where it is cooked. It involves a lot of smoke etc. which is not conducive in a
restaurant kitchen where other kinds of food is prepared.” Sticking to a brand
(or kind) of rice is important because some will not absorb the masala or the
cooking time varies.
Since
his restaurants serve a lot of seafood and meats, he ensures that he gets the
best quality that is available. “We need huge quantities, so our suppliers are
happy and they give us the best – be it meat, poultry or seafood.” Seafood by
the way is vast at NBC - lobsters, prawn, squid, octopus he reels off. Octopus?
“Yes! I'll show you,” he says, we keep it for another time.
He
says in full earnest that food is his passion and not just business. The kathi
roll joint in Bangalore or the kebabs in Karims
in Delhi, or
trying out local eateries, he is clearly all about food. It is not just eating;
he seems to know his food. “The food typical of Kottayam has a continental
influence because of the estates and the ‘Sahibs'. Stew, Fish Moilee etc. are
typical examples. In fact, some folks had barbecues grills before people got to
know such things existed.” He seems to know what is trending as far as eating
out in Kerala goes. ‘Naadan food,' which is why there are some typical dishes
on the menu.
Films produced by
Naushad the big chef.
It is not all food
to Naushad, there is the other ‘addiction' – films. “Blessy and I were
classmates right through school and college,” he says. One thing led to another
and he produced Blessy's ‘Kazcha' and went on to produce some more films
‘Chattambinaad', ‘Best Actor' and took on distribution rights for ‘Pramaani'
which did not augur well for him. He is also producing Lal Jose's ‘Spanish Masala'.
Did he have a hand in naming the film? “No! Benny (Nayarambalam) told me ‘I
have a name which you will like, ‘Spanish Masala'.” Hope it lives up to the Big
Chef's reputation.
The other
Reasturarnts of Big chef Naushad :
Naushad Big Chef , Kadavanthra,
Kochi- 682019
Naushad Big Chef, MG Road,
Kochi- 682035
Naudhad Big Chef,
Pattanakkad, Chethala,
Naushad Big Chef, Bangalore, Koramangala,
Naushad Big Chef, Doha, Quatar,
Naushad Big Chef,
Near to Gold Souk, Kochi(coming
soon)
Naushad Big Chef ,
kottayam, Trivandrum,
Thiruvalla is also coming soon.
Naushad Big Chef
cookery shows:
Naushad’s cookery
shows on Kairali TV (Easy cook) and in
Kairali WE (Ala Carete) were very famous.
In these shows he has been introducing new dishes and familiarizing
various dishes from different parts of the world.
Diversification of
Naushad Big chef- Regarding
diversification, Naushad the big chef said that he is planning a meat
processing unit in Tamil Nadu as mutton, chicken and beef are readily available
there.
Naushad the Big Chef
personal life- Sayed Maheen Aboobaker Alias
Naushad, 46, is married to Sheeba from Kayamkulam and couple has a daughter
Neshwa , studying in 4th stanadard.
